Chapter 3 - The Blood Draw|
I lay shivering under the thin hospital blanket, my mind racing to catch up with my body. The Naloxone had brought me back, but it left me feeling raw and exposed.
“Why are you helping me?” I croaked, staring at the Army Colonel.
Aaron Carter crossed his arms, his uniform crisp despite the chaos. “I was in that courtroom waiting to testify as a medical expert on a veteran's disability case. I’ve seen combat, Sarah. I know what a panic attack looks like. And I know what acute poisoning looks like.”
The word hung in the air. Poisoning.
“He said I was just stressed,” I whispered, tears finally breaking free. “He said my mind was playing tricks on me.”
“Gaslighting is a powerful weapon,” Carter said grimly. He pulled a small vial of blood from a tray nearby. “I convinced the attending physician to draw extra labs before your husband could intervene. We sent a sample to a private, expedited tox lab across town.”
The hospital room door suddenly pushed open. Daniel walked in, looking perfectly distressed. Patricia was right behind him, clutching her designer handbag like a shield.
“Oh, thank God,” Daniel breathed, rushing toward the bed. “Sarah, honey, you terrified me. The doctor says it was just another severe anxiety episode.”
He reached out to touch my hand, but I instinctively pulled back. His eyes flashed with a micro-second of annoyance before returning to the concerned-husband act.
“She needs rest, Daniel,” Patricia said smoothly. “Let’s take her home. We can care for her better there.”
Carter stepped between them and the bed. “She’s not going anywhere.”
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Daniel puffed up his chest. “Excuse me? Who do you think you are? You’re just some bystander who rode in the ambulance.”
“I’m the doctor who stabilized her,” Carter replied coldly. “And as of five minutes ago, I’m the doctor who put a medical hold on her discharge. She stays.”
