It's surprising what human beings can accomplish when death is staring them right in the face. When things began plummeting, few knew how to react. Most were confused, seeking guidance from the very foundations and institutions that, once meant to h...
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The strong scent of lemon and bleach assaults my nose once again as I stagger down the intensive care wing, avoiding the white lights that now seem more blinding than usual. I run my fingers through my damp hair over and over, trying to detangle the already forming waves.
My face feels heavy, as if wanting to touch the freshly polished floor tiles. I feel movement around me, the muffled chatter of volunteers finishing shifts while others are just beginning theirs, but I am too exhausted to pay it any attention.
My gaze lifts as I turn the corner and see Remy leaning over the kiosk counter, focused on reading the chart in front of her. I pull her oversized wool cardigan closer around my body and put my hands in its warm pockets.
She notices my approaching form and looks up, scrunching her eyebrows in confusion as her eyes travel from the wet hair sticking to my face down to my sopping sneakers. Each step I take leaves behind a small puddle and my soles softly squeak against the tile.
"Hey," I sigh, as she steps around the counter and gazes at me with the same questioning look, her arms spread out at her sides.
"Hey, yourself..." she starts, reaching up to move a piece of stringy hair stuck to my chin. "Did a pipe burst? Why are you soaked?"
"Honestly, I wouldn't have even noticed if that did happen...not after today's downpour." I rub my eyes with my palms and try to push away some of the tiredness behind them. "I have to go, Rem. I think I'm going to catch a ride home with Ms. Judy."
"What do you mean? I thought we were leaving together in a couple of hours," she puzzles, tilting her head. "What happened?"
"I-I had a hot flash, an intense one..." I whisper, quickly scanning the hallway to make sure no one is close enough to hear. "It ripped through me, I can barely stand," I continue, letting out a breath.
"Oh Ad," she soothes, wrapping her arms around me and pulling me into a tight hug. When she leans back, the concerned look on her face makes me feel horrible for telling her only half-truths the whole day.
I promise I will tell you everything Remy, once I can rest and wrap my own head around it all.
"Those things really do have sucky timing, huh? You should definitely get home and sleep," she smiles, rubbing her hands up and down my arms in a comforting motion. I sigh, feeling another wave of exhaustion roll over my shoulders.
"That's not all..." I start, scanning the hallway for the other person I desperately need to talk to right now.
I spot Asher a little ways down leaning against the wall, chatting with two other volunteers around our age. Whatever he's saying has the two girls beguiled and giggling, gazing up at him as if he were the Moon Goddess herself. The rare easy smile on his face assures me that he needs to hear the news first.
"Can you call Asher over here, it's about Lawton."
Remy nods her head and blinks some of her confusion away as she turns to walk towards Asher and the giggling girls. She kindly smiles at the girls, but shoos them away as she grabs Asher, slightly tugging on his shirt to bring him towards me.
"Hey, I can walk on my own you know! You brute," he protests, shaking Remy's hands off his torso.
"Sorry, didn't think you could put your tongue back in your mouth fast enough back there. Do you always drool so much when you flirt, wolf boy," Remy quips. Asher scowls and unintentionally brings his hand to his chin to do a drool check before glaring at her.
"First of all, I was not flirting. I can't help it if your coworkers like me better than you," he responds, straightening his posture and crossing his arms. "You're just jealous. I'm amazing at this job, admit it." He looks down at her smugly. Remy rolls her eyes.
"You know what you are?" she mocks.
"Guys-"
"No, enlighten me," he huffs.
"Hello-"
"A bigheaded ba-"
"GUYS! I am WAY too exhausted for this childish bickering right now," I almost shout. They both fix their glares on me before relaxing as I run a frustrated hand through my tangled waves and nestle deeper into Remy's thick cardigan. "Wow."
They both look like two toddlers that have just been separated and sent to opposite corners of the room for fighting. My eyes shift back and forth between steel blue and hazel green as I let out a breath and try to get the words out. They land on Asher's and in that instant a swell of nervousness builds up in my stomach.
This is good news. The BEST news. What he's been waiting to hear. Why am I nervous?
"Lawton is awake," I carefully say, watching his proud composure slack as his eyes widen. "I-I had to give him some morphine, but he's sitting up, he's talking, and you should probably-"
I don't even get the chance to finish the rest of my sentence before two large arms encircle both Remy and me in their grasp. Our feet dangle as Asher lifts us into the air and spins us around, letting out excited woots between laughs. He gives us a final wolfy squeeze when he puts us back on the ground and the look of pure happiness on his face stuns both of us.
"Thank you, thank you," he mumbles, overwhelmed with emotion. Asher turns in the direction of Lawton's room and sprints down he hall, forgetting about his wolf speed in the moment. He narrowly avoids colliding with a volunteer pushing a medical cart while Remy and I watch his retreating form, still stunned.
"Do you mind taking over for me with Lawton for the rest of the day," I turn to Remy. "And, I need a favor while you're in there."
"Anything," she replies, coming back to herself.
"I need to know everything that happens while I'm gone, every detail...I need to know if he's going to be okay." I tug on the unwoven seams inside the pockets of Remy's cardigan. Her eyes hold mine, waiting for me to continue. She can sense there's something more, as always.
"Yeah, no problem. I'll write everything down, don't worry. Hey," she says, fully facing me now. "Go home, get some rest, and I'll be over to check up on you tonight. Then we can finally chill and talk, sound good?" she pleads. I smile and nod my head.
"With pizza and wine, lots of wine," I stress.
"Oh yeah baby," she beams and heads towards Lawton's room.
I reach up and clasp the pendant of my necklace in my hand, letting out a shaky breath. My muscles feel even more drained than before and I mindlessly move towards Ms. Judy's desk.
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