Being discharged felt less like leaving and more like being handed off.
The nurse repeated herself while she unhooked monitors, her voice calm and practiced, like she’d done this a thousand times before and knew exactly which parts I was going to forget.
“No driving.No stairs unless you absolutely have to,” she said.“And someone needs to be with you at all times for the next week.”
I nodded even though I was already tired of hearing it.
Cole stood a few feet away, arms crossed, watching like this was a briefing he planned to memorize.With each instruction, I could feel his attention sharpen.
Someone with you at all times.
That part had already been decided.
When the nurse finally stepped out, Cole moved closer without saying anything, close enough that I could feel the warmth of him at my side.
“You ready?”he asked.
“As I’ll ever be.”
Standing felt strange.Not painful, just wrong, like my balance hadn’t gotten the memo that we were leaving.Cole stayed close, not touching me but not giving me room to fall either.
I hated how much I needed that.
He helped me into the wheelchair, and the nurse pushed me into the elevator, down to the lobby.Everything felt louder out here.Brighter.
Cole held the door for me, and the nurse guided me outside, where my mom’s car was waiting at the curb.
Nickel and Karmen stood nearby, with Nickel nodding along while Karmen talked with her hands.
“I didn’t know you were going to be here,” Cole called to them.
Nickel shrugged.“Just wanted to make sure that you guys were good.”His eyes connected with mine.“You good?”
I laughed.“Getting there,” I said.
“We’re just going to follow you guys home, but don’t worry about entertaining us, okay?Something tells me you are going to need a good nap once you get home.”
I wasn’t even off the hospital property yet, but I knew that was true.“Yeah, who knew that after lying in bed for a week, all I want to do once I get home is sleep?”
Karmen helped me into the passenger seat while Cole got behind the wheel.The car smelled faintly like Mom, but it was jarring to see Cole in the driver’s seat.
As we pulled away, I watched the hospital disappear in the side mirror.
I wasn’t going to miss it.
The drive was quiet but not uncomfortable.Cole didn’t turn on the radio.Didn’t ask a bunch of questions.He just drove, steady and alert, like he was responsible for more than just getting us home.
“How’s your head?”he asked after a few minutes.
“Still attached,” I said.“Which feels like a win.”
A corner of his mouth lifted.“We’ll take wins where we can.”
I leaned my head back against the seat and watched the trees blur past.My body just felt heavy.My body wanted sleep, but my brain kept replaying moments I didn’t ask it to.
“I’m not going to hover,” Cole said suddenly.
I glanced at him.“You already are.”
