Surprising Recovery

Surprising Recovery 

Esma laid down, flat. Not moving for many seconds. She was in a deep and quiet sleep. But this isn’t your normal kind of sleep. She was sleeping, for what felt like forever. Esma’s mind was blank. She never moved for several days. Everyone would just find her, in her deep and long slumber, and all assuming the worst — death.    

She didn’t even know she was surrounded by so many people. All day and every day she was quiet, her eyes tightly closed and slept. She had no breath, her hands, or any body part for that matter never moved from the day she was brought here. Everyone tried calling for her. Some even yelled at her face, but still, there was no movement. This was occurring for many days, and everyone had already concluded that she passed away. It also seemed like the most reasonable answer for what happened to her. Honestly, no one would have ever survived after what happened to her. It was just, impossible. Merely, impossible.  

So, this day would be no different, would it? Just the same “statue-like” posture of our little Esma. Her condition was devastating, really. But other than the young couple who rescued her, she had no one else to look after her in the hospital.  

“Miss, please, what happened to her? Why isn’t she moving? Why isn’t this young girl not breathing? Why?” Mrs. Frank asked one of the nurses.  

“Look, Mrs. and Mr. Frank, I appreciate you for bringing her on the correct time, but you cannot do anything about it. We told you several times that she has passed away. Besides, we don’t even know who her parents are.” the nurse replied, feeling very restless and irritated by the young couple.  

“But — this child hasn’t lived her life yet! She is only a young girl! Please, doctors, nurses, just...try to help her survive. I know we are not her parents, or even related to her, but I think, even if this child survives, that she has nowhere to go. I think she is an orphan.” Mr. Frank concluded, hoping to get some sympathy from the nurses.  

“In that case, I’ll — I’ll call the doctor. Remember, we’re not sure if we can help her, but I guess there is no harm in trying.” the other nurse replied and muttered something in her breath as she walked out of the hospital room.  

Esma still slept, slept like she never heard this entire conversation. She slept so peacefully. So nicely. In fact, she was the only person in the room who had a small smile on her face. The others were either miserable or frustrated. Still, Esma always was a sweet and cheerful girl, always smiling, always laughing. Who ever knew such an unfortunate thing would happen to this sweet, and innocent girl?   

“Oh, Liv, I don’t feel good about this. I want to save her. I...I think this girl didn’t deserve such a thing to happen. Can we do anything? Just, anything to save her?” asked the young man, who didn’t look anything over twenty-seven.  

“Howard, I don’t know if we can. We’re no doctors! I’m just a meteorologist and you are a journalist. We don’t know anything about medicines, and what doctors do. I think that we must pray for her. She deserves a better future. Such a sweet young girl. Though I have not met her, or ever talked to her, I can tell she is a charm. A wonderful, and a beautiful child. We must be hopeful, because, Howard, we’re helpless. That’s all we can do.” the woman replied, as she started going next to Esma’s bed.  

The woman stared at her, sweetly. Then, she suddenly felt the urge to slowly rub her hands along Esma’s pale cheeks. Her hands also wanted to ruffle her short, wavy hair. As she motioned her hand to perform these actions, her face still made a frown. Worrying about Esma’s condition. Uncertain about whether she was going to be able to open her eyes, and breathe the world, or if she was going to just sleep again. The woman placed her purse on the little stand, and now comfortably started weaving her hands through Esma’s hair.  

My dear child,  

Oh, sweet girl,  

Please wake up as you smile,  

Your eyes are like pearls  

Wake up,  

From your slumber,  

Wake up,  

From this ever-lasting sleep  

My child,  

Oh, little girl,  

There's a whole world out there,  

For you!  

If you just,  

Effortlessly,  

Open your sweet,  

Beautiful eyes  

Oh, my child,  

If only,  

If only,  

You wake!  

The woman sang this little lullaby to her, as Esma was “sleeping”. After singing, and not hearing Esma budge from her place, the woman started crying. She started sobbing, quietly, but loud enough for her husband to hear.  

“Why won’t she wake up Howard? Why won’t this sweet little girl wake up? Why? Tell me Howard, please tell me?” she questioned Howard, and then continued to cry.  

She knew her husband had no answer, but still, she felt so much affection towards this young girl that she really couldn’t help herself but to think about her desperate condition. About how this little girl laid there, not making a sound.   

“Please, Liv, I don’t know. I really don’t. Maybe the accident was very harsh. I have no clue. We weren’t even there when it happened!” her husband replied, sadly.  

“Pray, Howard, pray. Pray to the good Lord, and maybe, just maybe we can save her Howard. Pray along with me, for the life of this little girl. "the woman begged her husband, and he did listen to his wife.   

The young couple was hoping that a miracle would happen right now, to save this child’s life. They were hoping very dearly for any magic to happen, as they continued to pray for this young girl.   

The woman had not stopped crying though. Her tears rolled continuously down her freckled cheek, and a drop of her tear accidentally rolled on to Esma’s face.  

Suddenly, a miracle really did happen.  

Esma choked as she jumped off the bed. It was all too sudden for her. She started to have breathing issues and was almost suffocating.  

“DOCTOR!! The girl...she...she has made it! But she needs help! She cannot breathe! Doctor!” Howard yelled from the room, and the doctor appeared.  

“How—that—it can’t possibly happen! She survived?!” the doctor was very surprised, but without thinking too long, he immediately grabbed the oxygen mask for the girl and let her breathe.   

Esma again, blanked out.  

＊＊＊  

Again, she woke up, confused.  

“Oh! Young girl, do you know where you are?” the doctor asked.  

Esma looked around her. She saw a bunch of wires and tubes connected to her body, which almost made her flinch. She saw some weird lines moving in a zigzag, on...some device she couldn’t possibly make out. She also saw a black-and-white machine, which had a skeleton on it. Again, Esma was pondering on what it was. She looked down to spot her wearing a hospital gown, and her legs covered in a teal blanket. She wasn’t sure where she was at all. She didn’t understand what the tubes were, or any of her surroundings.  

But what was even scarier for her is to find a lot of strangers huddling around her, looking at her in distress or surprised. She noticed that there was one man, who looked a bit old, with glasses, some weird things on his neck, and wearing a white coat. She figured that he was the one who was controlling all the tubes, and things like that. He also saw him repeat his question.   

Esma noticed two women who were also wearing the same outfit as the man she had seen earlier. They were wearing blue masks and was staring directly at her. She felt scared and unsure. Lastly, she saw two other people. A man, who looked very happy, and another woman, who looked relieved. They were holding hands and sighing in relief. Still, she couldn’t recognize any of the people in the room.  

“Little girl! I asked you, do you recognize any of us? Do you know who you are? Do you know where you are? "he emphasized each and every word to make sure Esma heard it.  

“I—I don’t know any of you. I don’t know why I am here, in a hospital room.” Esma admitted and looked away from everyone else.  

“Really? Do you remember anything? Before you came into the hospital room?” the man asked.  

“No. I don’t.” Esma said, looking even tenser than before.  

“Ok,” the man replied, his face looking a bit defeated, “do you remember your name? Where you are from?” he asked her.  

“My...my name is, I...I don’t know, I’m sorry. I forgot. I also don’t know where I am from.” Esma replied, looking a bit stunned.  

“Oh my, poor girl. She has lost her memory. I am sorry, but I cannot do anything to fix her memory. Based on her records, her name is supposed to be ‘Esma’ and it says she doesn’t have a proper guardian. She is an orphan. She has had many foster parents, but they all have refused her.” the doctor told everyone in the room, and the people who were most shocked were the young couple.  

“What? Who would not adopt her? She’s a charm! She’s a beauty!” the woman protested.  

“Well, we can let you adopt her if you want. She can stay with you. But I do advise you, not to talk about her past. Her brain nerves have been severely damaged, and it is a big deal that she can even speak. Also, all her 5 senses her working properly, so she is one lucky girl. But please don’t tell her about her past. I don’t think she can handle all the information.” the doctor suggested to the young couple.  

“Oh, thank you, doctor,” the woman replied and then looked over to her husband, “Howard? We have been married for almost four years and yet have not had a child. Can we please adopt this little girl? Please? I’ve always wanted to be a mother of a girl, and you’ve wanted a child too. Please, can we take care of her Howard?” the woman begged her husband.  

“Yes, Liv. I don’t even have to take a single second to think over this. I love her, I love our little Esma. We can take good care of her my wife. We promise, doctor, we won’t tell her about her orphan life.” the man replied, softly chucking.  

Now the couple’s gaze was turned towards Esma. She was just sitting there, wondering who and what they were talking about. She didn’t know her name, or in this case, remember. But she felt that they were talking about something good, something happy. Something about this young couple made her feel comfortable towards them. Made her show love and affection towards them. Esma secretly knew that the couple would take care of her.   

Everyone in the hospital room was smiling and laughing very gently, all now looking towards Esma, who also gave back the action. She too smiled brightly at everyone, but mostly towards the young woman.  

“I hope you three live a happy life. As you know, just go to the main lobby, take a right from here and walk straight, and you can tell everything that happened right now, fill a form, and go to adopt her. I wish you three the best of luck and a happy life.” the doctor told them, and then again spoke. “I almost forgot! Remember to bring her for some checkups once every two weeks. You can take appointments on the front desk, and they will take care of everything.” he continued.  

As the doctor told this to them, the couple nodded, and brought little Esma with them, bringing her along to the front desk. They were all happy.  

~The End~