"Mr. Brown, good morning," she beamed. "I see you’re awake. That’s great."
"Yeah, only about ten minutes ago," I confirmed, glancing at Lexie.
"We were just catching up a little,"Lexie added with a forced smile.
"That’s good. I’ll just do some quick checks and leave you to your conversation. How do you feel?"
"Like I was run over by a truck," I exaggerated, though it wasn’t far from the truth.
Dr. Chopra checked my vitals, listened to my heartbeat, and conferred with her team before turning back to me.
"Your numbers are good. We’ll keep a close eye on your vitals and check the incision site tomorrow to ensure there’s no infection. If you feel any unusual chest pains, let the nurses know immediately. They’ll page me and give you the prescribed medications."
"Okay, Doc. Thanks. When can I leave?" I asked, eager to get out of the hospital.
She smiled. "Not so fast. Dr. Lukeman needs to review your leg before we can decide on your discharge. But don’t worry, it shouldn’t take longer than necessary."
"So, when is he coming for the review?" I pressed.
"Kevin, what’s wrong with you?" Lexie snapped.
"I don’t understand. What did I do?"
"Is she Dr. Lukeman?" she fired back.
Dr. Chopra intervened with a smile. "I can’t say for sure, but he’ll be here soon. He’s on his rounds."
"Okay, that’s good."
"I’ll take my leave now. Have a great day, Mr. Brown."
***
Six days later...
I was finally cleared to go home after six long days. As soon as the doctors finished their final checks, Dad went to sign the discharge papers. Lexie had already left for school.
"Hello, Kevin," Licia called as she entered the room. "Heard you’ve been discharged."
"Can’t wait to get out of here," I laughed. "How do people cope with being stuck in a hospital bed for months? I barely survived a few days."
"Trust me, they don’t love it. They just have to stay." She smiled. "You really seem stronger, or is this just a ploy to get them to send you home?"
"At least it worked, didn’t it?"
"I guess it did."
I found myself more smitten with her every time she smiled.
"Does this mean I won’t see you for a while?" I asked, sitting up and hugging a pillow to my chest.
She smiled. "You’ll see me more than you think. I’ll be at the house to check up on you."
"I don’t know why, but that’s comforting," I admitted, feeling a strange mixture of relief and anticipation.
"Then I’ll see you at the house, Mr. Brown."
As she left, I sank back into the pillows, grateful that, despite everything, Licia would be with me for a little longer.
