The Bed That Broke Us

How great life can be to the unknowing, or better yet the knowing and unwilling. In the world of a mind unwilling to grasp the reality at hand, anything can be. Happiness is nothing more than the outfit chosen to wear on any said day. On this day the chosen outfit was a wife’s adult women soccer uniform. Like any other Saturday morning scrimmage, Lonnie got ready to leave her best on the field. Like any other Saturday morning scrimmage, Lonnie’s husband would arrive 30 minutes after the game started due to work. Unlike any other Saturday morning, their worlds would slowly start to unravel and happiness wouldn’t appear as easy as they had made it seem.

“I think number 12 is hurt!” screamed Quentin. Quentin and his wife Sammie had been friends with Lonnie and Kyle since college. After confirming it was in fact number 12, Lonnie, that was injured he immediately called Kyle.

“How far are you from the field, Kyle?” questioned Quentin.

“Seriously, Que?” “You know I work on Saturdays and am always a little late,” said Kyle.

“I’m not bullshitting around Kyle, get here and get here quick,” said Quentin. “It’s Lonnie.”

Horns began to honk at Kyle to signal him to go since the light had turned green and though panic urged every bone in his body to move, moving seemed impossible. Ten minutes later, Kyle pulled up to the soccer field where he saw a group of people circling an injured player on the field. He could also hear the ambulance that got there a few minutes before he did.

“Lonnie!” screamed Kyle as he ran to her. “Lonnie!”

“Sammie, it’s Kyle,” said Lonnie. “Sam, tell him I’m okay…I feel lightheaded…but tell him I’m okay, Sam.”

“Where are they taking her, Quentin!” yelled Kyle. “What happened to her, Sammie?”

With tears rolling down her face, Sammie replied, “I’m not even sure, it all happened so fast.” “She was running down the field and then she was laid out on the ground.”

Kyle, Sammie, Quentin, and the entire soccer team all loaded up into their vehicles and followed the ambulance to Bridge Memorial Hospital.

Before Quentin could even stop the car, Kyle leaped out of the passenger seat and ran into the hospital. Looking for anyone who could tell him that Lonnie was going to be okay, that she just sprained her ankle really badly and this was all a panic for nothing.

“I am looking for Lonnie Weston,” said Kyle. “I am her husband.”

“Mrs. Weston has been taken to emergency surgery,” said the nurse. “You can sit over there in the family waiting room and a doctor will be with you as soon as possible”

Two hours dressed in forever had passed when a doctor appeared. “Lonnie Weston’s family?”

“Yes, I am her husband,” said Kyle. “Please tell me she will be okay.”

“She will be fine, Mr. Weston,” said the doctor as he pulled out Lonnie’s chart. “However her road to recovery will be a very long one.”

“Lonnie broke her leg in two places and will be in the hospital for quite some time,” The doctor pulled out her x-rays showing him just how bad the breaks were.

“How long will she have to stay in the hospital?” “Will she walk again?” “Will she ever be able to play soccer again?” All questions Kyle asked when really all he cared about was seeing her face.

“Why don’t I take you to her,” said the doctor. “She is in recovery and is asleep still, but I can take you to her and you can sit by her side”

Kyle walked slowly into her room, sat down beside her bed, and grabbed her hand.

“Everything is going to be okay, Lonnie.” Kyle whispered.

Over the next few days, multiple conversations would happen regarding Lonnie’s treatment plan. More corrective surgeries that would have to happen as well as rehab that would help her to walk again. Kyle spent a lot of time in the hospital until he could no longer afford to.

“We could figure something out Lonnie,” said Kyle. “I do not want to go back to work and leave you here alone.”

“I won’t be alone, sweetheart,” said Lonnie. “There are nurses and doctors here all the time, plus Sammie and the girls will visit when they can.”

“Only if you are absolutely sure, Lonnie.” said Kyle.

“Kyle, this is how it has to be but it’ll be fine,” said Lonnie. “I’ll be fine”

Days came and days went and visits became fewer and farther in between. Life was happening. Sammie had three kids, and Kyle was working nonstop trying not to fall victim to the medical bills that were piling up. He visited Lonnie when he could but they both spent many nights alone with only the thoughts of how quickly life had changed.

Days started to mesh together and time seemed to stand still. With no daily routine to keep her mind busy, Lonnie began to think about all the things in her life that she never gave thought to before. She kept a journal to document not only her recovery process, but to also try and discover who she really was. She started to think that if the woman who injured herself playing soccer, and had been playing soccer for the past two years, even liked soccer. Daily she would have journal entries filled with all the parts of her she had never seen before. Parts that have been there but that she never acknowledged.

Dear Journal,

I’ve been in the hospital for five weeks now. I’ve become less concerned with the recovery of my leg and more concerned with how at peace I feel with being alone. Shouldn’t I hate sleeping in this bed alone? Shouldn’t I miss my husband? Shouldn’t I yearn for his touch? Shouldn’t he miss me? The calls don’t come as often as they did and neither of us seem to care. Have I always felt this way? Had I become so good at hiding that I hid my own feelings from myself? Kyle and I have been married for 6 years and for 6 years I was convinced that I was happy. Then I broke my leg playing a sport I am not even sure I like and all the feelings I had been too busy to feel for the past 6 years came rushing forward all at once. I’ve reconnected with a friend from college. She found out about my accident through social media and reached out. We’ve talked everyday for the past three weeks. She and I have talked more than Kyle and I, and it it wasn’t awkward. It wasn’t weird. It felt like that is how it was supposed to be all along.

I’ve been left alone entirely too long with my thoughts.

Until tomorrow, journal.

-Lonnie

More days passed by and Lonnie began to make great progress in rehab. One day when she was being brought back to her room from recovery rehab, she was surprised to find Kyle sitting in a chair waiting for her.

“Kyle!” said Lonnie. “This is a pleasant surprise.”

“Look at you,” said Kyle. “You are making so much progress.” He stood up to give Lonnie a great big hug.

When he stood up, Lonnie noticed her journal in the chair where Kyle was sitting.

“Did you read my journal?” asked Lonnie.

There was a silence that could be heard throughout the hospital.

“Yes, Lonnie.” answered Kyle. “And I’m glad I did because there are a lot of things in your journal that I too have been feeling and after reading it, I really think we should talk.”

“I’ve been needing to talk to you for years, Kyle.” said Lonnie. “I just never knew how to start the conversation, so I convinced myself there was no conversation to be had.”

“Is this really happening?” asked Lonnie as tears slowly started to fall down her cheek.

Kyle took Lonnie’s hand and they both sat on the bed and began a conversation that would begin brand new lives for the both of them.