A Month To Live

A Month To Live (44)

'I seem to have dropped something,' he said dryly before letting the paper flutter to the ground and leaving the office.

I looked at my mom for a second before jumping up and snatching the note from the ground.

A room number.

Bingo.

*   *   *

I left my mom behind. For some reason I felt this was necessary to do on my own. It was hard to get away from her tears but eventually I managed to l break free.

I didn't even know what I wanted to do or say. I just made my way towards the elevator as if I were in a dream.

I was going to live.

It hadn't sunk in yet. Even as I pushed the correct floor number in the elevator, my mind couldn't process the thought.

The elevator door slid open on another floor and I practically snarled at the woman who tried to join me. She changed her mind and backed away quickly before the doors shut again.

Guess I was angry.

I'd become quite detached from my emotions over the last week. I found it quite difficult to get in touch with them again. I took a deep breath as the elevator dinged, signalling I'd reached my destination.

I was going to live?

I stepped out of the elevator quickly and glanced down at the note in my hand. I followed the signs down to a hallway on the left. I was pretty sure I was supposed to sigh in as a visitor but no-one was around so I decided to just wing it and find the room without telling anyone.

I paused when I realised where I was going.

What the fuck was I doing? Am I insane? Did I really want to see the person who was in my place? What would I even say? Wouldn't she think I was rubbing it in? I guess I didn't have to tell her.

I struggled for a while with my tumult of emotions. My numbness was starting to wear off and my heart was pounding in my chest.

Holy shit, I was going to live.

I need to see her. I had a gut feeling and I usually followed those.

I continued down the dim corridor. I couldn't help but peek into the rooms either side of me. A few were empty but the few patients I did see, were all quite old. Maybe in their eighties or nineties. There were a few visitors but it was still eerily quiet except for the faint beeping of heart monitors.

The room I was headed for was at the end and I slowed down slightly. Should I go in if she's awake? What would I say?

Just as I was about to approach, the door swung open a few feet in front of me. I panicked for a moment and for some reason looked left and right as if looking for a place to hide. Hell, I probably looked super suspicious.

I came to a sudden halt as I stared at the guy's back. His dark hair was quite ruffled and messy. And...

Familiar.

As if sensing my eyes on him, the guy turned around and my stomach dropped. His own eyes widened and I saw them slowly look me up and down as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

‘Tommy?’ I breathed.

‘Raegan,’ he said slowly. 'What the hell are you doing here?' I winced. His voice was loud in the silence of the hallway.

‘I... well,’ I shook my head sharply, not knowing where to even begin. 'Who's in that room?' I asked, eyes travelling past him.

'Nah,' he said, shaking his head and crossing his arms in front of his chest with narrowed eyes. 'You first. You have a lot of explaining to do.'