The room was completely white.  The one speck of color was a single rose in the vase next to the bed. Samantha squinted, but everything was blurry.  It smelled like clean linen like when she was a little girl, doing laundry with her mother. They would hang out the sheets on the line in the backyard.  Her mind couldn’t stay there.  Her head was throbbing.  She attempted again to open her eyes and saw the single pink rose.  The silence of the room was immediately dismissed as she reached consciousness, hearing what was always there, the noise in the hallway. She smiled.  Rachel was sorry.  The crazy bitch was sorry.

“When do you think she will regain consciousness?” Samantha heard the words but couldn’t make it out.  She had a visitor just outside her room speaking to the nurse.

“Nurse.”  Samantha’s voice was but a whisper.  Trying again, “nurse, nurse.”  The nurse walked in, surprised, with a smile.

“You’re up.  That’s great.  I’ll get the doctor.”  The nurse walked back out, giving a mean look at the man she was just speaking to still waiting on the outside of the door.

“Are you going to speak to her?”  Samantha heard a familiar voice.  It was Rachel’s.  She was speaking to the man.  Leslie? She’s brought Leslie to the hospital?

“Rachel?”  Samantha called out faintly.

Rachel showed her face at the door entrance, but didn’t walk in.  She saw Samantha looking back at her.  She turned and walked away from the door.  The doctor walked in.

“The nurse tells me you’re up.  How are you feeling?”  The doctor was cheerful.

“Not so great.  I think okay.  My head is pounding though.”  Samantha said.  “Is that Rachel outside?”

“You don’t have to speak to anyone out there yet, so don’t worry about that.  I’ll give you something for your pain, but I think you will be alright.  Everything looks good.”  The doctor said.

“Nothing serious?”  Samantha said.

“Nothing at all.  Just a bad fall.  Nothing major to speak of, but I do recommend monitoring.  And if you feel anything different, you must let us know immediately.” The doctor was still examining her as he spoke.

“That means I can leave today?  Right?”  Samantha said.

“No, that’s not what I’m saying.  Maybe tomorrow.”  The doctor said.

“Who’s that out there?  Rachel?”  Samantha asked.

“It’s the police and a man and a woman.  The police wants to speak to you, but if you aren’t feeling well I won’t allow it.”  The doctor said.  Samantha was tight lipped.  The police?  Rachel betrayed her again.

“I’m not feeling well.”  Samantha muttered, closing her eyes shut.

The doctor walked out closing the door shut.  “I’ve given her something to make her rest. She won’t be able to speak to you. Not now.”

The detective nodded and walked towards Rachel and Leslie who had went to the waiting room.

“She’s not able to speak.  I have to hear her side of the story.  If indeed she was stealing your money, we would need more proof than your allegations.”  Detective Russo said.

“I have proof.  She forged my signature.  She’s stolen a quarter million dollars from our account and paid herself and some gay organization.  I thought she was my friend.  She was supposed to help me with my sister’s wedding.  I was helping my sister with the wedding arrangements and she said she had experienced in that sort of thing.  But…”  Rachel cried blowing her nose and turning her head to her husbands’ chest.

“My wife have been through so much.  The woman tried to kill her.  What about that?  What are you going to do about that?”  Leslie said.

“We won’t rule that out, but right now we need her side of the story.  The neighbors heard an argument and they can verify that she prevented you from taking the elevator, but what happened in the apartment and the stairway is being investigated.  If she did commit fraud, then we can get her on that; but attempted murder we can’t say yet. I’m sorry.  I’m not saying we don’t believe you.  I’m saying this in an ongoing investigation.”  Detective Russo said.

“Do you know how much I’m worth?  She planned this and you’re calling me a liar.  She’s a criminal.”  Rachel said.

“I’m saying that there’s an ongoing investigation.” Russo continued.

“And I’m saying she stole my money.  She threw a suitcase at me and she tried to push me down the stairs.  She wouldn’t let me leave.  She’s a crazy freak!”  Rachel said.

“I’m sorry, but we have to deal with this in a professional manner.  I suggest you go home.”  Detective Russo walked away down the hall.

“Can you believe him?”  Rachel said to Leslie.

“Let’s go.”  Leslie said holding onto Rachel as they walked to the car.  Leslie drove back to the house in silence as Rachel stared out the window.

“There’s something wrong with your story Rachel. You know that and I know that and you know the Detective knows it.  You better tell me everything and the truth.”  Leslie said. They both walked into the living room.

“I told you.  She wrote out those checks Leslie.  She was trying to steal my money.  She stole my money.  It’s mine not hers.  She’s a thief.”  Rachel said.

“It’s more than being a thief!  She’s the one that’s injured and it’s because she stole your money. She can easily accuse you of attempted murder.”  Leslie said.

“She pushed me.  I grabbed onto her and then she tripped and fell down the stairs.  She followed me.  I was leaving.  She followed me and the neighbors can vouch for that.  She was yelling at me.  She wouldn’t let me leave.  She threw my suitcase against the broken mirror.  These are all proof that she didn’t want me to leave and she was trying to hurt me.  There are witnesses. And…”  Rachel said.

“There are also witness who said you stayed with her for over a month and they said she is gay.”  Leslie said those words in disbelief.

“I’m not gay!  Yes, she’s gay and I didn’t want to.  I thought it would be great to work with her on my sister’s wedding plans. Those gays have great ideas. Everyone knows that.  But I didn’t think she would be crazy like that.  When you threw me out of the house, she offered to take me in while we work on the wedding.  That’s all.  I didn’t promise her any money outside of the $2,000.  She took advantage.  She saw all those text messages and knew that our marriage was on the rocks.  I couldn’t hide it from her.  Because you…”  Rachel said.

“Don’t put this blame on me!  Rachel, I can either help you or end this for good.  What do you want?”  Leslie said.

“Okay, okay.   I didn’t mean that it was you.  It’s just me and my circumstances that she took advantage of.”  Rachel was shaking.

Leslie had never seen Rachel shake in fear.  She had always spat back with something to say. It was the first time that he saw her defenseless and scared.

She was human after all.

“I’m sorry too.  I don’t mean to scare you.  I just don’t understand you.”  Leslie said in a softer tone.

Rachel was surprised and felt more at ease.  “I’m trying.  I’ve always tried, but I don’t know what you want.”  She grinned.  Leslie reached to give her a kiss.

“We need to work on this together.  I’ve spoiled you.  I’ve giving you everything you ever wanted.  I was trying to undo it and maybe I went too far.  Maybe I was too stern.”  Leslie whispered.

“Oh,” the tears came rolling down Rachel’s cheek. “You spoiled me in a very bad way. You right I need to change.  I need to appreciate you more.  We need to be as one again.  We can’t be this, anymore.  We need to be as one.”

Leslie’s kiss reached down her neck, as he held her tight, lifting her off her feet and into their bedroom.