Damage Control

Chapter 36

I nodded slowly and scanned the unrecognizable bright room, wondering where I was. The last thing I remembered was collapsing on the floor in my penthouse and then immediate darkness.

Stella placed her palm on my forehead, and I leaned into her cool touch. "You're at the hospital Stazi, we were so worried about you," she whispered softly as tears streamed down her face.

"I'm fine," I wanted to tell her, but my voice was still gone.

"We freaked out when you didn't meet back with us, we tried calling your phone a million times, and when you didn't pick up, we searched the entire park looking for you," she sniffled, swiping her manicured hand under her eyes to wipe away the tears but more took its place.

"Right before we called the police, Jeff called and told us that you were back at your place in bad shape and that we needed to get to you as soon as possible. We found you blacked out on the floor, and your pulse was so weak we thought you were dead."

Tears welled up in my eyes, imagining how scary that must've been for her.

"You've been asleep for two whole days," Carter revealed, announcing his presence. I shifted my head and found him standing a few feet away from the hospital bed I was lying in with his arms crossed and brows furrowed in worry.

Two days? How is that possible?

"Nice to see you're finally up," a man in scrubs voiced as he opened the door to my room with a wide smile on his face.

I attempted to smile back at him, but an explosion of pain erupted throughout my face, and I winced and threw my head back against the pillow, hoping it would go away.

"Careful, careful, you suffered a nasty concussion; take it easy on yourself," the man in scrubs informed me as he patted my shoulder gently.

"I'm Dr. Bailey; it's nice to finally meet you, err.." he quickly glanced down at the chart in his hand before looking back up. "Anastazi."

I nodded, acknowledging his words, wishing I could speak.

"If you don't know already, you've been here for the last two last healing from the concussion you suffered. You did have a cut on your head, but it wasn't deep enough, so you didn't need stitches, and the bruises around your neck and wrists seem to be healing as well; you're one lucky gal."

I'm far from lucky, I wanted to tell him.

"Are you feeling well enough to tell us what happened?" He asked with a concerned look etched across his face.

My heart rate immediately spiked as I shook my head, not wanting to relive that traumatizing moment just yet.

"Okay, okay, that's fine, whenever you're ready, Anastazi."

I nodded again for like the 50th time since I woke up.

"I reckon your throat must be feeling a bit dry by now; the water will help." He nodded his head towards the cup of water sitting on the stand beside the bed.

Stella happily grabbed the cup and shoved the straw in my mouth, allowing me to sip its contents. The cool liquid felt like heaven sliding down my parched throat, quenching my long-awaited thirst.

"Thank you," I whispered, my voice hoarse from being asleep for so long, but it felt good to finally be able to speak again.

Stella nodded with a soft smile on her face and moved out of the way so the doctor could continue speaking to me.

"When can I leave?" I asked wearily, wanting to get out of this suffocating hospital and back home so I could put all of this behind me.

Dr. Bailey rechecked my chart before tucking it under his arm. "Your vitals are looking strong, and your injuries seem to be healing nicely. I'd say you can leave no later than today once the nurse checks you out; how does that sound?"