“Confused mostly.”
“That’s to be expected. We’d like to run some more tests now you’re awake, but I suspect you may have epilepsy.”
“Epilepsy? How?”
“Like I said, we need to run more tests to give a more conclusive answer, but it’s not uncommon for it to develop aftersustaining a brain injury as serious as the one you did, Miss Anders.”
I sigh. “Wonderful, something else for me to contend with. I don’t suppose you have a miraculous cure in your pocket for me, do you?”
“Unfortunately, there is no current cure for epilepsy, though modern medicine is always pushing the boundaries, so the answer might be very different in five or ten years. I will say that epilepsy can be managed with medications and learning your body’s stressors and triggers. I know it’s scary right now, not just for you but the people around you, but knowledge is power. Once everyone knows what to expect and what to do during a seizure, the fear will take a back seat. You won’t need to come into the hospital following most seizures. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. If you have a seizure that lasts longer than five minutes or multiple seizures within a short window, such as twenty-four hours, please come get checked. It goes without saying, come in if you sustain an additional injury during a seizure, like a bump to the head, for example, to get checked over.”
I close my eyes and nod my head. I feel like crap, and this is not the news I was hoping to hear. But aside from feeling hungover, I’m in much better condition than when I last woke up here.
“Do you know what triggered it this time?”
“Your young man there walked in to find you seizing and noticed strobe lighting effects in a movie you were watching. If epilepsy is confirmed, that is definitely something you need to be conscious of. It’s a very common trigger.”
I blow out a shaky breath. “Okay, thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll have a nurse come prep you for testing and return to talk to you afterward when we have the answers. I know this is a shock, but it is manageable.”
“I know, it’s just a lot.”
Kruger stirs at the sound of our voices. He jolts up when he sees I’m awake. “You okay?”
“I’m okay. Gotta go for some tests though.”
He turns to the doctor. “She’s really okay?”
I sigh. I can’t be mad that he doesn’t believe me. I do have a tendency to downplay things. “It’s okay, doc, you can tell him everything you just told me. My brain’s too foggy to remember everything you said.”
I tune out as the doctor fills him in, feeling Kruger’s hand tighten around mine as he listens.
Eventually, I realize it’s gone quiet. I turn back to look at them. The doctor is gone, and Kruger is watching me with worried eyes.
“Sorry, I zoned out.”
“You’re fine.”
“You look worried, though.”
“I can’t help it. You already have enough shit to deal with.”
“I won’t lie, I’m not sure the news has actually sunk in yet. But it will, and I’ll just have to deal with it. What else can I do, Kruger? Let’s be honest, I got off lightly. Most people don’t walk away from a live grenade, and those who do usually have missing limbs. I did something really fucking reckless. It doesn’t matter if it was for all the right reasons. Playing hero comes with its own set of consequences.”
He stands up and leans over me, gently wrapping his arms around me and resting his chin on my forehead. “You scared the shit out of me.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Nothing to be sorry for. I’m just glad you weren’t alone when it happened.”
And that’s the kicker, isn’t it? If I’d had a seizure back at the hotel, I’d have been alone and confused when I woke up. That’s if I hadn’t smashed my head on the desk when I fell.
I don’t dwell on it. There is no point. For better or worse, I’m safer now with Kruger than I am alone. It doesn’t mean I’m going to suddenly throw caution to the wind, but there has to be a happy medium somewhere.
He pulls back, his eyes moving over my face before they lock on mine. Slowly, so I have time to pull away if I want to, he dips his head and presses his lips to mine. I let him, needing to feel connected to something, to someone. He doesn’t deepen it. That isn’t what this is. It’s just a reminder that we made it over yet another fucking obstacle.
We spend a little time just catching our breath. Dare I say it, it’s exactly what I need. Far too soon, the nurses come in, bursting us out of our bubble as I’m whisked off for a multitude of tests. By the time I’m done and the tests confirm what was suspected, my head is throbbing again.
