Plié (Lost Birds Book 2)

Part 26 Chloe.

"Is everything alright in here?" A soft feminine voice asked.

Theo tensed. His head snapped around to look at the person that spoke. His lips parted for a moment as if he didn't believe his eyes. When he snapped his mouth closed he stood up abruptly and took a step away from me.

"Chloe?" He asked, "What are you doing here?"

Theo's voice was his usual level of disapproving but there was something lingering just beyond the disapproval. It was a very faint quiver. I wiped my cheeks to clear away any lingering tears and turned my focus to the woman that was making Theo's voice quiver.

The woman, Chloe, looked to be in her late twenties or early thirties. She had pin strait brown hair, high cheek bones, full lips, and a set of blue green eyes behind her dark rimmed glasses. She was wearing a lavender blouse and a black pin skirt underneath her pristine white coat. The look she leveled at Theo was enough to rival even Aydan's. She had questions and she was going to get answers with or without our cooperation.

"I work here Theodore." She reprimanded softly. I caught the subtle tilt of her head toward me. She wasn't telling him the whole truth because I was there.

Theo's throat bobbed as he swallowed and glanced at me. He didn't look like his usual confident assertive self. He looked like a child caught in a lie and unsure if he should lie again or come clean.

"Are you going to introduce me to your friend?" She asked when it became clear that no one else was going to speak.

Theo glanced at me again. The wary look in his eyes only added to my own fears.

"Tori, this is Dr. Chloe Sanders. Dr. Sanders this is... Victoria Sherwood." Theo said dutifully.

Chloe tilted her head and this time there was nothing subtle about her interest. Her analyzing gaze shifted to me. Under normal circumstances the intensity of being scrutinized by an elder would have made me cringe. In this case I didn't like how uncomfortable she was making Theo and I knew we couldn't both be afraid. I met her eyes with a watery glare. After whatever I had been through the last few days I doubted that anything she could do would be worse.

The edge of her lips twitched and then tilted into a warm smile I hadn't been expecting.

"Miss Sherwood It's a pleasure to meet you." She said. "Though I do wish it was under better circumstances."

She glanced at Theo to make sure he was listening before she continued.

"Unfortunately, I've just spoken with your parents and against medical recommendations they wish that you be discharged into their care immediately." She said.

My parents were here and they wanted to take me home already. There was no surprise with them wanting to take me home but Aydan had said they would be gone for two weeks. It had only been a few days. They shouldn't have been back already.

"NO!" Theo said horrified. "They can't do that. You have to stop them!"

My eyes widened at Theo's outburst. He sounded angry and he wasn't holding back any of his anger for Dr. Sanders.

"Mr. Collins, I assure you. We have done everything we can but at this time Miss Sherwood's discharge is inevitable." She said.

"There are still tests that need to be run. She has a concussion. She should be on a twenty-four hour hold at least not to mention there's the potential of internal bleeding. This isn't just wrong its completely unethical!" Theo said.

"Theo, you have five minutes." Dr. Sanders said. She turned back toward the door.

"Chloe please!" Theo said stepping toward her. "There has to be something we can do."