Before You Leave Me

21. After The Thrill Is Gone

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October 1st, 2022.

5:58pm

Albert came yesterday right after he finished presenting my project. He sat by my bed and told me everything about the board meeting until a nurse came to tell him that if he didn't quiet, my brain would start bleeding again because of all the information he had been putting in it for the last hour.

After that, Albert silently sat on the armchair on my left and spent the night.

He's insisted on staying tonight as well, but I didn't want Mrs. Crane getting mad at me because she couldn't see her only son, so I've finally persuaded him to leave after lunch to visit her.

Victoria should be here soon. That's what Dr. Ferguson has told me.

She's nice, Dr. Ferguson. And she is an amazing neurosurgeon, apparently.

I'd definitely flirt with her if it weren't because Vic specifically asked me not to. Although I could if I wanted to. Because technically, she's not a nurse. But still, trying to flirt when you've just come out of a brain surgery is just... not a good idea.

I close my eyes and try to get some sleep, unsuccessfully.

Ever since I woke up from the surgery, every time I close my eyes my brain takes me back to the accident. I keep seeing those headlights coming towards me, I keep hearing the heart-rending cry.

The second the car hits my body, my eyes open abruptly and then it starts all over again.

Other times, I just see the operation from the outside. I see Vic squinting her eyes at a screen, as Dr. Ferguson tries to find the source of the bleeding. There's an intermittent beeping that speeds up at some point, after which Vic looks panicked and Dr. Ferguson just shouts medical terms at the people working around her.

"Dan"

Vic's voice, a lot more calmed than in my dream, brings me back to reality.

I open my eyes and smile at the sight of her. She's lost her white coat and she's wearing a short dress with high heels and a thick coat.

"Wow" I can't help saying.

She giggles and moves the armchair closer to my bed.

"Yeah, it's a big party, so..."

I smile. I'm not the one going to complain.

"Different from the scrubs, the white coat and the ugly shoes, right?" she guesses.

"My thoughts exactly" I chuckle.

"How are you feeling?" she asks standing up and looking at the machines behind me, "Has anyone come to check on...?"

"I thought you were here as my friend" I tease, turning to her.

"I love my job way too much to not do it at the slightest chance I have" she laughs sitting back down.

"Tell me about how you got it"

"How I got what?"

"Your job here" I say.

"It's... complicated" is the word she uses to describe it, "things don't work the same way here as they do in Spain. It involved a lot of time waiting and some nerve-wracking moments, but bottom line is I am very happy about it and I wouldn't change my current situation for the world" she smiles, her eyes shining bright; "What about you? Why are you in London?"