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Nurse Nina drew in a deep breath. “It’s discharge day!”
My eyes widened. “Wait, what?”
“Surprise!”
Nurses and doctors jumped out of every orifice of my room. I had barely woken up. Just gotten out of the bathroom, literally hopped back into bed. And all of a sudden, my room was filled with people. I smiled as tears crested my eyes. Nurse Nina came over and hugged me, bending over my body. Her warm arms wrapped around me and I held her close, pressing my lips against her ear.
“Thank you so much. For everything.”
She patted my back. “You did this yourself, Cee. We just came along for the ride.”
The doctor walked up beside me. “Your official discharge paperwork. As well as a few other things you might need in your future. You know, just in case.”
Nina backed up and the doctor looked me square in my eyes. I knew what he was talking about, too. I took the folder from him and peeked inside, taking in the paperwork. How to take care of my stitches. My body. How to schedule physical therapy and when to come see them next to get evaluated.
I also saw some brochures in there for adult assistance programs. And it made me sigh.
“Thanks, Doc. I really do appreciate it.”
He patted my shoulder. “My number’s in there. You call me anytime, day or night, if you need anything. And I mean anything. Okay?”
And without thinking, I reached out and wrapped my arm around his neck. I pulled him into a hug, feeling him brace himself against the bed. He chuckled against the side of my head before patting my back, and I sighed with relief.
“Thank you for everything you’ve done for me.”
He shook his head. “Don’t get it twisted. You did this. You fought, all week, to recuperate to this length. You’re the fighter. We’re simply the assistance in that fight.”
Nurse Nina clapped her hands. “So, ready to get out of here? We have a few things to do, like gathering your prescriptions and scheduling your physical therapy. Then I get to wheel you out of here in a chair.”
I smiled, pulling away from the doctor. “Does that mean races?”
“Do birds fly?”
I chuckled as they all helped me get out of bed. It seemed like it took a team of nurses to get me unhooked from all the tubes and machines. But, in reality, I was glad they were there. This staff had helped me around the clock for the past week and a half. They made Rae feel comfortable, they stood up for me with my father, and they encouraged my stepmother to keep speaking up for herself. It felt nice, having people in my corner.
Especially people like them.
“Your chariot awaits, Cee.”
I grinned. “Oh, Nina. You really shouldn't have.”
I flopped down into the wheelchair, clutching the folder of discharge paperwork in my lap. And away we went. I heard the doctor calling after us to slow down, but it only made me throw my hands in the air. Nina ran down the hallway with me, whooping and hollering as we careened around corners. She rushed me at that pace all the way down to their pharmacy, huffing and puffing as she sat with me. Waiting with me to get my medication.
“You got a ride home, kid?”
I nodded. “Stepmom’s coming to get me.”
She patted my knee. “She’s one of the good ones. You make sure to keep her around.”
I shrugged. “If my father stops being an asshole, she might actually stick around.”
“What I wouldn't give for five minutes alone with that man.”
We sat there, with her hand on my knee, and I settled my hand over hers. I squeezed it softly, reluctant to let it go. They called my name too soon for my prescriptions. She walked me through how to take them a little too fast. I had an entire support network in this hospital, and I wasn’t ready to let them go.
They’d been so good to me.
And I wanted to find a way to thank them for that.
