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His eyes lift from the paper and first go to Aiden, then to me.
“Miss O’Neil,” he begins, folding his hands. “You need to stay in hospital for the next few days. We need to monitor your heart activity.”
My stomach drops. “Why? What’s wrong?” I ask, a little breathless.
“Has either of you heard of a condition called dilated cardiomyopathy?” Aiden and I shake our heads.
“Dilated cardiomyopathy is a type of heart muscle disease that causes the heart chambers to thin and stretch and grow larger. It makes it harder for the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body.”
My head is spinning. Is he saying that’s what I have?
“Now, as I understand, you didn’t display symptoms until a few weeks ago. That isn’t unusual.”
The organ in question is currently beating hard against my chest. “What symptoms exactly?” I ask. Is he talking about my heart doing these funny little jumps?
“Fluttering or pounding heartbeats…”
When was the first time I’ve noticed that?
“Fatigue.”
It happens only around Tiero or Aiden.
“Chest discomfort.”
I thought it was part of my attraction to them.
“In the early stages, it can be treated with medication…”
Have I had these flutters when they’re not around? I comb my mind for any memories but come up blank. I can’t remember anything right now.
Doctor Miller’s voice drifts into my consciousness. Shit, I completely zoned out, not hearing a word of what he said.
I look at Aiden. His focus is on the doctor, absorbing it all. Thank God for that because I’m clueless. My head is shrouded in candy floss, slowing down my processing capacity.
“… or surgery to implant a medical device that controls the heartbeat. But in more severe cases, it requires a heart transplant.”
“What causes this disease?” I hear Aiden ask. “Isn’t Ella too young to have something like that?”
“Unfortunately, this disease affects a wide demographic, twenty to sixty-year-olds. As for the causes, they can be manifold. Certain infections, heart rhythm problems…”
My mind wanders again, and I miss a whole chunk of the conversation. I’m looking at Doctor Miller’s mouth move, but I hear nothing.
Am I in denial?
Why is this happening to me? Why now? Why, when I finally have a chance of a happy life with the man… well, one of the men I love.
“… exposure to toxins and taking certain drugs.” I only hear the last bit and my ears prick up.
Drugs?
God knows what kind of drug Tiero used to knock me out.
“I was given sedatives a few times over the last few months.” Doctor Miller’s eyes cock up in surprise, but before he can ask more questions, I hastily continue, “I was told I was out longer than is usual. I also feltrotten for an entire day afterwards.Could that have something to do with it?”
“I don’t think the sedatives would have been the cause. But by the sounds of it, they didn’t help your condition.”
Oh god. What if the sedatives made things worse? I don’t have time to ask, though, as Doctor Miller continues.
