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« The hospital contacted me, » I said. « They told me you were looking for me. »
I stayed near the door, unsure if I had the right to approach. Rebecca nodded slowly, nervously playing with the edge of her blanket.
“I didn’t know who else to designate as my emergency contact,” she said. “My parents are deceased, my sister lives on the other side of the country… I guess old habits die harder than we think.”
An awkwardness settled between us like a wall. We were two people who had shared everything, and who now struggled to hold even the simplest conversation.
« What happened? » I asked, finally taking a few steps towards his bed.
She remained silent for so long that I feared she would not answer. When she finally spoke, her voice was only a whisper.
« My heart stopped, David. I had a seizure at work. The doctors think it was related to how I was using my medication. »
The words hung between us. I stared at her, trying to understand what she was saying.
« Which orders? »