"Actually, I'm just here because there's been a mistake."
My head snaps up at his words, and every other noise in this hospital fades away.
The nurse tilts her head. "A mistake?"
"Yeah, I shouldn't be her emergency contact still," Paul says, glancing back over his shoulder at me. "She's my ex-fiancée. We broke up. I know she wouldn't want me still listed. I just came to... make sure I was removed."
Hope surges so violently through my body that I'm on my feet again before I can think.
He's not taking the opening. He's not pushing me out.
"Okay..." the nurse says slowly, flicking her eyes between us as I walk back over. "Who's her next of kin?"
"Her sister, Tess," I tell her. "But she's in Germany. Military. I talked to her on the phone earlier."
"Can you call her?" she asks, and I reach into my pocket, taking out my cellphone.
"I can try," I nod, lifting my phone to my ear. My heart feels like it's in my throat right now, my hands a little shaky. It keepsringing before it goes to voicemail, and I quickly send her a text tocall ASAP,but I turn back to the nurse. "She's not answering."
The nurse nods once, professional but a little unsure. "Right. Okay. Well, if we can't reach next-of-kin—"
"She'd want him," Paul says, interrupting her with quiet certainty, nodding toward me.
The nurse looks back at him.
So do I.
"She would want him," Paul says, speaking like every word hurts, but nodding toward me with a resolute expression on his face. "Callum and Sophie... they're together."
Paul steps back, giving us some privacy, and I keep my eyes on him for a moment—confused and also a little grateful—before the nurse pulls my attention.
"Okay... Callum?" she says, glancing down at her tablet, trying to find her place. "We have an update on her condition. She's stable right now. We've started fluids and antibiotics. She's responding well."
My entire body sags in relief. "Can I see her?" I ask desperately.
The nurse gives me a sympathetic smile. "Dr. Rashid will be out in just a bit to update you further and take you back. He'll walk you through isolation protocols. He's with her right now."
She's stable, the doctor is with her, and that's enough for right now.
"Thank you so much."
The nurse nods before turning and disappearing back behind the doors. I turn back toward my group, toward my mother, whose eyes are shimmering with tears and who is wearing a wide, relieved smile.
"She's stable," I choke out to them, but mostly to remind myself.
Tonya cackles, "Sophie, you little badass!"
Atticus and Jane beam, and my mom smiles, opening her arms for me. I fall into them, squeezing her tight in relief, while Tonya hugs me from behind, her gravelly laugh at my back.
"Ifuckingtold you," Tonya laughs, squeezing me. "Our Sophie's strong as fuck."
I huff out a watery laugh, pressing my forehead against my mom's shoulder. Atticus and Jane walk over, and I reach out my hand for Atticus, who takes it with a firm brotherly hold, Jane still under his arm, but smiling brighter than I've ever seen at me.
Happy tears gather in my eyes as our little family celebrates Sophie being okay.
My gaze drifts over my shoulder to where Paul stands a few paces away. His eyes look sad, but there's a small, genuine smile curving his lips. I give him a slight nod of thanks, and he returns it before turning toward the door and walking out of the hospital.
I gently ease myself from the group's embrace and jog after him.
