The ride to the hospital was a blur, the sirens wailing above the frantic sounds of the medics working to stabilize me. Carmen stayed by my side the entire time, refusing to let go even as they rushed me into the emergency room. I could see the worry in her eyes, the exhaustion and pain etched into her face, but she didn’t waver.As the doctors took over, everything went dark. The last thing I felt was the warmth of Carmen’s hand in mine, her voice pleading with me to stay, to survive.When I awoke, the world was quiet. The pain was still there, a dull ache in my abdomen, but it was manageable. I blinked, trying to adjust to the bright lights of the hospital room. The sterile smell of antiseptic filled my nostrils, and the steady beep of monitors was the only sound.Carmen was there, sitting in a chair beside my bed, her hand still holding mine. Her eyes were closed, her head resting on the edge of the bed, as if she hadn’t left my side since we arrived. She looked exhausted, but even
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