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to see you on that side of the chart, but it is good to see you awake.  How do you feel ?  A ny pain? "
    " No.  As I was telling Ben, I feel fine, Dr. Nelson .  I'm just a little sore. "
    " Are you experiencing any dizziness or blurred vision? "
    " No. "
    " Headache? "
    " No.  I feel good , all things considered . "
    " Amazing !   Well, I woul d like to monitor you for a few more hours to be on the safe side .  I woul d say that physically, now that you're awake, you seem fine.  Aside from that cut on your head and the swell…well, would you look at that?  Even the swelling seems to have gone down. "   The doctor performed a few neurological exams and asked several more questions. 
    " You are very lucky, Salma.  This could have been a lot worse.  If the swelling had not gone down so quickly; if you had not come around in the next few hours …well, I'm glad you're all right.  I think you a re going to be fine.  Rest for a while, and I wi ll come back to check on you later.  If everything is still normal, I wi ll let this fine man of yours get you out of here later this evening. "
    " Thank you, Mike. "
    The doctor walked out of the room, and Salma looked over at Ben, who had sat patiently while Salma was being examined. 
    " Now, how about filling me in on the details ?  How is it that you were at my car ? "   Salma asked.
    " I was driving C a eli back from the airport.  We were approaching the red light to your right at the intersection.  You were halfway through the left turn out of the parking lot when your car was hit by a van running the red light to your left .  He hit you first , which knocked your car out of the intersection, and then he swerved over into our lane.  I ran up on the curb to avoid a head on collision .  The passenger's side of m y jeep busted the fire hydrant in the process .  I was going to pursue the van , but C a eli caught sight of you first.  T wo other units were already after it , and C a eli hopped out to rush to your aid.  That's when she got drenched .  We ha ve been here ever since.  You ha ve been out for well over an hour, " Ben explained.
    " The doctors were worried because I didn't wake up; they told you the longer it took for me to wake up, the worse it could be. "
    Ben nodded to confirm t he prognosis he was given . 
    " They were right, of course.  If they found nothing else wrong with me, the only other plausible explanation would be some sort of damage to my brain that they couldn't fully assess w hile I was unconscious.  They could only wait for me to wake up.  That i s never good.  The longer a brain injury goes untreated, the worse it could get.  Since I woke up within a few hours , it i s actually a very good sign that I'm fine . "   Salma seemed to be reassuring herself that she was not seriously injured, and that he r diagnos is was correct .
    Ben leaned over and kissed her again, interrupting her rambling .  Salma was quiet after that.  He returned to his seat, s till s miling.   Salma enjoyed seeing Ben smile.
    " Sometimes, you are very much like that niece of yours.  Why don't you try to rest until I can take you home?  Let me take care of you this once.  At least, let me pretend to be in charge.  I wi ll handle the worrying for both of us right now , Mrs. Erickson. "

CHAPTER 4
     
     
    A sharp pain in her side roused C a eli from the comfort of her favorite resting spot about thirty minutes before the alarm was set to go off.  She quietly scooted off Vin's shoulder and out from under the arm he had wrapped around her shoulders, trying not to disturb him while he slept.  She ha d been awake for quite a while , thinking about upcoming events while she waited patiently for Vin to wake or for the alarm to buzz .  C a eli made her way across the dark bed room and closed the door of the adjacent bathroom as she slipped inside.  The cramp in her side beg a n to ease as she moved around, but her stomach took control of the complaint