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“Be nice,” she hisses. “We all knew this would happen eventually.”
I lean down with a groan and bury my head in Oliver’s good shoulder. “Call me later?” I whisper in his ear, brushing my lips over his cheek.
He can’t wipe the grin off his face as he nods, and I want to swat him over the head. “Later,” he promises.
I mutter goodbye to his family, keeping my eyes glued to the floor as I squeeze in between Sam and Jake to get out the door.Great, we’ll never live that down.But I smile despite myself. Oliver’s going to be okay, and that’s all that matters.
32
Panic attack: a feeling of intense distress or uneasiness of mind caused by apprehension of danger or misfortune. Symptoms: accelerated or pounding heart rate, palpitations, sweating, shortness of breath, chest pain or discomfort, dizziness, and nausea.
I’ve got it all.
I wipe my sweaty palms on the hospital bedsheets. The pounding in my ears is so loud I can’t hear what the doctor is saying. I swallow hard and blink a couple times to try and focus on the words coming out of his mouth.
“–peripheral nerve block as well as a general anaesthesia so you will be fully under during the operation. The x-rays look good, so it’s a pretty routine, straightforward surgery to repair the ligament damage. We will…”
I zone out and glance over at Mum who is listening intently to every word the doctor is saying to her. She nods with her arms folded over her body as she starts asking questions. I blow out a deep breath and close my eyes. My mouth has gone completely bone dry.Routine. Straightforward. They know what they’re doing. There’s nothing to worry about. I’m going to be fine.
“Oliver, are you okay?”
No. I’m terrified.Opening my eyes, I force a smile up at my doctor. “All good, doc.”
“How’s the head?”
I give him two thumbs up, despite the killer headache that’s making it difficult to keep my eyes open in the bright lights of the pre-op consulting room.
He nods. “Any questions?”
I shake my head.
“Alright, well the theatre nurses will be here soon to take you in. Your mum can stay with you until then. See you on the other side.” He replaces my chart in the holder at the end of my bed before leaving the room.
Mum places her hand over mine, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Everything will be okay, sweetie.” I don’t know if she’s trying to convince me or herself. She presses a kiss to my forehead.
“I know.” I squirm on the bed, trying to get comfortable.
“So, uh, it’s nice that you and Hannah have… sorted things out? We’ve missed seeing her around the house.”
“Yep.” Heat spreads up the back of my neck to my cheeks. “We sorted things out.”
Nodding, Mum smiles. “She’s such a lovely girl.”
Rolling my eyes, I rub my hand over my face. “Mum, I’m about to go into surgery. Can we please not do this right now?”
Raising her arms in the air, she lets out a small laugh. “I thought the change in topic might distract you.”
I groan.
“So, you like her?” she asks.
“God, Mum. Yeah, I like her. Please, I’m begging you. Can we talk about literally anything else?”
Mum sighs. “I’m just glad you’re not going out drinking anymore. I was really worried about you.”
I swallow, actually wishing she would go back to grilling me about Hannah. I have nowhere to go. I’m trapped in a hospital bed. No escape from the awkwardness that settles over the tiny room. I glance at the door, hoping the nurses will come to get me and I’ll avoid having to think up something to say. No such luck.
“I know you struggled after the accident,” she sniffs.
