A quiet settled between them, not uncomfortable—just present.
“You’re being moved out of ICU today,” he said.
Her brows lifted slightly.
“Already?”
“You’re stable. Your vitals are holding, and your recovery is moving in the right direction.” He paused. “And your visitor restrictions have been lifted.”
That caught her attention and she shifted to a more upright position.
“Visitors?”
“You have people asking about you. Now they’ll be allowed in.”
Her gaze shifted, something uncertain flickering behind her eyes.
“I don’t know if I’m ready for that.”
“You don’t have to see anyone you don’t want to,” he said. “You can control who, how many, how long, it’s up to you. Your preference can be shared with patient information when calls come in and with the nurses station up on your new ward.”
She studied him briefly.
“You made that call, didn’t you?”
A brief pause. He nodded.
“Yes. I believe you’re ready to move up and reenter.”
Her lips curved slightly.
“Reenter. Sounds very positive. Thank you.”
He inclined his head once, saying nothing more.
“And,” he added, “I heard about your visit to the pediatric wing.”
Her eyes widened slightly.
“Trinity told you?”
“It’s in your patient report.” A subtle shift softened his tone. “That was a good step.”
“They didn’t treat me like I was broken,” she said quietly.
“No. They wouldn’t.”
“I’m going back,” she added. “When I can.”
“I think you should.”
Their eyes held a moment too long before a knock broke the silence.
Elena stepped inside, her smile warm but touched with something bittersweet.
“I hear you’re getting promoted.”
Randi smiled faintly.
