Finding Athena
Part Three
The next day, I hurried across campus to catch The Bus as soon as my classes had ended. When I reached the hospital, I went straight to the reception desk and put on the visitor pass. Back on her floor I checked in at the nurse’s station and then went to her room. It seemed like everyone in the hospital had started calling her Athena Doe.
“Is this a good time?” I asked as I walked into her room.
“You came!” She sounded surprised. “I’m not busy. I’m just lying here, healing.”
“I promised to come, didn't I?” I sat down in a chair next to the bed. “How’s your head feeling?”
“Better. I’m not as dizzy anymore.”
“That’s good.” My heart was pounding fast. Why was I so nervous?
“What are you studying at UH?”
“I’m still working on my required classes. I haven’t picked a major yet.”
She smiled again. “What were you doing on the beach that day, Kalani?”
“I go to the beach a lot. Especially when I need to clear my head.”
“Clear your head? Was something troubling you?”
My eyes wandered down to the bandages on her arms. I didn’t want to trigger her or remind her of something bad.
“Nothing serious. Thinking over school. It had been a little while since I had been there. My mom used to take me there a lot.”
“Used to?”
“She passed away a few years ago. In this hospital..."
“I’m so sorry! Is it hard to be here?” Athena’s face filled with concern.
“It’s fine! Really. Don’t worry about that.”
A bird flew by the window grabbing our attention. Athena stared out the window after the bird. There was a longing in her eyes.
“What are you thinking?” I asked.
She jumped a little as if she had forgotten I was there. Her cheeks rosy as she looked at me.
“I was just thinking of how wonderful it feels to fly. Soaring through the air and gliding on the wind.”
“You make it sound like you miss it,” I chuckled.
“I didn’t mean it like that!” She looked down at her hands, embarrassed.
“Maybe that’s a clue to who you are. Maybe you’re a crane.”
“A crane?”
“There is an old fairytale, I think from Japan, of a man who saved a crane from hunters. The crane appeared to the man as a young woman. She lived with him and hid in a room to make things for him to sell to repay him for saving her. She told him to never open the door while she was working.”
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“He opened it, didn’t he?” she asked.
“He did. He discovered it was the crane he saved.”
“What happened then?” she asked.
“The crane left. Since the secret was out, she had to leave.”
“Wouldn’t that be something! To be some magical, shape-shifting being, but I lost my memory so I’m stuck like this.” Athena raised her hands to motion to herself. “That’s what I’ll be! Well, until I remember, or they find out who I am.”
Her bright smile enchanted me. The way her smile lit up the room; she was breathtaking. When she blushed, noticing how I was looking at her, I looked away.
“Maybe that’s a good thing.” My eyes fell to her bandaged wrists. “You can be whoever you want to be, and even when you know who you are, you can choose to still be the person you want to be.”
“Whoever I want?” Excitement filled her face. “Where do I start?”
“Your name?” I suggested.
“My name…I heard the nurses call me Athena Doe; I like that.”
“Alright, you're Athena Doe. So, Athena, where are you from?” I asked.
Her nose crinkled a little as she thought about it. “I think I’ve always been here.”
“Alright you’re kamaʻāina, a local, not a tourist.” I thought for a moment. “What else?”
“I like the story of the crane. I'm a magical being from another realm and came here for a reason. And-” She stopped and looked down at her hands.
“What is it?”
“Can you be my best friend who knows my secret?”
I smiled. “Of course. Since I’m your good friend I would want to visit you a lot while you’re in the hospital.”
“As to be expected from my best friend,” she laughed. Her face went pale and she closed her eyes.
“Are you ok!?” I stood up and leaned over her. “Should I get someone!?”
“I’m ok. Just a dizzy spell.” She looked up at me. “All part of the healing process. Where were we?”
“Magical being from another realm,” I said. I sat back down not sure if I was making the right decision in relaxing.
“I’m all alone here. No family,” she said as her voice shook a little.
“It’s scary, but you have your best friend by your side,” I said assuringly.
She smiled. “Thank you.”
The door slid open and a female doctor with her long blonde hair tied back into a bun walked into the room. Her name tag said Dr. Malia Ito, Neuropsychologists. When she saw me in the room she let out a little gasp of surprise.
“I’m sorry! I didn’t realize you had a visitor. I’m Dr. Ito.” She held out her hand for me to shake.
“This is Kalani. He’s the one that pulled me out of the water,” Athena said.
“The hero! What brings you by here?” Dr, Ito asked.
“I wanted to make sure she was doing ok.” I reached for my backpack. “I don’t want to be in the way. I’ll come back tomorrow.”
“Really?” Athena’s face lit up again.
A thought occurred to me. “What story genre do you want to like?” I asked.
“Want to like?” Dr. Ito looked at us confused.
Athena thought for a moment. “How about mystery or suspense?” she answered.
“Ok, I’ll see you tomorrow.” I lifted my backpack to my back.
“Kalani, can I have a quick word outside?” Dr. Ito slid the door open.
I nodded hesitantly. “Sure.”
“See you tomorrow!” Athena said.
I nodded at her and walked out of the room. Dr. Ito slid the door closed.
“Thank you for taking the time to speak with her. I think it would be a good thing for her to have someone to talk to. We never know what topic might spark her memory. Though, I wanted to warn you that we also don’t know what might trigger her. Something might send her into a PTSD related flashback. Would you be able to handle that if it happened?”
“PTSD?” The cuts on her arm flashed in my mind again. “I can handle it. I’ll be careful with her.”
“Good." Dr. Ito smiled, relief filling her. "You have a nice day.”
“You too,” I said. She slid the door open and walked back into Athena's room as I headed for the elevator.