CHAPTER FORTY
The oven beeped.No. The microwave. The fire alarm? With the forceful chirping inside her head, Sylvie opened her heavy eyelids to complete darkness. It took a couple of seconds to seek out its source: her cell. “Hello.” Sylvie rubbed her face, clearing the sleep clinging to her eyelashes.
“You’re listed as Madison Montgomery’s emergency contact. I need you to come down to University Hospital. She’s being admitted from the emergency room.”
“What’s happened?” Sylvie swung her legs from under her comforter and switched on the lamp, drenching her room in a light too harsh for the early hour.
“Madison’s hurt herself. She’s stable though and ready to come home.”
Jesus.“Can I speak with her?”
“Not right now. She’s having some dressings done.”
“I’ll be there as soon as I can. Wait, who am I speaking with?” Sylvie asked.
“Nurse Lopez. Madison is in ward five.”
Sylvie swallowed the rising panic in her throat. Ade had warned her about Madison’s state of mind, but she’d hoped it wouldn’t get worse.
This was a first in her teaching career, but she could handle it. She drove to the hospital in a daze, carried by the adrenaline of the situation. After pushing through the main doors, she attracted sideways glances and stares. The clothes she’d managed to throw on looked like she’d been woken up in the middle of a nightmare, which was absolutely accurate. She had no time to worry about herown appearance. The only thing that mattered was that Madison was okay. She weaved her way through a maze of corridors to a holding ward and braced herself. The nurses’ station was a flurry of activity, but she caught someone’s attention. “I’m here for Madison Montgomery.”
“Are you family?” the nurse asked.
“I’m her professor at the university. She’s an international student on a year abroad.”
“I got that from the lack of French,” the nurse said. “She’s almost ready to go home. We just need the doctor to sign her out and provide her with some follow-up. She’s going to need a referral to a mental health practitioner.”
“Has she said what happened?”
“She didn’t need to. There were multiple lacerations to her lower arm. One was fairly deep, so she panicked and called someone. Any closer to an artery, and she could’ve bled out.” The nurse’s kind eyes met Sylvie’s. “We see it pretty often. She called, thank goodness.”
Nausea swirled in Sylvie’s stomach. This could have been so much worse. Behind a clinical white door lay the vulnerable shape of Madison, balled up under a hospital blanket, hiding away from the world. Sylvie sat next to the bed, not wanting to wake her yet. She wondered what could have pushed this perfect-seeming young woman to the brink of her emotions. Was it the pressure of university? Being away from home for so long? Who knew what these kids were up against. So many of their troubles played out inside their heads and scarred their hearts.
Madison turned and groaned. “You didn’t need to come. I told them I was fine.”
“They had to call someone, and I’m on your list, so here I am.” Sylvie feigned a smile. “How are you?”
“How do you think?” Madison stared at the ceiling, dry spittle crusted around her lips. “Are they letting me go home yet?”
“We just need to wait for a doctor to sign you out and get yousome more support.” Sylvie ran her hands through her bed hair. “Did you want to call your parents?”
“No,” said Madison, inspecting her freshly dressed arm. “They don’t want to hear about my problems.”
Sylvie opened her mouth to object but closed her mouth. She didn’t have a clue what Madison’s relationship with her parents was like. She couldn’t base her assumptions on her own experiences. “Is there anyone you want to call?”
“Is Ade around? Isn’t she my emergency contact?”
“She’s in Morocco for a few days with her sister. It’s their birthday.” But God, Sylvie wished she was here.
“Nice way to spend your birthday, I guess. Good for her.” Madison met Sylvie’s eye contact for the first time. “Thanks for coming.”
Sylvie attempted a brave face.
“Ade’s been good to me these past few weeks.” Madison’s gaze flicked from side to side. “I don’t mean about the faked attendance cards. She’s just been really helpful with my schedule and listening when I need her.”
Pride settled in Sylvie’s heart. It was no surprise to her that Ade had been a support to Madison, but she’d clearly made more of an impact than she realized.
After the doctor discharged Madison, Sylvie drove her back into the city.
