Until I Die Again [On The Way To Heaven] (Soul Change Novel) Read Free Page B

dancer years ago.
    Dr. Hughes leaned back in the brown vinyl chair. “We’ve run tests, numbers of them. There isn’t a trace of the hemorrhage or any damage. Physically, she’s perfect.”
    Jamie pushed out the words, “And mentally?”
    Dr. Hughes tilted his head. “That’s what we’re not too sure about. Both long and short term memory are impaired. She seems to know little other than her name, and the nurse saw her peek at her name band for that. With the kind of recovery she made, it’s going to be hard to predict her progress. In normal cases it could take up to two years for her memory to return, and even then some of it may never return.”
    Velvet’s face registered shock. “You mean she might always look at me with that nothing look on her face?”
    “I’m not saying that at all. But you may have to fill in the blank spaces for her.”
    Jamie leaned forward. “Will she be the same? I mean, her personality and all?”
    “Yes, in time she will become basically the same person she was. She will, of course, be different in some ways. This kind of experience changes a person. She’ll probably appreciate life a lot more.”
    “Hah!” Velvet’s deep, harsh laugh seemed to ricochet off the walls. “She already did.” When she noticed Jamie’s right eye narrow, her smile died.
    Dr. Hughes cleared his throat, perhaps in an attempt to clear the air of tension. “I would like to keep her here for a few days, just for observation. Then she’s free to go home, although she should stay near the hospital for a few weeks.”
    A sick feeling churned in Jamie’s stomach. “Do you think she’ll have another stroke?”
    “No, not at all. The last CAT scan we did came out completely clear.” He shook his head and looked away for a moment, as if still stunned. “It might be a good idea, though, to keep her nearby in case of complications. This isn’t an average case, so it’s hard to foresee any problems that might occur.”
    Jamie turned to his mother, squeezing her hand in question, trying to read those beautiful, icy blue eyes of hers for an answer. As usual, they revealed nothing, but the slightest nod of her head confirmed it.
    “She’ll recuperate at my mother’s home in Los Almeda,” Jamie announced.
    Velvet spoke up. “I don’t think that’s appropriate, considering the circumstances. She should…”
    “She’s staying with us. You don’t have the time, nor the room, to house her comfortably.” She also didn’t have the wits, but he wasn’t going to get into that. “Besides, she’ll be closer to the hospital. When she’s up to it, she can do whatever she pleases.”
    Dr. Hughes stood up, holding his clipboard against his chest. “Good. We’ve moved her to a regular room, 425. You can go in to see her now if you’d like.”
     
    After hours of being treated like a lab specimen, Chris was escorted to her new room. All those tests had only confirmed one thing in her mind. No one had a medical explanation for her miraculous recovery, except that it was a miracle, as one doctor had whispered reverently. Oh, how she wanted to tell someone about her experience, about the love and peace, and the light.
    As soon as the nurse tucked her into her crisp, cold sheets and left her alone, Chris shoved out of bed and studied herself again. It still wasn’t her body. Her hands moved up to her face, touching her cheeks, following the lines of her bones. What did she look like now? She had to find out.
    After a wary glance toward the door, she climbed out of bed and walked stiffly to the bathroom. She felt the hesitation of meeting someone new. Being afraid is silly. It’s still you, Chris.
    For the first time she was able to do more than snatch a vague reflection off the face of some monitor. A deep breath served to inject a few ounces of bravery into her, and she stepped up to the mirror and stared. A stranger stared back. She touched the mirror, just to make sure it wasn’t a window into her