Chapter Thirty-One
Thirty-one
I awake in a fluorescent-lit hospital. Once again, bright lights above make me squint as I come to. Once again, I wear a thin fabric gown. Azar’s face leans over mine. There’s a halo of light around him. His hand rests on the bed railing. His beautiful, worried face. His mouth relaxes into a smile when I gaze up at him.
“I’m alive?” The words come out between a croak and a whisper.
He grips my hand in his. “It’s over.”
A button pings. There’s a flurry of movement. People checking my eyes. My pulse. My temperature. A doctor in a white coat hurries inside, clipboard in hand, Piedmont Hospital embroidered on her lapel.
“We had to pump your stomach,” she explains. “You were coding when they found you. They had to administer naloxone. You’ve been in an induced coma for the last three days while we got your system cleared up.”
“A coma,” I repeat, dazed, trying to compute all the words coming at me.
The doctor tells me I’ll be in the hospital at least a few more days while they monitor me. Make sure I’m all right. I am all right, she assures me.
The doctor glances at Azar. “Should we let the police know she’s awake?”
“Let’s give her a little more time,” Azar says.
“Where’s my family?” I ask when the doctor leaves. “Are they okay? Are they safe?”
“They’re fine,” he says. “It’s six o’clock in the morning. Visiting hours start at eight.”
“ You’re here.”
“I’m a doctor.”
“At Piedmont?”
“Nope. Just abusing the hell out of my privileges so you’re looked after by someone who cares about you around the clock. Fucking hell.” His smile fades. “I still can’t believe what almost happened.”
The hospital door handle turns. Nina, Khala, and Lilah burst in. Yep. Figured they wouldn’t listen to visiting hours.
“We sped over as soon as Azar texted us that you were starting to come to,” Nina says. “And don’t worry about Gertie, she’s with us.”
“Thank God you’re okay.” Khala maneuvers her wheelchair toward my bed. Takes my hand and kisses it.
I lock eyes with Nina. “You got my text.”
“That was the creepiest message I have ever received in my life.” Nina shudders.
“There wasn’t…there wasn’t anyone outside the house? Someone threatening you?”
“What?” She frowns. “No. I reached your place a few minutes before the cops. Fiona broke the door down. Darcy actually tried to jump out your window. Sorry about the broken glass on your rug, by the way.”
“Broken glass is the least of my worries.” I try to sit up, wincing at the pain in my stomach. Darcy. I can barely think about her without my heart twisting. I can’t begin to process the enormity of her betrayal.
“What…what happened to her?” I ask.
“She’s in custody,” Azar says. “That’s all I know. We’ve been more focused on you.”
“I made you cards,” Lilah sings.
“Whoa.” I laugh as she flings ten different construction-paper notes folded in half at me. Each one is filled with stickers and marker and crayon hearts. “Maybe we can tape these up on my walls. They’ll definitely cheer me up.”
After my aunt, niece, and cousin leave to get some food for us, I’m able to brush my teeth and change into clothing Khala had brought from my home. Then it’s back to me and Azar. The sound of a monitor beeps in the background. Carts rumble as they glide over vinyl flooring outside the room. Tree branches scrape against the window across from me.
“I’m assuming you have to get back to work?” I tell him. “I’m okay. I don’t need babysitting.”
“You never need babysitting. Can’t I take a day off and be here because I want to?”
“Fair enough. I could use some distraction.”
“Well, here’s some distraction: There’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”
“Is it a heavy conversation?” I ask. “I’m not sure I can handle anything serious at the moment.”
“Well, it’s pretty serious. Can’t wait.”
“Uh-oh.”
“I think I’m ready, Nura.”
“Ready?” I look at him.
He nods somberly. “For your matchmaking services.”
I watch as a smile starts to spread across his face. “Is that right?”
“When it’s time, it’s time.”
“What exactly are you looking for?”
“Off the top of my head?” He frowns. “She should be five foot six. Dark hair. Loves good food, and her family. She should never have met an iron she knows how to handle. Says she likes to run, but curiously almost never runs.”
“Hey!” I swat him. “I resent that.”
“I wasn’t done.” He pulls down the railing. “She’s got to have a laugh that makes a bad day right. And a mouth I very much want to kiss right now.” He gazes down at me. “Any leads?”
“I might know someone.”
“Yeah?”
“I think you just might love my suggestion.”
“I think I most definitely do.”
I kiss him. The stubble from his jaw, unshaved these past few days, brushes against my skin. My breath hitches as he kisses me harder. It’s the kind of kiss that melts everything else away, the kind of kiss that sets the world aright. He slides onto the bed next to me. I rest my head against his chest.
“Why did we wait so long?” he asks.
“Better late than never.”
He wraps his arms around me. He doesn’t say anything because he doesn’t need to. Later today, I will have to speak to the police. Eventually, I will need to sort out my business and what it looks like on the other side of this ordeal. Right now, this is enough.