Page 100 of Loving Violet
Austin chuckles softly. “I’ll be fine. Just a little stiff from that chair.” He walks over to my bed and gently takes my hand. “I’m just glad you’re awake.”
I squeeze his hand, feeling a surge of warmth and love. “I can’t believe you stayed with me all night.”
“Of course, I did,” he says, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “I wasn’t going to leave your side, I promised that. You have to get used to me, because I’m not going anywhere, beautiful. You are mine and I will always take care of you.”
Tears well up in my eyes, but they’re tears of happiness. “Thank you, Austin. For everything. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”
“You don’t have to thank me,” he says softly. “I love you, Violet. I’ll always be here for you.”
Hearing him say those words again makes my heart swell with joy. “I love you too, Austin. More than you’ll ever know.”
He leans down and kisses my forehead. “We’re going to get through this together,” he says. “You, me, and Adrian. We’re a team.”
I nod, feeling more hopeful than I have in a long time. “Yes, we are. A team.”
Just then, a nurse walks in, interrupting our moment. “Good morning, Violet. How are you feeling today?” she asks, checking the monitors and taking notes on her chart.
“I’m feeling okay,” I reply, glancing at Austin. “Just a little sore.”
“That’s to be expected,” the nurse says kindly. “The doctor will be in soon to check on you. In the meantime, just rest and let us know if you need anything.”
“Thank you,” I say, appreciating her gentle demeanor.
As the nurse leaves, I turn back to Austin. “I can’t wait to get out of here and go home,” I tell him.
“Me too,” he agrees. “But for now, just focus on getting better. We’ll take it one step at a time.”
I nod, feeling grateful for his support.
I drift off, attempting to take a nap because my eyes will not stay open. I tell Austin to leave and get some food for himself, and walking around will be good for him. However, I am awoken by a knock on the door and a doctor walking in to speak to me.
“How are you feeling, Violet?” he asks, checking my eyes with a flashlight.
“I have a headache, but overall I’m okay. Ready to go home.”
“I bet you are. Officer Miller is outside, he wants to interview you and take some pictures. After he's gone, the nurse will bring the discharge papers, and you can go home. I want you to take it easy. If at any time you experience nausea, dizziness, or extreme migraines, give me a call. If not, I recommend you visit your primary health care provider in about five days for a follow-up. I’ll prescribe medication for the headache and send it to your pharmacy. Do you have any questions?”
“No, thank you,” I reply.
The doctor nods and leaves the room.
“Did I just hear that we are going home soon?” Austin walks back into the room holding some snacks and already looking better than he did this morning. He leans down to give me a small kiss. “Are you ready to speak with Officer Miller?”
“I guess I have to be. The faster we do this, the sooner we go home.”
Officer Miller knocks on my hospital door. “Can I come in?” Miller asks.
“Sure,” I respond.
“How are you feeling, Violet?”
“I’ve been much better, thanks. But I’m okay.”
“I’m glad you’re safe,” Miller says gently. His tone is professional but laced with genuine concern. “Now, I need to ask you some questions for the report. I need to know all the details that you can remember, starting from the moment you were abducted last night.”
The weight of his request presses down on me like a heavy blanket. I know that this is necessary, but the thought of reliving those moments makes my stomach churn. My mind flashes back to the suffocating darkness, the chilling sound of John’s voice, and the overwhelming sense of helplessness.
I open my mouth to speak, but the words seem stuck in my throat. My fingers instinctively tighten around the hospital blanket draped over my lap. It was only four hours. Four hours of being trapped. Four hours that felt like an eternity.
