Dusk Until Dawn

Chapter 15 - Facing Reality

I woke up with a throbbing pain in my head. The last thing I remembered was Yukina hyperventilating, Mr. Herbert comforting her, and Mom trying to keep me conscious.

My eyes immediately darted to Mom, who was sitting right beside my hospital bed. When she saw my eyes slowly starting to open, she let out a huge sigh of relief.

"Oh, thank goodness." She slapped my arm. "What's wrong with you, Maia?"

I laughed softly. Ah, yes. I fainted out of shock! How dare I! That is an unspeakable crime!

I tried to sit up, but I groaned as the headache began to throb more. Mom laid my head back down.

"Don't move, honey. It'll make the headache worse."

I sighed as I positioned myself. Well, that's flattering.

Wait. I just realized something. Is today...

"Mom, what day is it today?"

She was quiet for a moment. "It's January. January 1st, Maia."

I pursed my lips. "And what happened to Yukina? Is she okay?"

She exhaled. "I can only hope so. She's with the clinical psychologist right now."

I covered my face with my hands. I was relieved that Yukina was at least with someone, since her pain was most likely stronger than mine. Recalling memories of their late loved one for their whole life, and then finding out later that they were actually alive, must be overwhelming.

I let out an exasperated sigh. There were so many emotions to feel at once, it was impossible to sort them out.

Mom put her hand on mine. "Maia, I need you to know that I'm so- "

A doctor came in with a clipboard in his hand and sighed out of relief when he saw me. "How are you feeling, Miss Hart?"

"I have a headache, but other than that, I'm okay."

He nodded as he wrote on a piece of paper on his clipboard. "Your headache should go away in a few hours. Just get some rest today and tomorrow."

"When will she be discharged?" Mom asked.

The doctor sucked his teeth. "Since the cause of her fainting was the sudden drop in blood pressure, she should be discharged in about two hours." He handed the clipboard to Mom. "Which speaking of, we would like for you to fill in some information on that paper, and we also want to have a conversation regarding her discharge outside of this room."

Mom nodded as she stood up to grab her purse. "I understand." She looked at me. "Will you be okay?"

I managed to smile slightly. "I'll be fine, Mom."

At this point, I don't even know anymore.

Once they left, I tried to sit up once more. My headache still throbbed, but not so much to the point where I couldn't move. I angled the pillow behind my back to sit in a comfortable position and rested my head on my hands.

I so badly wanted to punch someone to release this wrath bottling up inside me. I so badly wanted to scream. I so badly wanted to throw something. I so badly wanted to tear down this entire room. I so badly wanted to burst into tears.

I so badly wanted to see Mason.

I heard the door open and close again, and I looked up to see who visited me.

Mason took a step closer, with a bouquet of flowers in his hand. My jaw dropped slightly, knowing that it was 7AM and Mason still came to visit me regardless.