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“Okay.”
Dr. Tonaki takes a stethoscope and listens to Ava’s heart and then to her lungs. “Let me check your airway. Open up.”
Ava complies, and then the doctor feels her neck.
“No swollen lymph nodes in the neck. Heart and lungs sound great. EKG looks good.”
“So what happened, then?” I ask.
“Given the symptoms, which seem to have resolved, I’d say you had a panic attack, Ms. Steel.”
Ava sighs. “Just like my father.”
“Yes, I understand your father, Ryan Steel, is currently a patient here. I just came on duty an hour ago, but my colleague, Dr. Amos, probably saw your father.”
“Ava,” I say, “do you want me to find your mother and father? Tell them you’re here?”
She shakes her head. “They’ve had enough to deal with tonight. And I won’t be spending the night here.”
“I don’t think you’ll have to,” Dr. Tonaki says, “but I do want to wait until we have the lab results before I discharge you.”
“Do I have to?” Ava asks. “I really just want to go home.”
“Baby, you need to listen to the doctor. I think you’re probably fine, but we need to make sure.”
Dr. Tonaki makes a few notes on the chart. “Your panic attack was mild, so I’m not overly concerned. I’ll be back to check on you in a bit.” He leaves, closing the curtain behind him.
“Mild?” Ava says.
“It was a lot milder than the one we witnessed your father have,” I say. “The doctor knows what he’s talking about.”
“This is ridiculous. My father has never had a panic attack in his life, and neither have I.”
“If I had to wager a guess,” I tell her, “I’d say your panic attack was caused not just by the documents you found in my book but also because of worry for your father. For your family. And…”
“The tower,” she says.
“Yes. The tower.”
“I need to talk to Aunt Melanie.”
“Do you want me to call her?”
“It’s after midnight, Brendan. No, I don’t want you to call her. I already talked to her earlier this evening when we brought my dad in. I was freaking out a bit.” She wrinkles her nose. “Okay, make that a lot.”
“A panic attack isn’t anything to be concerned about,” I say. “You heard the doctor. A lot of people have them.”
“I don’t know. They drugged my dad pretty well earlier.”
“They did, but your dad’s symptoms were a lot worse than yours.”
“True.”
I hand her the remote control. “Do you want to watch some TV while we wait?”
“No, I think I just want to close my eyes. I don’t want any drugs, but part of me wishes I could have whatever they dosed my dad up with.”
“It was probably Valium.”
“Yeah, probably.”
She sets the remote control back down. “I want to try to sleep.”
“All right. I’ll be right here. I’m not going anywhere.”
Chapter Fifteen
Ava
I’m running…
Running from the falling rubble as the tower burns in the background.
My heart races as I run…
Run, run, run…
Until—
“Ava.”
My eyes pop open.
For a moment, I don’t know where I am, until I remember the panic attack, the ER, the hospital.
“The doctor’s back. He has your blood test results.”
Right. The doctor. The young man with brown hair and brown eyes and wearing green scrubs.
“Excellent news, Ms. Steel. All your labs look great. There’s no reason for you to stay here. But if you do have another panic attack, I want you to see your primary care physician. He or she will be able to help you.”
“I’ve never had a panic attack before,” I say. “I don’t plan to have any more of them.”
“That’s a great attitude,” Dr. Tonaki says, “and chances are, this will be your one and only panic attack. But just in case it’s not, please do seek medical treatment. I’m not necessarily talking about medication. Therapy is often very helpful with anxiety.”
I open my mouth but then close it.
I really don’t have anything to say.
I don’t think I’ll have another panic attack, but if I do, I will speak to Aunt Melanie.
“Are we free to go, then?” Brendan asks.
“You are.” Dr. Tonaki signs some documents and then leaves the room.
Brendan helps me get dressed, and then we head out to the car. It’s early Sunday morning, and he has to open the bar the next day. At least the bakery will be closed, so I don’t need to work until Monday.
I’m silent during the drive home, but I don’t sleep.
I don’t want the nightmare of running from the tower again.
But I can’t run from sleep forever. I have to accept the fact that my life may be changing. I can do that. I’m a strong person. I’ve always been a strong person.
And I have Brendan. I’m not the kind of woman who ever thought she needed a man for strength, but it’s nice to have him anyway. Having someone to lean on is never a bad thing.
