~~PEYTON~~
THE NEXT MORNING, the same kind-faced nurse returns. But no smiles this time.
"Mrs. Thorne, the doctor’s cleared you for discharge. Just need to remove your IV, and you're good to go."
I can't help but frown. The announcement feels less like good news and more like a fresh wave of anxiety. I'd barely closed my eyes, and the thought of stepping back into the maelstrom of my life made my stomach clench all over again.
No more sterile white walls, no more quiet solitude, just the cold, hard reality of everything waiting for me outside.
I just stare at the nurse, suddenly wishing I could plead for a few more days—a reprieve from the inevitable.
"Are you sure?" I mumble.
She simply nods as she expertly pulls the needle and tapes a small dressing over the spot.
I swing my legs
