Too Much To Hide || EDITING

c.45

      There's a weird poke in my chest. Then on my arm and near my calf—oh shit, that hurt. Flinching from the pain, my leg jerks away from the rough hand as my head spins, my vision taking its sweet time coming back to me. My eyelids flutter and a dull room comes into focus. The back of my head feels soft, a pillow is propping me up. As my sight becomes sharper, more things like a couch and mahogany drawers come into view, a bunch of white linen shirts and stray ties hanging off the furniture.

      "Good morning, Elizabeth."

      Surprised by the familiar voice I hear, my head slowly tilts to the side to see Doctor Parker hovering over me, a white lab coat draped over a green blouse, her sleeves rolled up neatly to her elbows. Around her neck hangs a stethoscope; no wonder there was a weird poke in my chest.

      "Doctor Parker—how—"

      "You're in Mr Raines' bedroom. No need to fret," her warm smile instantly consoles me as her sentence registers in my head. I'm safe. "I was the first person he called actually, I had no clue it was you I'd be tending to."

      I manage a stiff laugh but regret it when a sting from my rib and torso disturbs my insides. Her brows crease as her hands settle softly on my stomach and shoulder, forcing me to relax. As my eyes begin to shut again, they fling wide open as I stare at her in fear.

      "The baby, is it okay?" I say in a hushed tone, complete with traces of fear.

      Another calming smile stretches her rosy cheeks. "You were brought into the hospital last night. I did a few checks and your baby was a little disturbed but overall, nothing serious."

      "Thank God." I sigh out. A lump forms in my throat as my mouth dries. "Does Adrian know?"

      "I'm assuming he's the father and that you haven't told him yet?" Doctor Parker raises a brow, letting a single upward tilt of her lips show. I shake my head guiltily at both her questions. I was actually in the process of telling him until a certain visitor decided to drop by.

      "No, he doesn't. Though he accompanied you to the hospital, he had to wait outside. He was with a woman who had blonde hair like yours—your mother perhaps?"

      "Is she here?" I perk up, almost leaning on my elbows but groan and settle back into the bed, dreading the numb pain trailing through my entire body. Parker flashes me a disapproving frown before thinning her lips.

      "She and Mr Raines are both outside," her hand presses against my cheek as she turns my head to the side, giving her a brief inspection. "How are you feeling?"

      "I had a headache earlier but I'm okay now," I test out my theory by shaking my head, luckily there isn't pain anywhere in that region. Using her thumb, Parker drags the skin under both my eyes, looking at them for a moment before pulling back and sighing with a grin.

      "You're all good. You have quite a lot of medicines to take though, which I've talked through with both Mr Raines and your mother but you should take responsibility too, okay?"

      "Okay," I chew my lips impatiently, "Can I see my mom please?"

      Parker lets out a chuckle and gets up, flashing me a wink as she heads to the door. A loud sigh exhales through my nostrils as I lift up my hands to inspect them. A white plaster is taped on the back of my left hand—probably where an IV needle punctured my skin. They're awfully calloused and rough but they aren't as dirty anymore. Someone must have taken it upon themselves to wash me off somehow. I suddenly feel like a baby.

      "Lizzie?"

      My mom's panicked tone brings a smile to my face as she rushes to my side, kneeling over me and sandwiching my face with her hands. She places quick kisses all over my face, my nose, forehead, eyes—my whole face.