Doesn’t argue.
But he doesn’t move either.
I soften slightly, forcing my voice to steady.
“Please,” I say, quieter now, holding his gaze. “Just give me a minute.”
There’s a long pause this time. Long enough that I feel it in my chest. Then finally, “Fine.”
The word is tight. Controlled.
“I’ll be right outside.”
Jackson hesitates for a second before stepping back, his hand brushing lightly over mine.
“I’ll be close,” he says quietly.
Zach nods once, his gaze lingering on me a moment longer than the others before he steps away as well.
Evelyn moves slightly to the side to let them pass, but just as Jackson reaches the door, she catches his arm gently.
“Just so you know,” she says quietly, “I’m here with Mark. We were on our way to dinner. He’s outside.”
Jackson swears under his breath, running a hand through his hair.
“Of course he is,” he mutters. “Alright. Fine.”
Elijah leans in before he leaves, pressing a brief, careful kiss to my forehead, his hand brushing against my cheek like he doesn’t quite want to pull away.
“I’ll be right there,” he says quietly. “You call me if you need anything.”
“I’ll be fine,” I whisper. “I’m with Evelyn.”
He studies me for a second longer than he should, like he’s trying to convince himself of that, before finally stepping back and leaving the room.
The door closes behind them.
And for the first time since I woke up, it’s quiet.
Not empty.
Just… different.
Evelyn exhales slowly, like she’s been holding that in.
“Well,” she says softly, glancing toward the door before looking back at me. “That was intense.”
A weak breath escapes me, something that almost feels like a laugh.
“Yeah,” I murmur. “That’s… kind of where they’re at right now.”
She moves closer then, pulling a chair up beside the bed, sitting down carefully like she doesn’t want to jostle anything, her eyes softening as she looks at me properly now that it’s just the two of us.
“How are you really?” she asks quietly.
Not surface.
Not polite.
