BURNING LOVE

80

The oppressive heat that clung to the room seemed to intensify as the fourth day dawned, a suffocating weight mirroring the tension that had gripped everyone within. Sunlight, filtered through the pristine wall to ceiling glass, though flattered by the immaculate long
curtains.

One would have thought the usual pristine order of Lorelei's bedroom would be gone by now; rather the contrary,  services were paid to send cleaners that each now and them will stop the place to resemble a battlefield triage unit.

Crumpled tissues and empty water glasses littered the bedside table, never last a minute without being removed,  no proof of the sleepless nights endured to make sure she would not failed them.

Dr. Killian, her eyes heavy with fatigue but her gaze unwavering, sat beside Lorelei, on left side of her bed .The once crisp white coat, a symbol of her professional authority, now hung loosely on her frame, a silent acknowledgment of the long vigil. She reached out, her touch feather-light, to check Lorelei's pulse.

As her fingers brushed Lorelei's wrist, a flicker of movement startled her. Lorelei's eyelids, heavy with exhaustion, fluttered open a sliver, revealing pools of grey that seemed to glow with an ethereal light in the dim room.
For a fleeting moment, a lifetime of memories flooded Lorelei's mind.

The searing heat, the overwhelming energy coursing through her veins, the desperate struggle – all of it coalesced into a single, fragmented image. Then, a face swam into focus: strong, determined, with eyes that mirrored her own exhaustion. But there was something else in those eyes – a flicker of concern, a hint of something deeper, an unspoken understanding that transcended words.

In that hazy moment, Lorelei mistook Dr. Killian for Katia, her soulmate. Both women possessed a similar aura of quiet authority, a strength that belied a well of empathy.

It was an unspoken bond, forged in the crucible of shared experiences all the time she had been to Killian house seeking normalcy, a bond that resonated within Lorelei even in this delirious state.

Dr. Killian's breath hitched in her throat as she witnessed the recognition flicker in Lorelei's eyes, then fade as quickly as it came. A faint, heartbreaking smile touched Lorelei's lips. "Katia?" she rasped, her voice barely a whisper, heavy with the remnants of sleep and the ordeal she'd endured. Saddened Killian stayed silent for a while just letting her completely wake up.

The sound, a mere ghost of a word, seemed to echo through the room, a gentle ripple that disturbed the fragile peace. Kayley, curled up at the foot of the bed, stirred first. A frown creased her forehead as the remnants of a dream faded, replaced by the faint echo of Lorelei's voice. Her eyes fluttered open, blinking away the sleepiness  as she scanned the room.

Relief flooded her face as she saw Lorelei awake, a hint of confusion lingering in her gaze as she looked from Lorelei to Dr. Killian.

"Lori?" she whispered, her voice husky from sleep.

Sensing kayley's concern, Dr. Killian offered a reassuring smile. "It's alright, Kay. Lorelei's just waking up." She gently squeezed Lorelei's hand, grounding her back to the present.

Relief flooded kayley face as she saw Lorelei awake, a hint of confusion kept lingering in her gaze as she continued  to look from Lorelei to Dr. Killian seeing how serious the older woman seemed to be, then she remembered what had woken her up, "katia" that was Lorelei's voice. That same name had came up multiples time throughout all the ordeal.

Pushing herself up kayley came near lorelei giving her a lingering hug followed by a soft kiss on her forehead,

Dr. Killian's heart was aching for Lorelei's obvious confusion. Gently, she squeezed Lorelei's hand, her touch grounding and familiar, as the young woman looked at her expectantly, hope embodied in her eyes.