|Grace|
The second time I awoke, the sterile scent of the hospital room oddly comforted me as I slowly drifted back into consciousness. My eyelids felt impossibly heavy, as if weighed down by lead. The rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor and the distant murmur of voices filled the room, anchoring me to the present.
I turned my head, moving slowly, and saw Silvester sitting beside the bed, his hand gently but firmly holding mine. His presence was a balm to my frayed nerves, a silent assurance that I was not alone. Though his usual calm demeanor was slightly cracked, he was doing his best to appear composed, for my sake.
“Grace, you’re awake,” he murmured, his voice a soft, soothing sound that made my heart swell with gratitude. “How are you feeling?”
I tried to respond, but my voice e
