I nod, numb, and she disappears back into Sera’s room.
Chapter Nineteen
Sera
Like it’s a mirror of two years ago, within twenty-four hours I’m released from the hospital with the knowledge that my heart is struggling and instructions to follow up with Dr.Lee in Boston. Before we leave, I ask the doctor if I can go to work tomorrow. I have her repeat to my family that there’s no reason I can’t, as long as I’m being careful and wearing the new monitor they’ve stuck to my chest at Dr.Lee’s request. Abbi goes to object, and I cut her off.
“She’s a doctor, Abigail. I think she knows better than you.” I can’t have them all turning back to overprotective mode. We don’t know how bad it is. I’ll probably be fine. I’m supposed to be fine.
The doctor wishes us well but seems happy to be rid of us and the whole stressful situation. I don’t blame her.
At home, Mom hands me back my bag, and I grab my phone off the counter.
“I’m going to reheat some lasagna, if you’re hungry?” she says.
“Thanks, but I had one of those fancy heart-healthy hospital-approved lunches, so I’m fine.” I move toward the stairs. “I just want to go lie down.”
When I get upstairs, I take a quick shower to wash the hospital smell off of me and change into clean pj’s. I get into bed and find I’ve missed like ten texts from Maddy and a few from Jackson and Luke, plus a call from each of them.Shit.Jackson and I were supposed to get lunch today and it totally slipped my mind. I call Maddy first and ask her if she can come over. She’s finishing up a shift at the diner and promises to be by after. I can’t think about Luke yet, so I fiddle with texting Jackson but then suck it up and call. He answers right away.
“Hey, are you okay? Didn’t seem like you to ghost me.”
“Yeah, no, sorry. I…” I don’t want Jackson to be the first person I talk to about this in detail. I want Luke or Maddy. I keep it simple. “I haven’t been feeling well, and I forgot to cancel. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” He says it like he means it. “We can meet up when you’re better. I was thinking a day trip to Martha’s Vineyard. We could bike around, get dinner at Nancy’s.”
That should sound exciting and fun. A perfect day with a hot guy who likes me. But it just…doesn’t. And I’m not going to string Jackson along.
“Um, actually, I don’t think I’ll be able to,” I say.
“Okay…” he says, his voice trailing off like he knows there’s more.
“You’re really nice, Jackson, but I don’t see this going anywhere, between us. It’s nothing you did. It just doesn’t feel…right. I’m sorry.”
He’s quiet for a beat.
“All right,” he says finally. I let out a breath. “Thanks for calling to tell me. You’re really fucking cool, Sera. I hope I see you around.”
I thank him and hang up. Relief washes over me as I snuggle under the covers.
*
Maddy wakes me from a nap about an hour later.
“Okay, so…why are you in bed? Why were you MIA? Why did Abbi tell me not to wake you up? What. Is. Happening?!” She hops onto the foot of my bed and plops down two containers of food. I smell fries, which are probably illegal for me right now, and something tart. I dig myself out of the blankets.
“Fry me first,” I say. She hands me two, and I stuff them in my mouth while I think of where to start.
Maddy stares at my chest. I sigh. Guess I’ll start there. The monitor is stuck to my skin above my left boob, causing a rectangular blob beneath my T-shirt.
“What’s that?” she asks, her voice a little shaky.
“A heart monitor.” I eat another fry, and she narrows her eyes in concern at the box. “Temporary,” I add, snatching another. “My doctor wants a week’s worth of readings fornormalactivity.”
“Okay…but why are you wearing a heart monitor? What happened?”
I take a deep breath and tell her about the weird fight Luke and I had yesterday, then how we snuck out last night to talk. “We were up on the roof at Frappie’s and…I stood up too fast and passed out. He called 911. And then my watch called my parents and Dr.Lee—tattletale.”
“Romantic,” Maddy says. “You’re leaving the important stuff out. Don’t do that. I can take it.”
