Page 71 of The Love Position

Setting off carefully, Isaac followed Mohan out of the marina.

‘Oh, my goodness, what happened to you!’

The nurse clicked her fingers at a porter who dashed forward with a wheelchair.

‘I fell,’ Sophia said, her arms tightening around the back of Isaac’s neck.

The woman’s eyebrows raised.

‘Into a statue of Shiva,’ Sophia continued, showing the laceration to her palm, where she’d tried to stop her fall. ‘Two of his hands are very sharp. And I’ve done something to my knee as well.’

There was a pause as the woman looked between them.

Isaac’s heart sank. She thinks I did this to her.

‘Well, my dear, let’s get you checked in, then take you through for assessment.’

Isaac carefully lowered Sophia into the wheelchair, then the nurse firmly elbowed him out of the way.

‘What’s your name, sweetie?’ she asked her.

‘Sophia. And this is—’

‘Well, I’m Doreen, and we’re going to take good care of you, honey,’ she replied, setting off across the reception area.

Sophia turned in her seat, reaching for Isaac.

Rushing to her side, he took her hand.

‘It’s okay, sir, we can take it from here.’

‘No,’ Sophia said, panic creeping into her tone. ‘He has to come with me.’

They’d already reached a set of locked double doors.

Doreen pulled a keycard from a lanyard on her waist. ‘I’m sorry, sweetie, but only family members—’

‘I’m her husband,’ Isaac interrupted.

Doreen’s gaze snapped to Sophia.

She didn’t miss a beat. ‘Yes, this is my husband, Isaac. We’ve been staying at the ashram on Tranquillity Island.’

Sophia tugged the hem of her bloodstained t-shirt down to show Doreen the Devanandara logo. ‘I was very tired this morning and not looking where I was going when I entered the temple for Satsang. I slipped and didn’t want to crash into the person in front of me, so I pivoted and instead had an unfortunate encounter with a Hindu deity.’

She gave Doreen a sunny smile. ‘As well as being inherently clumsy, I also struggle with panic attacks and have a deep fear of hospitals. I’m sorry if it’s inconvenient, but if my husband can’t stay with me, then I’m going to have to leave.’

Isaac tried to stay calm as Doreen glanced between the two of them. Sophia was squeezing his hand hard enough to cut off the blood supply to his fingers.

‘Okay, honey, let’s get the two of you through.’

Doreen unlocked the doors and pushed Sophia into the assessment area, wheeling her into a bay and up to a bed.

‘When you’re out of the chair, I’ll get the doctor and the forms.’

Isaac helped her lift Sophia onto the bed. Then Doreen left, swishing the curtain across to give them privacy.

As soon as she’d gone, Sophia’s head hit the pillow, all the energy that had animated her with Doreen draining away.

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