Kristen Zinicallei

Chapter 34

Kristen's POV

I woke to the subtle beeping and quiet footsteps of a hospital. I vaguely remembered what had happened but was still confused.

"Levi?" I asked blinking and looking g around.

"Oh Kris, you're awake. Hold on," he said as he called for a nurse.

They looked me over and then left again. "How do you feel? Doctors say you had a combination of heat exhaustion and a stomach bug and it made your POTS flare up." He explained and I nodded.

"Tired, dizzy, still nauseous." I answered and he nodded.

A doctor walked in moments later and happily announced that I could be discharged. He recommended lots of rest and a medicine to help. Levi signed papers and we were set.

"Ready?" Levi asked and I nodded feeling too tired to talk.

We got into the car with help from nurses and drove home where Anna waited for us.

"How long were we there for," I asked noticing it was late at night.

"At least 5 hours," Levi said yawning.

"Sorry," I mumbled "you should sleep." I said and he shook his head.

"This is not your fault. Don't apologize. I'm fine, I want to take care of you." I nodded reluctantly and looked away. "Anna's home, she came home as soon as she heard. She wanted to come to the hospital too, but I told her that was unnecessary."

Once we arrived home, Levi helped me to my room and let me be to sleep.

The exhaustion hit me as soon as I lay down in bed. I was barely aware of Levi's soft voice as he reassured me, his words blending into the background hum of the house. I closed my eyes, letting the weariness envelop me.

Sleep came quickly, but it was fitful. The combination of the hospital stay, the lingering nausea, and the disorienting feeling of being back home made rest difficult. I woke a few hours later, feeling more disoriented than before. I tried to sit up, but dizziness swept over me.

"Hey, it's okay," Levi said softly from where he was sitting in a chair beside my bed. He must have noticed me stirring. "Just relax. You're still recovering."

I managed a weak smile, though I'm sure it looked more like a grimace. "How's Anna?" I asked, my voice scratchy and thin.

"She's doing well. She's asleep now, but she'll check on you in the morning." Levi replied, his voice calm and soothing. "She was worried sick about you. We all were."

I nodded, grateful for his support. "Thank you for everything," I said quietly, feeling a pang of guilt for dragging him through all this.

Levi shook his head gently. "You don't have to thank me. I'm just glad you're okay. That's all that matters."

The room was dimly lit by a small bedside lamp, casting a warm glow. Levi's presence was a comfort, and I felt a little more at ease with him there. "You should try to get some sleep too," I murmured, though my eyelids were already starting to droop.

"I will," he said, standing up and giving me a reassuring smile. "Just get some rest. We'll talk more in the morning."

With that, he left the room quietly, allowing me to drift off again. I could hear the soft murmur of his footsteps fading away as I fell back into a deep, though restless, sleep.

***

When I woke up I felt better and refreshed. The nausea still lingered and the dizziness was prominent.