Love Again
Copyright© 2025 by DB86
Chapter 28
“Nancy, can you hear me?”
Nancy’s eyelids fluttered open. The harsh overhead light of the hospital room made her squint. Her head throbbed—sharp, rhythmic pulses behind her eyes—and she winced as the pain registered.
Diana sat beside her, gently holding her hand. She leaned down and kissed the back of it before wrapping both of her own hands around it. Her voice was soft but steady.
“You’re going to be okay.”
Nancy blinked again, slower this time. Her thoughts felt scattered, like puzzle pieces tossed across a hardwood floor. Equal Opportunity. Footsteps. A blow to the head. That was all she could remember. Just fragments.
“Do you remember what happened?” Steve asked gently from her other side.
He scooted his chair closer to the bed, concern etched deeply into his features. Nancy turned her head slightly, trying to focus on him, though the movement made her nausea spike.
“I ... I think someone attacked me,” she said slowly, her voice hoarse. “Outside of Equal Opportunity. I didn’t see who it was. Everything just ... went black.”
Steve nodded. “You’ve got a pretty good goose egg on the side of your head, and a cut on your chin.”
Nancy instinctively raised her hand to her chin. Her fingers trembled as they brushed the tight, puffy skin around the stitches. She inhaled sharply. “Stitches?”
“Just a few,” Diana reassured her, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. “They did a great job. You’ll heal up fine.”
Just then, a figure appeared in the doorway.
A tall, broad-shouldered man in uniform stepped into the room. The badge on his chest gleamed under the sterile light. His presence was calm, professional—steadying.
“Good evening, ma’am. I’m Officer Matthew Reid with the Portland Police Department.” His voice was warm but authoritative. “The doctor says you’re going to be okay.”
He took a few steps closer, resting his hands on his duty belt.
“I’d like to ask you a few questions about what happened tonight.”
Nancy shifted slightly in the bed. “I didn’t see anything. I was just trying to get into my car ... and then I woke up here.”
Reid nodded sympathetically, then pulled a small spiral notepad from his shirt pocket.
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