“You’re not.” My dad slowly sits me up, his hands on my shoulders, fingers gripping into my skin.
“I am.” I nod, my eyes moving but it takes my brain a few seconds to catch up.
“Doctor’s on the way,” Nora’s voice floats across the room and my dad nods.
“Fetch him some water.” My dad’s hand is on my forehead as he touches my skin, his brows furrowing.
“Are you warm?” he asks and I shake my head.
“I think I had a panic attack,” I admit, feelings of confusion engulfing me.
I’ve never had a panic attack before. Nerves and anxiety, yes, but never a full-blown panic. I only think this because I read a scene in one of Athena’s books that makes wonder.
My dad’s mouth opens before it closes again, his eyes wandering to where the team doctor rushes through.
Nora and Dad step back, talking quietly amongst themselves. Nora is probably filling him in on our conversation this morning, but I can’t focus on that now. I need the doc to tell me it was just a panic attack.
I watch the door with intent, wondering whether Athena knows what’s happened and if she will burst through the door, but nothing. I like to think it’s because she is getting ready for Edel to arrive. Surely, she needs to pack her bits up and move into her own room.
I shake the thoughts from my head as the doctor begins to talk.
“Everything looks good.” Fucking hell, those words are like music to my ears. “I think you had a panic attack.” He nods, casting his eyes over his shoulder.
“It felt like I was going to die,” I admit as he removes the cuff for the blood pressure machine and tucks it into his bag.
“They can be horrible, and I am really sorry you had to experience that.” The sincerity in his voice gets me choked.
Nora gives me a sympathetic look; my dad looks concerned.
“What can cause it?” My dad steps forward just as the doctor rolls his shoulders back.
“Stress, life changes, traumatic events… They can also sometimes occur without one of those triggers.”
My dad nods.
“Are you stressed Royce?” The doctor asks the stupidest question.
I laugh softly as I shuffle forward from the sofa. “Of course I am stressed.” I furrow my brow.
“You need to try and alleviate that.” The doctor gives me a stern look and I nod silently. “Easier said than done, I know.” He reaches down and grabs his bag. “Plenty of rest where you can, Royce,” he calls out before saluting my dad and Nora.
Letting myself slump into the sofa, I feel the burn of my dad’s intense gaze.
“What do you think set you off?” he asks me, walking cautiously over to where I am sitting.
Nora hovers, her thumbs dancing over her phone screen. I ignore his question for just a moment.
“Did you sort out a ride for Athena to get Edel?”
Her eyes shoot to me, giving me a quick nod before she is back on her phone. Relief settles inside my chest.
“Royce,” he snaps and I flick my gaze to him.
“Yes?”
He scrubs his face in frustration. “What set you off?”
Oh, I don’t know, Dad, perhaps the crippling anxiety that I am going to fail. Or maybe it was the fear of never settling down and ruining my future because I can’t seem to keep anyone close to me. It could even be the fact that I am plagued by a girl who was only meant to help me and in return I have fallen in fucking love with her.
