2020-02-10 - Word Gets Around Quick

Walking to Addington Memorial all the way from Gray Harbor Pond night have been the stupidest thing she’d done in the midst of hypothermia but she didn’t care. The walk seemed to take forever but once she’d gotten there, she’d lost consciousness in the middle of the emergency department.

She’d had a challenging twelve hours of being treated for the hypothermia, but is finally recovering and is currently being kept in the hospital for observation,

Kim probably heard from Hera who heard from Devlin about Stephanie's current state. Going to the hospital to check up on her new friend, bring Grace along with her. How many times is either she or her friends be in the hospital. Probably something she should get used to in this town though. Having gotten lost a few things trying to find the room she steps in baring flowers and a get well card. Walking towards the bed, hoping she isn't interrupting Stephanie's rest too much.

While Grace might be uncertain she does think that she has met Stephanie some. Either way ending up joining Kim to visit and check in on her. Walking in next to Kim. A simple knock to a wall or similar nearby as they step inside, just to make people aware of them arriving.

A couple days in town and from day one Dr. Armande Fererra had been plunged into the interesting events of one Ms. Stephanie, so by a twist of 'accident' that she wound up back at the Hospital less than a week later, he felt some sort of obligation to at least check in.

A bit of folded-over paperwork in hand, he approached the door to the room which she resided, though caught the backend of two other women making a visitation call. He took the opportunity to slink in, leaning his shoulder into the doorway and bunching the material of his suit jacket, he simply chimed aloud "Knock, Knock" in lieu of doing what had already been done.

Stephanie isn’t expecting visitors. With her recent return to consciousness and her lack of a cell phone, she hadn’t been able to contact anyone. But to her surprise, she has visitors. She slowly waves Kim and her companion in at first.

“Hey guys,” she says in a quiet subdued voice, “Come on in.”

And when Armande makes his presence known moments later, she adds, “Come on in, Doc.” She also waves him over.

“I wasn’t expecting visitors, hadn’t had a chance to tell people yet,” she says.

Kim gives a nod to the Doctor. Before she comes into the room at the invitation. Holding her get well gifts in one hand and her other reaching for Grace's as she places the flowers on the table. With that out approaching the bed. "Stephanie are you feeling okay? Alright probably a dumb question. Just more meant how bad is it...not right either. Just got worried from Hera's text. What happened?" worry does make her trip over her words a little. "Oh not sure you've meet Grace. I think I mentioned her before" tilting her head a little in Grace's direction "Grace-kanojo this is Stephanie." having told Grace a little on the drive over.

“Lost my footing, fell into the water...” Stephanie mumbles quietly after Kim and Grace’s approach towards her bed, “Apparently snow and wet clothing don’t mix.” Her memory is a bit hazy about the whole event. “Hypothermia, serious enough that they want to keep me for observation.” She pauses before adding, “I had one of the nurses call to say I wouldn’t be coming in for work...damn, I almost forgot how quickly news spreads around here.” She glances at Armande and adds, “Hey what brings you by, Doc?”

"Besides the fact that you plunged into a hypothermic state less than a week after our talk, I figured I'd check in and make sure it wasn't anything too dark" Armande smirked a bit, raising his free, non paperwork wielded hand to usher a back and forth wave at Kim and Grace, "Doctor Armande Fererra, I work upstairs." he introduced simply and arched a brow toward Stephanie, "I don't want to interrupt your company. I'd no idea you were quite so popular"

“I had no idea either, but I appreciate you checking in, Doc,” Steph replies with a light smile, “And if you’re interested in talking about my hypothermic state, I’d be willing to indulge the conversation. You’re not interrupting anything if you wish to stay. I...decided to trust the friends I have and make new ones recently. Basically, you don’t have to go, I could use all the friends I can get these days.”

Kim nods with a concerned look as Stephanie tell her happened "I'm so sorry. I won't think that those two would be a good mix." another nod at her current condition "I know enough to know that isn't great. You did make it through so that is certainly a good thing. Oh yeah small town and Hera does spread what is going on quickly. Is there anything I can get you or do to help out?"

While curious about the talk really isn't her place to ask. Offering her hand to Armande "Kim Nakamura. I was wondering as you didn't look like on a on staff doctor, doctor. Not to say you don't look doctorly or anything." giving a small shrug of her shoulders.

"Friends are such an ever growing and important commodity, aren't they?" Armande remarked with a bit of a smirk which tugged at the edge of his lips. When Kim offered her hand, he shook it with a direct look of acknowledgement, "A pleasure. And no problem. If I have to respond to a code, there's probably bigger problems afoot, so I tend not to try and look 'doctorly' " he smiled and slipped his hands into the pockets of his suit slacks.

"I'll come back about in a bit. Just wanted to make sure you didn't willingly toss yourself down a waterfall or something equally drastic. I'm sure we'll have plenty to talk about" he added matter-of-factly.

“Thanks for stopping by, Doc,” Stephanie says as Armande leaves.

Considering the question, the only set of belongings she had with her were her keys and they were set on the side table. “Kim, think maybe you could go to my place and grab my phone and maybe go up to my room and grab me a fresh set of warm clothes?”

Kim waves to Armande as he heads out.

Looking back to Stephanie she nods "Would you like me to go now? Course though I'd grab them for you. Just any old set of warm clothes or do you have something specific in mind? If you can think of anything else I'd be happy to grab that as well."

“Just grab what looks warm and clean in the closet,” Stephanie says with a shrug. “Thanks, Kim.” She leans to give the girl a hug. “You don’t have to do it now, but you should at some point. I have to tell people and I need my phone.”

"I will then. I just know I have comfy clothes for when I'm not doing well. Thought maybe you some that I could bring you." Kim says. She leans forward to accept the hug, giving a gentle one in return. "That is why I offered to go now. Figured that you'd want to let people know and catch up on anything you missed. I'd offer to let you use my phone, but if you are anything like me I don't remember any numbers. My phone does that for me...though I do have my laptop in the car. I could run and get so you could log into messaging for your provider and send texts that way, if you have anyone you want to tell right away." looking ready to run out to her to get the device. "Stephanie is all that happened you lost your footing? Everything we talked about I wonder if anything is a accident in this town." not trying to be rude, but just making sure she wasn't attacked or something like that.

“I wasn’t completely forthcoming...but I would appreciate if I could borrow your computer. I have my contacts backed up and can look numbers up. Maybe I can get someone to drop by the house so you don’t have to leave.”

There was a bit of a pause.

“I was supposed to be getting ready for a shift and when I woke up, I wasn’t in my room. I was in a room with a table and a deck of cards, and the card I pulled from the deck turned the room into a river, and all of a sudden, there was no floor and I was sinking. I fell over a waterfall and somehow landed in some snow at the Pond.”

Kim gets ready to turn to quickly grab the laptop. Stopping when Stephanie describes what went on "There was no warning when it happened? I heard someone talk about it occurring like that just nothing as dangerous. You made it through the experience so be proud of that. It must have been so scary." she offers another gentle hug to the EMT "Do remember anything else, maybe something tying into the thing you were talking about...this can wait a little while, let me go get my laptop." she waits long enough to hear any response before rushing out to her car. Returning in a few minutes with her laptop case. Taking it out and unlocking it so Stephanie can use it.

She lets Kim go patiently and waits quietly, caught up in her own thoughts. Stephanie hesitates for a moment before retrieving the numbers she needs, writing them down in a notebook she’d asked for at the gift shop. But she doesn’t ask to borrow Kim’s phone. She just stares at the numbers.

Kim can't help but get a concerned look on her face as Stephanie just stares at the page. "What is wrong?"

“Nothing. This can wait. Go ahead and grab my stuff if it’s not too inconvenient.” Steph fakes a smile. “Be safe.”

Kim may not quite believe Stephanie, but maybe the items from her home will help her feel at least a little better. Taking the keys on the table, and likely Grace where ever she wandered off to, she heads out to Stephanie's house to retrieve things. Returning in under a hour, the town isn't that big after all, bring two sets of the warmest and comfiest looking clothes she could hit as well as the phone. She'll set the clothes down where she can find space. Putting the keys and phone on the bedside table.

Grace did have to disappear for a bit but she does return with Kim. She does offer an apologetic smile to Stephanie for disappearing for a bit, but at least she returns with Kim, as they went to grab the things. Carrying anything Kim want her to. Setting it down along the others things.

Hera has heard of Stephanie's misfortune from one source or another. In her arms is a medium sized vase with white roses, baby's breath, and daisies all arranged in a very nie way. In the middle of the bouquet is a small card. Not wanting to disturb too much, she pauses before walking in too far.

She’s in the midst of thanking Grace and Kim for retrieving her clothing, when Hera arrives. “Come on in,” she says quietly, her voice devoid of her usual strength and confidence.

Hera offers a bit of a smile and she puts the vase on a small table that she can find. "Grace and Kim have been keeping you company I take it? They're really sweet for that. Are you feeling any better?"

“Yeah, the doctors say it was pretty bad for the first 12 hours but I’m doing a lot better. They just wanted to keep me here for observation.” Stephanie explained. “I’m just glad hospital staff helped me out and called my supervisor for me. It’s not often I just miss a shift without notice.”

Hera tries to offer a comforting glance to her and she says, "Yes, very true. The thing you need to worry about is getting better. It's really that simple. I imagine Devlin is looking after your home?"

“I mean, no one’s been at my house except for Kim, who picked some clothes up for me.” Steph gives the Asian woman a grateful smile. She looks a bit confused at the question.

Hera offers a bit of a smile at Kim and says, "Thank you. I assume she has everything she needs?" Then likely another question with no answer, "How long did the doctors say they were going to keep you?"

Kim waves to Hera as she snaps out of thought. "Oh hi Hera. Yeah Grace-kanojo and I got everything she wanted. If she thinks of anything else we are right here." giving a nod to the Stephanie's smile. "Seriously if you need anything else just ask. Earlier when you were staring...ah do you want to talk about that?"

“A day or two, just to make sure everything’s okay again,” Stephanie says quietly, before she tells Kim, “It’s nothing. I just...haven’t really talked to someone in over a month who should know what’s going on but...things were a bit tense and she’s often busy so I don’t want to bother her.”

Hera doesn't quite know what they're talking about but she knows there's other things that demand her attentions. Stepping to the side she gives the two ladies a wave, "Rest well. I hope you get better soon. I need to get going."

“Thanks for stopping by, Hera. And if you see Devlin before I do, tell him I’m sorry I bailed on him for work.” She smiles and waves.

Kim lips twist into a touch of a frown. "Even if she is busy and things were not great. If she care or worries about you at all you should probably let her know what is going on. I'm not trying to chide you, but if she is that important to worry about then she would want to know." then she waving goodbye to Hera "Take care. You are always so busy."

“I guess I could always leave out the almost dying part. She doesn’t need to worry since I survived.” There’s a pause before Steph adds, “You’re probably right though. Maybe I’ll leave a message.” She pauses again before adding, “How’s your head?”

"Well look at it this way. What if she was the one who had nearly died, would you not her to tell you?" Kim says and maybe a little hypocritical as she didn't tell all of her friends right away about her concussion because they might worry. She's since changed her mind on that though having caused worse worry. "Believe me not saying can make it worse. Oh my head it's much better thanks. A little left over dizziness when I stand and did hit it again pretty hard. Still everything is pretty much back to normal."

“That’s good...” She’s glad Kim is doing better.

Steph sends out several texts and sighs. “That should cover everyone.”

Then she notices the date on her phone. “It’s that time of the year, I hate Valentine’s Day.”

Kim will of course wait until Stephanie is done with her texting. The mention of closing date, she cast a sidelong glance to Grace before looking at Stephanie "Why do you hate Valentine's Day? I know it isn't everyone's holiday. Just rarely hear anyone hates it."

“Mostly blame the years of being the perpetually single friend,” Stephanie explains, “I’ve dated a little but...anyway, it’s just another reminder of how lonely I feel.”

Stephanie sighs. “That’s kind of why I decided to bring everyone together. I thought maybe it would help me feel less lonely.”

Kim ohs "I can get that. I always try to look on the bright side that at least my friends were happy when I didn't have anything. I am so sorry you've felt so alone. If it helps I think you are wonderful person and I'm sure you'll meet someone who it just clicks with." she tries to reassure. She is very the optimist for others.

"Did it help? Even a little? Not saying it will cure all your loneliness but if having some friends helps in anyway isn't it worth it?"

Stephanie seems to think about this for a bit longer than would be expected. “I got lucky being available when you needed help, that’s for sure. The people I have in my life are important. I appreciate you all so much, even if I try to retreat sometimes. Thanks for coming around and not letting me retreat.”

Kim smiles at Stephanie. "I feel I got pretty lucky in our meeting, except for the concussion of course" she laughs softly "I understand retreating sometimes. It's a habit I have at times just to focus on work, my art, or games shutting out all else. It is good to remember you have people who are there for you. Anything you ever need I'm only a text away. You are very welcome and of course well it's just what I do. Grace and I should probably head out for now. We can certainly come back to visit you tomorrow if you want." she reaches over to offer a hug. Waiting to hear anything in return before the pair head out.

“I should rest, thank you both for coming.” Stephanie says with a tired smile before they leave.