Red

Chapter 24

Clarissa
I slammed my phone down on the bedside table. The nerve my brother had right now...I would've stormed off to another room if I could. Instead, I resumed my swearing, cursing Mike in every way possible.

"Clarissa, is the really appropriate?" I jumped. I kept forgetting Dorado was here.

"Sorry," I said, "It's just that...Mike actually called the hospital to keep me here. I can handle myself! And...I want to help, but I can't do anything locked up here." I flopped backwards onto the bed, spread eagle underneath the sheets.

"You can help by making sure you heal okay. Running around out there isn't going to help anything, especially since you can barely walk."

I didn't respond. I began thinking over everything that happened. It suddenly hit me how short of a time period at had all occurred.

"All of this has happened in a single weekend," I said aloud. I turned my head to face Dorado. "I was injured Friday afternoon. Nate was kidnapped yesterday, Saturday, and now it's Sunday. I think this is the craziest weekend of my entire life."

Dorado chuckled. "I think it's been hectic for all of us, my dear."

Suddenly, the hospital room door opened, and in walked the female doctor from earlier. "Ms. Bittani?"

I sat up, propping myself up on my elbows. "Um, yes? What is it?"

A nurse filed in behind her, pushing a wheelchair. I glanced at it, curious. "What's that for?"

"It's for you," the doctor replied. "When your brother called saying you may need a guard, I decided to start your physical therapy early instead."

I wasn't too sure. "Is that safe? I mean, I only had this happen yesterday."

She nodded. "You'll be fine. You've been recovering at a remarkable pace, and you are stable enough to begin." She stepped closer. "You're filled with a certain kind of...determination. You keep pushing on through. I think physical therapy will be a breeze."

"Okay," I said slowly. "I mean; you are the doctor. If you think I'm ready, I guess it'll be alright." For confirmation anyway, I glanced at Dorado. He was a doctor as well, after all. He nodded. I turned to face the hospital doctor and nurse again. She gestured to the chair, and, with a lot of assistance from the nurse, I settled in the wheelchair.

"Okay, so where to now?" I didn't say anything, but just from that slight movement from the bed to the chair had my leg throbbing where it touched metal.

She smiled. "To physical therapy. The building is across from ours."

I grit my teeth and smiled at the doctor. "Alright. Let's go."