“Morgue? That’s drastic for a couple of stitches and a cold.” My brows pull together, and I’m hit with a sharp pain at the top of my head. I touch the spot. My fingers hover over a giant Band-Aid.
His jaw ticks. “Don’t touch. With your good fortune, you’ll pull a stitch and bleed all over your new gown.” He brushes my hand away with a gentleness that fails to match his tone.
“How did I end up getting stitches?”
He caresses my cheek with his thumb. “I found you passed out in my bathroom after you knocked your head against the floor.”
“Oh my God.” My lungs ache, making it hard to breathe normally. I wince at the burning sensation.
“What hurts?”
“The real question is what doesn’t.” I shake my head and regret it.
“Don’t do that.”
I rub my eyes. “I can’t believe I ended up here.”
He stands taller. “The doctor says you’ll go home by the end of the week.”
“What day is it?”
“Friday.”
“Friday?!” I end up coughing after my outburst.
How is it Friday already? The last day I remember fully is Monday, when I had to call in sick.
“You’ve been in and out of it from your fever and then your head injury.”
“How many days have I been here?”
“Two. They want to keep you here for observation before letting you go home.”
I rub my eyes. “This all sounds so expensive.”
His nostrils flare. “The only thing you need to worry about is getting better.”
“That’s easy for you to say. I can’t afford any kind of deductible that includes oxygen therapy and overnight hospital stays.” I shift in the bed, but Rowan places a hand on my shoulder, stopping me.
Darkness crosses over his face. “It’s already paid for.”
My pride shrivels up at the idea of being so financially insecure that he needs to cover my medical bill. “I don’t know how to repay you.”
His entire jaw clenches. “I don’t need your money.”
“Is everything okay?” My voice is a hoarse whisper.
He releases a deep exhale. “It’s good you’re more coherent.”
That wasn’t an answer to my question but I’m afraid to ask more. He tenses when I reach for his hand.
“I’m sorry you had to go through all this. I can’t imagine how scary it was for you.”
The vein in his forehead pulses. “I was terrified, Zahra. I found you barely breathing, with too much blood coming out of your head. And when I got you to wake up, you were talking gibberish. I thought you had permanent brain damage.” His voice cracks. “The few minutes before the ambulance got to my house were the scariest of my damn life and I couldn’t do anything to fix it.” The way his voice cracks has my heart splintering with him.
“I’m really sorry. I don’t even remember going to the bathroom.”
“Stop apologizing. You sound ridiculous.” He drops my hand and gives me his back. His back shakes as he lets out a deep breath.
“Minus the amazing?”
His heavy exhale is the only response I get.
I take a deep breath to calm myself down, but I end up wheezing. “Are you sure that you’re okay?”