Chapter 6: The Hospital Corridor
When Julian returned to St. Jude’s Hospital later that afternoon, the hallway outside Maya’s room was quiet. Through the small rectangular window in the door, he saw Maya sitting up in bed, coloring in a picture book with a box of crayons.
He stepped inside, letting the door click gently behind him. Maya looked up, her blue eyes bright despite the slight dark circles beneath them.
"Hi, Dad," she said, holding up a drawing of a brown dog sitting in a field of green grass. "Look what the nurse gave me."
"That’s a great dog, sweetie," Julian said, sitting on the edge of her mattress. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. Her skin was cooler now, the feverish heat from the previous night having subsided.
"Is stepmom coming back?" Maya asked gently, her voice dropping a little.
Julian hesitated, gathering her small hand in his. "Clara is staying at the house for a while, Maya. You and I are going to go stay somewhere else when you get discharged."
"Where?"
"My dad’s old cabin down near the river," Julian said, offering a small smile. "It needs a little paint, but the air is clear down there, and the water comes straight from the mountain spring."
Maya nodded slowly, looking down at her crayons. "I didn't like that big house, Dad. The water in the bathtub smelled like metal."
Julian closed his eyes for a brief second, feeling a tight knot form in his throat. He opened them and squeezed her hand softly. "I know, kiddo. I should have listened to you sooner."
Dr. Harris walked into the room, holding a clipboard with fresh lab results. He gave Julian a brief nod.
"The blood work came back," Dr. Harris said. "The toxin levels are dropping, which is good news. The skin lesions will take a few weeks to heal completely, but there shouldn't be any permanent tissue damage if we keep her away from the contaminant."
"Thank you, Doctor," Julian said.
May you like
"A representative from the State Department of Environmental Protection is waiting in the lobby," Dr. Harris added softly. "They saw the ER report. They want to take a statement from you before you leave."
Julian looked down at Maya, who smiled up at him with innocent trust. "Tell them I’ll be right out," Julian said.
