Page 8 of Second Chances

“Honey, you have to stop working so much. You’re not going to work today, are you?”

“No,” I lied.

I had already called work and left a message, telling them I’d be in once I was discharged from Hanover General. There were only three pharmacists at work, and with one of them already out, I couldn’t leave the last coworker covering all the shifts.

“Oh good.” Her voice was full of relief.

The nurse knocked on the door as she walked into my room.

“Mom, I have to go. The nurse is here.”

“But—”

“I’ll call you later. Bye.”

I hit End before she could say anything else.

“Sorry about that,” I told the nurse. “Mothers.”

She smiled politely, and that was when I noticed her hands were empty.

“I’m not going home yet?” I had been expecting discharge papers.

“Yes, you are and soon. The doctor is just getting everything written up. Actually, there is someone here to see you.”

I dropped my head back against the bed. “Is she young, perky, and won’t stop talking?”

I had talked to Savannah on the phone after I came to. I had still been pretty out of it at that point, but I was fairly confident I’d told her not to come. Work didn’t need to be short a pharmacy tech too.

The nurse chuckled. “Quite the opposite. He’s about our age and quiet.” She looked me up and down. “Which I suppose is pretty young. Some days, it doesn’t feel like it though.”

I smiled at her joke. “I feel that.” I looked up at my IV. “But I guess you figured that out already.”

“I kind of did.”

“Well, you might as well send my visitor in.” I had no clue who would be visiting me at Hanover General. I hadn’t exactly posted on social media that I was here. “Did you get a name?”

“I didn’t have to. It’s Liam. One of our paramedics. He’s the one who brought you in.”

The nurse left my room as a wave of relief washed over me.

I must have seen this Liam’s name badge when he was helping me, and I must have changed his face in my head to the Liam I had known from LA. It made so much sense, and I felt better that I hadn’t told the doctor that I was seeing things.

A few seconds later, there was another knock, and then I was sure I should have mentioned to the doctor what I had thought I saw back in my bathroom.

“Liam?”Am I hallucinating again?

He grinned. “Hey, stranger. Fancy seeing you here.”

I smiled in awe. “So, it really is you.”

He laughed and held out his arms. “In the flesh.”

“Wow.”

And now that I knew it was the Liam I had known from my past, standing in my hospital room, I realized that I was wearing a bulky hospital gown, and I hadn’t showered that morning.

I gasped as my eyes widened.

---