Detained

03.

❝What About Family?❞
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Three weeks later, May 2016
San Antonio, Texas

No amount of medicine or encouraging words could numb Moira today. She felt sick to the pit of her stomach, every part of her body ached, and she couldn't sit still for anything. As much as she complained about her parents not coming to visit her, Moira was dreading the fact that they were on their way to the facility.

She didn't want to see them. Or maybe she didn't want them to see her. What if they didn't like what they saw? A pathetic excuse of an adult who made little to no progress with either of her three diagnoses in the last six years. Moira sardonically chuckled.

Maybe that's why they stayed away. They probably made up their minds on how crazy I am now.

She rubbed her thighs and set her eyes on the bare walls of her room before standing up and flattening the fabric of the vibrant, mint green dress the facility provided for her. The garment felt a bit snug around her waist and over her hips and a little loose over her breasts, but it was the only thing the hospital had that fit. Her hair was pinned up on her head, and the soap they gave her to wash with was scented—the opposite of what she usually used.

It felt like the facility was trying to coax her parents with the impression that she was better now since her mother and father decided to meet with her first before going through with the lawsuit, but Moira would not coax anything. This look was a complete and drastic change to her usual appearance, which consisted of tan sweatpants and sweatshirts the hospital mandated the patients wore, and her unruly hair hanging down her back.

A hollow knock made Moira look up and see Eleni. Casting her eyes down and sighing, Moira waited patiently for the nurse to take heed of her sign of consent to enter. Eleni unlocked the door, the buzz on the entrance's frame sounding off before its soft click came and Eleni stood still at the threshold.

A stiff silence passed between them and flowed out towards the hallway, and Moira kept her head down and her eyes on the floor while Eleni watched her, the nurse's face blank but her eyes filled with emotion.

Though it was low, and made her strain to hear, the twenty-four-year-old managed to catch the words leaving her nurse's lips. "They're here, Moira."

She should have known better than to believe that she would be able to take the news with ease. Instantly, Moira turned her head and gasped for a breath, a heaviness in her chest she knew all too well. Her muscles twitched, flushes from her hands to her face raced alongside her pounding, speedy heartbeat, and she trembled in her spot.

Rushing forward, Eleni gripped her patient's shoulder in reassurance, forgetting all about Moira not liking to be touched. Her soothing and motivating words did little to nothing to calm Moira down as she moved out of Eleni's grasp. "Moira," she called, watching as the young woman's eyes wildly darted around and her body shook.

"Moira! Please, listen! Moira..."

With her mouth closing and her eyes focusing on the nurse, Moira let out a huff before she took in the furrowed eyebrows of Eleni; eyebrows furrowed in concern.

"This is exactly what they're expecting," the nurse started, earning Moira's attention; Moira knew exactly who they're implied to. "They plan on seeing you out of it, and... unstable—"

Moira placed both her hands on each of her temples, squeezing her eyes shut. "God!" She suddenly cried, "But I am! I am!" Kneeling down in front of her, Eleni made sure they met eyes.