Chapter 384

Everyone walked out into the hallway, though it took more than a nudge from my sister to get my mother walking in the right direction.

Once they were gone, I swung my feet over the side of the bed, and Jamie took out his stethoscope. He paused to shake his head, I assumed at me at first, but then my sister asked for visuals through my IAC, and I thought perhaps he was telling her no. I allowed it. I needed to know someone was with me right now, and even though I love Jamie, he’s not my family. I was about to see if this was as worth it as I thought it was.

Jamie listened to my heart and took my pulse, listened to me breathe, whatever doctors do with stethoscopes, and then he said, “Your pulse is a little slower than usual, but everything sounds okay. How do you feel?”

“Weird,” I admitted. I moved my hand in front of my face, expecting the super speed I’d seen from the others who had undergone this procedure, and while mine was