Page 190 of Maddening Fixation

After tying back my hair, I quietly left the bedroom and made my way down the familiar hallway toward my mother’s room.

I eased the door open.

The curtains were half drawn, allowing soft morning light to spill across the room.

My mother remained asleep.

She looked impossibly fragile beneath the blankets, her face pale and thinner than I remembered.

Illness had stolen so much from her over the years that each visit felt like watching another piece of her disappear.

My chest tightened.

Walking closer, I gently adjusted the blanket where it had slipped from her shoulder.

“Please get better,” I whispered so softly that even I barely heard the words.

The door opened behind me.

I turned to find her nurse entering with the quiet confidence of someone who had spent years caring for patients.

Relief washed through me.

“Does she usually sleep this deeply?” I asked, unable to hide the concern in my voice.

The nurse offered a reassuring smile.

“We started her on a new medication yesterday after receiving her latest test results,” she explained. “One of the expected side effects is drowsiness. She’ll probably sleep more than usual for the next day or two.”

I released a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

“She’s stable,” the nurse replied gently. “There’s no need to worry.”

Some of the tightness around my heart eased.

Despite her illness, my mother had never been someone who slept so deeply that she couldn’t wake to the sound of voices in the room.

Seeing her so still had frightened me more than I wanted to admit.

I nodded slowly.

“Thank you.”

I glanced back at my mother before returning my attention to the nurse.

“My sister isn’t here... and my father is still gone. That means my mother is depending on you more than ever.”

The nurse’s expression softened.

“I know.”

I managed a faint smile.

“Please... take good care of her.”

“I will.”

She spoke with quiet conviction.