Everything is so white. Even the tube coming out of Frankie’s nose seems more white than clear. Hospitals are all the same really. Cat gathers her thoughts and peers around the room for something to break the monotony.

“Oh.” Cat jerks upright, sliding away the chair she was on.

Standing in the doorway is Sam, as still and solid as an oak tree. It’s hard to tell exactly how long she’s been there. There is no expression on her face. She’s not looking at Cat; her attention is focused completely on the motionless figure, lying supine in the bed.

There is a moment of unease in the air as neither woman moves, Cat standing on one side of the room, Sam still in the doorway and Frankie’s bed the division between them. Painful seconds pass.

For Cat every second feels like a day. There are only so many reflex actions she can suppress. Her lips fold against themselves and eyes continue to blink rapidly despite the messages she keeps sending them to stop. It takes all of her will power just to keep her feet planted firmly on the ground. She won’t be able to take much more and soon her mouth will betray her with random nonsensical sentences, as it usually does.

Sam’s head is hurting. She can deal with the physical discomfort that has developed from the lack of sleep and a stomach full of alcohol. It’s the emotional ride she’s about to take that sucks the rest of her energy. She exhales, knowing that Cat will be struggling with every wordless second that goes by. Sam decides to put her out of her misery.

“Has she woken up?”

Cat frowns. What a strange question.

“Um, I think the nurse gave her something to ah…” She shakes her head, the sympathy shown by Sam too much to take in. “To deal with the pain.”

Cat casts her eyes downward. When she finds the courage to look up again, she is surprised to see that Sam is now bedside, eyes entirely for Frankie. Cat’s eyes haven’t moved from Sam but to her it’s as if Cat’s become one of the nurses, a background character. This was not how this was supposed to go.

“Sam. My messages…”

Now Sam turns to her. “I saw the officer in the corridor. He’s on orders to contact me as soon as she wakes. You’ve already given a statement but I will need to get hers.”

One last look at Frankie and Sam strolls out of the room, leaving a stunned Cat alone.