***

Anna

Anna had been admitted to the hospital. They quickly assessed her and determined she had a broken leg, a few broken ribs, and minor head injuries. Anna would be okay, eventually. She was now recovering in a stable condition. A nurse had come to check on her and to make sure the drip was pumping a steady stream of pain-killers into her body.

A short time later a very groggy Anna woke up. She couldn’t remember what had happened or where she was. The nurse came in quickly only to find her hysterical.

“What’s going on? Where am I? What happened?” So many questions came dribbling out of her mouth at once.

“There, there. Calm down, sweetie. My name is Nancy and I’m going to take good care of you.” The nurse had a cool wash cloth and was dabbing at her head. “Do you remember anything, sweetheart?” Anna quickly made her judgement about the woman who was caring for her. She was old, probably somewhere in her fifties, but she seemed so kind and with an honest heart. Her brown mousy hair was streaked with grey. She wore big round tortoiseshell rimmed glasses that covered up most of her face.

“No, I don’t remember anything. I’m sorry,” Anna spluttered out wearily.

“Is there someone I can call? Family? Friends? Just to let them know what has happened. Let them know you’re safe,” she asked sweetly, her voice laced with genuine concern.

“No, there’s no one to call,” Anna began to whimper, but as she did the pain came back with a vengeance. Then all of a sudden, without warning or hesitation Anna let out a horrifically painful scream. “James!”

There were a few nurses congregated in the tearoom, all standing around complaining about patients and doctors, sipping their tasteless lukewarm cups of coffee. They had the television blaring in an attempt to try and keep up to date with what was happening outside the hospital walls. It was then that he appeared. James was once again taking up the entire television screen. “I’m here tonight, appealing to the public for your help. A few days ago I announced my engagement and tonight I am asking you to please help me find my fiancée.”

One of the nurses interrupted his speech. “That boy is all kinds of fine.” She giggled.

“This is a recent picture of Anna. Please, I need to find her and I’m willing to do whatever it takes. If you see Anna or know where she is, then please call the station and help me.” His eyes looked hollow and sad.

“I wish I knew where that girl was, that’d give him a reason to come see me,” one of the nurses suggested.

At that moment Nancy came trudging through the door. “Who’s coming to see you?”

“Ooh, my man James Thompson. He’s looking for his fiancée. It seems that she’s already left him and they haven’t even made it down the aisle yet,” the nurse smiled.

A spark shot through the old battered nurse like a lightning strike. “What did he say her name was?” Nancy asked, remembering Anna’s wail of ‘James’ with her last ounce of strength. Combined with the photograph she had found in Anna’s wallet, it was all beginning to fit together like the pieces of a puzzle.

“Amity? Andy? Anna? Something like that. Whoever she is, I bet she’s nothing more than a tramp.”

“What was the number of the station?” Nancy asked. She had already decided she would ring and get a detailed description before she told him it was Anna that she was caring for. If this was the same Anna, now more than ever before she needed him. She didn’t need his fame or his money—none of that could help her now—what she did need from him was his love, his comfort, but mostly she needed his assurance that everything would be all right.

***

James

A few minutes after the broadcast had aired, the switchboard lit up. Everyone knew her. Knew where she was but no one was willing to give away specifics. James sat anxiously in the call centre, waiting for the one call he knew would come. That one call that would tell him exactly where she was and then he would go, like a knight in shining armour, and rescue her, even if he was rescuing her from herself.

His mind was a million miles away, dreading the possibilities, trying to put into words what he would say to her when she was right back where she was supposed to be—wrapped safe in his arms. He was dreaming up ways to prove to her she was what he wanted, the only thing that he needed. Nothing more. Nothing less. Anna was his everything.

Justin’s voice didn’t even bring him back down to reality. “James…earth to James,” Justin taunted, slapping him on the back and almost giving him a heart attack.

“Have we found her? Where is she? Is she all right?” James’s mind was doing somersaults and words were falling from his mouth incessantly.

“There’s an old lady on the phone. Her name is Nancy and she wants to talk to you. It’s about Anna.”

James leapt from the chair using every bit of his flexibility and athleticism. He snatched the phone and started to prattle. “Hello. Do you know where she is?”

“I might. Can you tell me what colour hair she has?” Nancy enquired hopefully.

“She has long brown hair that spirals when she lets it flow wild. It reaches halfway down her back.” James knew every detail. He should. He’d spent enough hours running his fingers through her silky locks to know it by heart. And smell. Before she had the chance to ask any more questions, James continued. “She has big beautiful blue eyes that when you look into them it feels as though you can see into the depths of forever. They are so captivating that sometimes they look as calm as the ocean. And in other moments they are as dark and stormy as the night sky. She should be wearing a small white gold ring encrusted with four diamonds. It’s her engagement ring. A silver chain is hanging around her neck with a small crucifix. Please tell me that you know where she is,” James begged. He was so emotionally drained that he began to cry silently.

“I think I do. She’s in the hospital. She’s been in a pretty bad car accident…” but before she could finish her sentence James cut her off.

“Which one?”

“The hospital down on Crouch Street.”

“I’m on my way,” he stated, slamming the phone back down. “Found her! Gotta go.” Justin grabbed their coats and chased him out the door. “Thanks for the help, everyone,” James yelled out behind him.

They arrived in the hospital car park and James was out and running for the door before Justin had even pulled the car to a stop. He raced through the door, nearly knocking an old lady off her feet as he flew past. He was moving so fast he crashed straight into the information desk. The perky little receptionist looked up and smiled. She recognised him instantly and got that sly look in her eye that James recognised meant she would do anything to get in his pants. He’d seen it before. But right now he didn’t even have the time or energy to be flattered.

“Can I help you?” she inquired seductively, casually shifting her weight in the chair and thrusting her chest forward.

“I am looking for Anna White. She was in a car accident.” He was in such a hurry that he had absolutely no time for her bullshit.

“She’s in room 3. Ward 16. Third floor.”

He took off. He was in such a hurry that he ran up the stairs instead of waiting the few moments it would have taken for the lift to arrive. Ward 16. He had found it. James had completely forgotten why she had left or what had gone wrong; he just wanted her to be okay. He wanted to sit there beside her, hold her hand, and wait for her to open her eyes.

Anna was sleeping soundly when James slipped into the room. He was startled when he saw her lying there. Something stopped him from going to her. It was like there was a physical force field surrounding her. Instead, he just stood in a state of overwhelming shock, leaning on the door frame for support. Anna’s face was pale, she had a large white patch on her head covering a gash, and she had a drip all hooked up to her delicate little hand. She was lying there, completely motionless. On shaky legs, James wobbled over and sat beside her. He reached out and put his hand carefully on Anna’s. She seemed so cold, but James could see that she was breathing steadily. The constant rise and fall of her chest reassured him. The feeling of relief was unmistakable as it consumed him.