As she noticed that the older woman was still fast asleep, she carefully extracted herself, sitting on the edge of the bed, looking at Catherine who quickly pulled the pillow she had just vacated to her. Sara smirked as she watched her. The way the older woman was clamping onto the pillow she was practically smothering it. She leaned in and placed a soft kiss on Catherine's forehead.
After making sure that the other woman was still asleep, Sara walked over to the bathroom to take a quick shower and then she planned on getting her and Catherine some breakfast.
*-*-*-*-*
After about three hours of sleep Lindsey woke up again, her eyes immediately scanning the room for her girlfriend. She spotted Megan who was still sleeping peacefully like she had done all night long. Sadness filled her as she thought about Megan's inability to see surfaced again. She couldn't stop herself as she felt tears well in her eyes.
Lindsey sat up in her bed, holding her head in her hands as she started to sob softly. She could understand why Megan's behavior had changed, but it had scared her. The blonde wanted to help her, but she didn't know how.
She had been so devastated when Megan has asked her whether she'd ever be able to see again. Though the other girl had physically reached out for her, Lindsey felt that Megan was retreating into herself. More so when doctor Fredricks had told them that even he couldn't say with certainty whether the curly-haired brunette would ever see again.
Then she remembered Sam's words. She knew the paramedic was right; she shouldn't give up on her. And she didn't plan to. She looked up as she heard Megan moving in her bed. The other girl's head was turned into her direction, but her eyes were still closed.
The blonde got out of her bed and walked over, settling herself on the edge of the brunette's bed. She tucked a lock of hair behind Megan's ear, then let her fingertips glide across her cheek, towards the other girl's lips.
She watched as a smile formed on Megan's lips as she woke up. Lindsey leaned down, replacing her fingertips with her lips. "Hey," she softly spoke as she took her girlfriend's hand.
Megan opened her eyes, blinked a few times as she looked into Lindsey's direction, then closing them again. "Morning," she replied. She turned her head away from Lindsey and opened her eyes again. The blonde felt her eyes tear up again as she watched Megan staring into nothingness.
"Have you been crying?" the curly-haired brunette asked as she turned her head and faced Lindsey.
Lindsey quickly turned her head away, even though she knew Megan couldn't see her. "No," she softly said as she wiped at the tears that were still silently trickling down her cheeks.
"Lindsey, please," Megan started as she shifted in the bed, trying to sit up. "Look at me."
"How do you…?" the blonde started, but her question died as she noticed the sparkle in Megan's eyes. "You can…you can…?" She immediately got out of her bed and almost sprinted over to Megan. She reached out and cupped the other girl's cheek, locking eyes as she continued, "You can see?"
Megan stared deeply into her eyes, nodding slowly as she took in the beautiful blonde standing in front of her. "Yes," she whispered as she leaned into Lindsey's touch. The blonde took her face in both hands and leaned in, kissing her fiercely. "Oh, Megan," she said as she leaned back, staring into ice blue eyes, "I'm so glad…I was scared you'd nev-"
Megan leaned in, claiming the other girl's lips again, stopping her from saying the thing she had feared herself as well.
*-*-*-*-*
At half past seven, Sara walked into the Inn's small restaurant area. It was still very quiet; there were only a few other people sitting at some of the tables, having breakfast. The brunette walked over to the bar that was situated at the half open kitchen. Sliding onto one of the bar stools, she picked up a menu card.
"Morning."
Sara looked up from the menu and looked around. Nobody was there. She shook her head, thinking it was the lack of caffeine that was playing tricks with her. Just as she started to peruse the menu again, she heard the voice again.
"What can I get you?"
This time as she looked up she saw a dark-haired Latino woman walking back in again, carrying a large cardboard box with several different bottles of liquor in it. As she placed the box on the floor, the woman looked up at Sara, a friendly smile on her face as she waited for her to order breakfast.
"Ah, good morning," the brunette started. "A coffee please…and…" She scanned the menu card once more, then put it down and continued, "scrambled eggs, hash browns, some toast, waffles, and a cup of tea, please." She smirked as she saw the surprised look on the woman's face.
"Wow, that's one healthy appetite you got there," she said as she filled a mug with steamy hot coffee and placed in front of Sara.
"Not all for me," the brunette quipped before she took a tentative sip, her taste buds welcoming the hot liquid. "I'm taking some with me to my room if that's ok?"
"This Inn has room service, you know?" the Latina said.
Sara looked at the woman again. She hadn't seen her before, when they arrived at the Inn yesterday, but there was something familiar about the woman. "Didn't want to give Sam's brother and sister-in-law any more trouble," the brunette shrugged.
At the mention of the paramedic's name, Sara caught a glimpse of pain in the woman's dark eyes. She could see the mind of the other woman fill with thoughts about something. Something probably to do with Sam, Sara thought.
The woman shook her head as if to clear her mind. "Right, then you must be…Miss Sidle?"
"It's Sara. Please call me Sara," the CSI replied as she put the mug down, holding out her hand.
"Well, Sara, nice to meet you. I'm Magda," the Latina said as she gave the other woman a firm handshake.
*-*-*-*-*
Catherine stirred in her sleep as the ringing of a cell phone filled the honeymoon suite. She reached for where the sound was coming from, her eyes still closed. As her hands hit an unfamiliar object on the nightstand she woke up completely. She looked around the room, remembering where she was.
As she reached for the ringing cell phone, she noticed the suite was empty. Grabbing her cell phone, she wondered where Sara was. She hadn't noticed her leaving the bed, nor the room.
"Hello," she answered sleepily as she lay back, her hand raking through her tousled hair.
"Catherine? It's Sam. I tried to call Sara but-"
The strawberry blonde shot up right as the paramedic's voice registered in her mind. "Sam? Is something wrong with Megan?" she interrupted.
"No. No. She's fine. She's more than fine," Sam replied. "She can see again."
"That is great news," Catherine said as she let out the breath that she was holding. She was already in the process of getting out of bed as she spoke up again. "I'll tell Sara. We'll be right there."
"Alright. See you there."
The strawberry blonde ended the call and tossed her cell phone on the bed. She grabbed her clothes, dressed quickly before heading off to find Sara and tell her the wonderful news.
Chapter 18
As she stepped into the restaurant, she immediately spotted the brunette who was in a conversation with the woman behind the bar.
She headed over and, ignoring the people around her, cupped Sara's head, guiding dark brown eyes towards her own sapphire ones. Leaning in she whispered, "Good news, honey. She can see again." Closing the remaining gap, Catherine placed a soft kiss on Sara's lips. As she leaned back, she was met by a look of relief mixed with a questioning one.
"Really?" Sara asked, finding it hard to believe Megan had regained her sight again when just yesterday the doctors had told them it might take days, weeks even, before she would see again -if that would happen at all.
Catherine nodded. "Sam called. She said she tried to call you, but when she couldn't reach you she phoned me. When Megan woke up this morning her sight was back."
Sara suddenly had lost her interest in having breakfast or coffee, and quickly jumped off the bar stool. "Come on, we've got to get to the hospital."
Magda, who had silently been watching the exchange between the two women closely, suddenly cleared her throat, trying to get their attention. "Ladies," she started as she fished her car key out of her pocket and held it out for Sara to take. "It's at the back. Now I know it's a crappy looking Jeep, but it'll get you there faster than by foot."
Sara looked from the key back to Magda, not understanding why this woman would just offer her car to them. "Thank you, but Sam-"
"Let's just say I owe Sam…a lot," Magda interrupted, a small smile on her face, though her eyes showing how she really felt.
Sara looked at the woman, noticing how much the paramedic meant to the Latina even though she hadn't said one single word about it. "Thanks, Magda."
"You're welcome. Now…go," she said as she shooed the two women away. Other customers were slowly filling the restaurant, so she'd have her hands full for the next two hours or so. "I'll come by the hospital to pick it up after my shift has ended," she called after the two women.
Catherine hadn't said a word when Magda had stepped into their conversation, but, the two of them were heading out towards the parking lot at the back of the Inn, she couldn't keep her curiosity inside. "Who's that woman?"
"Magda," Sara quipped as she scanned the parking lot, finding the Jeep. Crappy indeed, she thought, letting out a soft chuckle as she noticed the dark blue, rust-covered, hub cap-missing Jeep.
"I figured that much," the strawberry blonde replied.
"Sorry," Sara started as she opened the car. "She's the Inn's chef, and, although she hasn't told me about it, I think her and Sam have some kind of history together."
Catherine opened the door of the passenger's side and got in, thinking that Sara might be spot on with that assumption. "You think they-" But before she could finish her question, her phone rang. Checking the display she noticed it was Sam. "Hey Sam," the strawberry blonde started. "We're on our way. No, we got the Jeep of the chef…Magda."
As it remained silent at the other end of the line, Catherine looked over at Sara. The brunette shrugged as she revved up the engine and headed out of the parking lot, into morning traffic.
"Sam?" the older woman tried once more, but when she still got no answer she ended the call. "They definitely have a history together."
*-*-*-*-*
Sam stared out of the window at the end of the corridor, looking down the street, but not really seeing the few cars that drove by. After she'd hung up, she'd quickly excused herself and practically ran out of the room, leaving Lindsey and Megan staring at each other in confusion.
Sam was angry at herself.
Angry of how she responded to her name. Her name. Raking her hand through her short hair she sighed. She thought she'd put it all behind her, but now she felt betrayed by her own feelings -feelings she thought she'd buried a while ago.
It had been almost two years now. Two years since she last seen Magda. It had been two years ago that Magda had sent her away, not wanting her help.
Sam closed her eyes, her head resting against the window as memories started to flood her mind. She had met the beautiful Latina one night while she and Mike -her driver/EMT- were called to a restaurant in downtown San Francisco.
"The sous chef of restaurant Les Amis has cut himself while filleting salmon," Sam said as Mike turned left, the restaurant only a few more blocks away.
He huffed. "And that's why they asked for an ambulance?" Sam sent him a glare. "I mean," Mike started again, "shift would have been over in five minutes."
"Mike, stop complaining. Dispatch said they were unable to stop the bleeding," the short-haired blonde said as she pulled on latex gloves. Her buddy sighed once more as he pulled up in front of the restaurant, his stomach grumbling loudly as he opened the door.
Sam chuckled. "You'll get your burger after this last ride," she said as she grabbed her kit. "Or you could always ask the chef for some fancy food." Sam nudged Mike's shoulder as they walked towards the restaurant. "I think going a day without fast food will do you good," she added, patting his stomach.
"Haha, very funny," Mike replied dryly.
"Come on," Sam said as she opened the door. "Time for business."
All kidding and joking was set aside as they walked into the restaurant, both their minds focusing on the job at hand. The head-waiter immediately brought them to a small office at the back of the restaurant. There sat a man who was looking as white as a sheet -a nice contrast with the red blotches in his uniform. Sam looked at the person sitting in front of him, who was holding a dish towel to the man's wrist.
She walked over saying, "Hello, this is Mike. I'm Sam. We're here to check on-"
As the woman turned and dark eyes met Sam's, she suddenly stopped, causing Mike to bump into her. She was completely stunned by the beautiful woman who sat crouched in front of her. Dark eyes held her captive, causing her mind to falter.
"Sam," Mike hissed as he noticed his buddy's staring.
The short-haired paramedic cleared her throat. "Right. What happened?" she asked as she looked away, feeling embarrassed because of her reaction to the woman. She opened her kit and took out some gauze.
"My sous chef, Ricardo, cut his wrist when he was filleting the salmon," the woman started. "It's bleeding heavily. I wrapped gauze around it, but it didn't stop, so I grabbed a clean dish towel and put pressure on it. It seems to get less, but it just won't stop."
"Let me have a look," Sam said as she reached out and placed her hands on the towel.
The woman moved a bit aside, giving the paramedic some more room to work. Sam unwrapped the towel and immediately saw how the blood kept pouring through the gauze.
"Looks like an arterial hemorrhage alright," she muttered as the blood started to ooze through the new gauze she pushed against the wound.
"Ma'am, could you please step aside?" Mike asked as he grabbed a tourniquet out of the kit.
"No," the woman answered, shaking her head stubbornly.
"Ma'am, please. We need to help your soup chef," the man said.
Dark eyes turned to him. "Sous chef, you idiot. Give me that," the Latino said as she snatched the tourniquet out of his hands and handed it to Sam.
"Thanks," Sam said as she took the tourniquet, smirking as she noticed the look of shock on Mike's face. This is one feisty woman, the short-haired blonde thought as she regarded the Chef de Cuisine. Glad I'm not under her charge, she mentally added.
With the tourniquet in place and a new gauze wrapped around the wound, it took only a few more minutes before the paramedics were ready to transport the sous chef to the hospital.
As Sam settled in the back of the ambulance where they had placed the wounded man on the gurney, Mike was working on closing the doors. The Latina walked up to the ambulance calling out for them. "Where are you taking him?"
"UCSF Medical Center," Mike replied as he closed one of the doors.
"Can I come along?" she asked.
"Sorry, Ma'am," Mike shook his head.
Sam looked at the woman. "Hop in," she quipped as she shifted to make room for the woman.
Mike shook his head again, a small smirk curling his lips.
Sam smiled as she remembered it all so clearly. That ride to the hospital had been very interesting. That day had been very interesting.
The day that Magdalena Reyez had walked into her life…
Continued...
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