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CHAPTERTHIRTY-TWO
Audrey
Just over three weeks later, I’m finally going home. The euphoria of it all gets me through the frustration of the constant aches in my bones which in turn causes fatigue to hit quickly. I’m only twenty-one and yet I feel like I’m in my nineties.
It’s been a long battle, and one which has caused me to look at myself for the first time in my whole life. A life that’s led me to this point. In my hospital bed, in the quiet hours of the night, I often found myself talking to my father as if he were sitting right next to me. It comforted me to feel he was listening, but I was frightened to death that this was just another telltale sign that I was going crazy. Thankfully, I never had another episode again after that incident with Trent. The doctors came, took another CAT scan, and put it down to a migraine when the scan came back normal before offering me painkillers. Since, Trent’s hardly brought up Kendra’s name and certainly hasn’t shown me any more pictures. I believe he thinks she triggered something, which, quite frankly, sounds a little preposterous to me. Suffice it to say, whatever activated that episode is gone and my progress has been good, albeit slow.
“That’s it—another step and you’ll be able to sit down,” Jason soothes as he helps me to the chair next to the window which overlooks the local park—a window I often people-watch from as I’m having an afternoon coffee.
My legs ache as I take a seat in my chair, thanking Jason as he releases me from his hold, allowing me to let out a much-needed breath.
“Don’t mention it,” he replies as my mom offers a concerned smile. Despite the fact that I’m getting better, she still worries over me, her eyes constantly looking out for any signs of distress. “I’ll go get you some food supplies from the local store.”
“Thanks,” I repeat as I attempt to hand him some money. “Here, take this.”
Jason tuts, shaking his head as he storms for the door. “Sorry, got to go,” he states quickly, knowing there’s no chance in hell I will be able to chase after him.
“Asshole!” I shout after him, and the only sound I hear is his laughter as he shuts the door.
“Audrey!” my mom admonishes.
Remembering where I am, my cheeks flame. “Sorry.” I never curse in front of my mom… it just naturally slipped out.
My mom answers with an amused smile before taking a seat on the adjacent couch, her bag dropped neatly next to her. She crosses one leg over the other, a movement which causes her bag to topple and her latest read, Me Before You, to fall out. Instinctively, I bend down to pick it up, noticing a hand-written note that looks like my writing in between the pages.
“What’s that?” I ask, my mother reaching to retrieve it before I can since my movements are a lot slower than normal.
She takes out the note, placing the opened book upside down on the coffee table so that she doesn’t lose her page before frowning down at the note.
“I don’t know, but I found it slipped underneath the door in your hospital room a couple of weeks back. It’s your writing but I have no idea where it came from. I just couldn’t let go of it.”
Confusion filling me, I reach my hand out, eager to see it for myself. “May I?”
She simply nods, handing me the note, and what strikes me before I read it is the vast similarity between my handwriting and this one.
Just always know that I love you very much.
I cock my head to one side, taking in each word and wondering if I’ve ever written that before. My head dizzies and then a vision comes: me, standing outside of my hospital room, gazing into the window as I watch myself asleep on the bed.
My hand trembles as I hand the note back, something which causes my mom to look at me with trepidation.
“Are you okay?”
A sigh leaves my lips as I strain to rid myself of this strange vision. “Yes, I’m fine.” I point to the note as she places it back into her book. “I don’t remember ever writing that. Strange that it would be in the hospital. Beside the door, you said?”
“Yes,” she replies before placing the book back into its rightful place inside her bag. “It’s a mystery.”
I frown, shaking my head, that same feeling of something monumental that I can’t quite put my finger on washing over me. “It certainly is.”
I’m still dwelling on that when Victoria and Trent arrive, bringing balloons and mojitos to celebrate my coming home. I can’t drink, but I in no way mind living vicariously through the others. One day, I will be able to enjoy the decadent things in life, but for now, I am resigned to getting better. Slow and steady wins the race as they say.
“Here you go, sweet cheeks,” Trent sings as he sashays his rainbow-colored-legging-clad hips towards me before placing my virgin mojito down.
“You’re cheery,” I note, picking it up to have a taste, the flavor of the lime a welcome one as the liquid helps to satiate my thirst.
“Haven’t you heard?” Victoria chimes in, waving her already half-drunk mojito in front of me. “Trent has a new best friend.” The tips of her eyebrows raise in Trent’s direction, but all he does is smirk and take a sip of his own drink.
“Who?” I ask, unable to take the suspense any longer.
