Chapter 32
Anna
It’s been five days since I last saw Dr. Collins. I keep telling myself not to count, but I do. Every morning I wake up and glance at the door, half-expecting him to walk in with that calm, unreadable expression of his.
Is he avoiding me? Or is he just gone?
Not even a check-up. Not even a quick look to see how I’m doing. What was I thinking, believing he cared? He’s a doctor. Once the job is done, he moves on to the next patient, the next case, the next life that needs saving.
And I’m just another file that got closed. I was still staring at the door when Tatum and Chloe walked in.
Dr. Branson followed them in for my check-up. As he stepped closer, I asked quietly,
“Where’s Dr. Collins?”
He paused for a second. “It was his last day, five days ago.”
My heart dropped. “His last day?”
“Yes,” he said. “He resigned.”
The words twisted something deep in my chest. That was it. I wasn’t going to see him again.
“Hey,” Chloe greeted softly. “How are you feeling today?”
“Better,” I answered. “Every day’s a little easier.”
“I can see that,” Tatum smiled. “Your speech is coming back nicely.”
Chloe’s eyes moved to the crystal jar beside my bed. “That’s beautiful. Who gave it to you?”
“I thought it was you guys,” I said. But my dad and sister swear it wasn’t them.”
“Maybe Michael?”
“I don’t think so. He hated my beads. Said they were messy, that I’d end up scattering them everywhere.”
Chloe stood and leaned closer to the jar.
“These are good quality crystals,” she said. “Not cheap stuff.”
“I know,” I murmured. “That’s what makes it strange.”
“When are you getting discharged?” Chloe asked, sitting back down.
“I’m not sure yet. But I’m ready to go home.”
“Home like your dad’s place?” Tatum asked carefully. “Or Michael’s?”
Chloe winced. “She doesn’t even remember Michael.”
I lifted my eyes to them. “I do remember Michael,” I said quietly. “And Veronica.”
Both of them froze.
“Wait,” Chloe said slowly. “Your memory is back?”
“It was never gone.”
They stared at me like I’d just confessed to a crime.
“What do you mean?” Chloe asked.
“I pretended,” I said. “I remembered everything.”
Tatum’s mouth fell open. “Oh my God. Why would you do that?”
“Because I heard everything while I was in the coma.” “Michael wanting to pull the plug. Filing for divorce. Getting together with Veronica.”
Their eyes widened in shock.
“You heard all that?” Chloe whispered.
“Yes. And you know what’s worse?” My voice trembled despite my effort to stay calm. “Veronica came to see me alone. She stood right here and told me how much she hates me. How she finally got the man she always wanted. She thought I couldn’t hear her.”
Tatum shook her head slowly. “That’s…. evil.”
“For what it’s worth,” Chloe said, “Michael doesn’t love her.”
“They’re not my concern anymore,” I said. “I’ve moved on.”
Tatum smiled. “That’s the right attitude. Plenty of fish in the sea.”
I nodded, but inside, my heart whispered one name. And he still hadn’t come back.
Chloe’s eyes flicked to something tucked under the chair across from my bed. “Wait… Is that a pair of Loro Piana slippers?” She leaned forward to grab them, fingers brushing the leather.
I followed her gaze, my eyebrows rising. “Wow… where did those come from? Who would even….”I trailed off, stunned.
“Another mystery,” Chloe said, holding it, up like a trophy. “Could it be your dad or sister?”
“Those are way too pricey for their budget,” I said.
“Then who? It has to be someone who knows you.” Tatum said.
I bit the inside of my cheek, a smile tugging at my lips. “Yeah… it has to be someone who actually knows me. How else do you explain it?”
Chloe arched an eyebrow, playful curiosity dancing in her eyes. “Do you have… an admirer at the hospital, maybe?”
I laughed lightly, waving my hand as if to dismiss the idea. “I doubt it. Who would?”
But even as I said it, a strange flutter of anticipation ran through me. Someone had been paying attention…noticing the little things I liked…and leaving surprises. My mind drifted briefly…was it really someone I knew? Or…could it be him?
I shook my head, trying to push the thought away. “Nope, probably just some generous stranger with excellent taste,” I said, though I couldn’t quite hide the little twinge of hope in my voice.
Chloe smiled knowingly, slipping the slippers onto my feet. “Well, whoever it is… they’ve got impeccable taste.”
I glanced down at the soft, luxurious slippers hugging my feet, and couldn’t help the warmth spreading through me. Someone had thought about me… and that someone mattered.
“I guess it’s time for us to leave, it’s 3pm already,” Chloe said, rising from the chair. She stepped closer, wrapping me in a warm hug.
“Thank you…for coming.” I said. My voice soft, catching just a hint of emotion.
Tatum followed, wrapping her arms around me in her own tight hug. “We’ve missed you,” she said her cheek pressing against mine for a brief moment. It felt like a lifeline back to the world I’ve been cut off from.
“I love you two so much,” I whispered, holding onto them just a little longer.
“We love you too,” Chloe replied, pulling back slightly but keeping her hands on my shoulders. “Take care, Anna. Seriously…don’t do anything reckless. We’ll see you soon.”
Tatum nodded in agreement, her eyes soft but bright. “Yeah…and remember, we’re only a phone call away. Always.”
I smiled, letting their words sink in. Letting their warmth linger even as they headed for the door. For a moment, the hospital felt less like a place of recovery and more like a little haven, full of people who truly cared.
My eyes went back to the jar, and without thinking, I leaned forward. An impulsive urge surged through me. I had to see it up close, had to touch it. I swung my legs over the side of the bed, forgetting entirely that they wouldn’t cooperate, that my body hadn’t obeyed me like this in months.
Gravity didn’t wait.
In an instant, I tipped forward and landed hard on the floor, my bum hitting the mat with a sharp thud.
One hand slapped down uselessly, too slow to stop the fall.
Pain shot through me, but worse was the helplessness, the sudden, crushing realization that I couldn’t get up, that my legs simply wouldn’t carry me any further.
The VIP room was quieter, softer—but also safer.
A padded mat lay beside my bed. Rails were half-raised. Even the cords were neatly tucked away.
He had thought of everything.
Which made it worse when I forgot myself and leaned forward anyway.
My hand flailed toward the panic button, the one I usually pressed in emergencies, but it was just out of reach.
Every inch between me and safety felt like miles.
My heart pounded in my chest, a wild rhythm of panic and frustration.
I was trapped, flat on the floor, staring at the glittering beads just beyond my grasp.