Chapter 40 The new hospital

Chapter 40 The new hospital
Liana's POV

The air, thick and humid, clung to my skin as Adrian, Liam, and I stepped out of the tinted SUV. Liam, a blur of boundless energy, was already tugging at my hand. "Mama, look! A real playground!"

“Careful, buddy,” Adrian said, a warm hand on Liam’s shoulder. “We’re just checking out your new school first.”

I managed a smile, a little forced. The brick building loomed large and unfamiliar. A fresh start. That’s what Adrian kept saying. I hoped it was true.

Inside, the cool blast of air conditioning was a welcome reprieve. The main office was bustling with parents and children. I watched them, a knot tightening in my stomach. “I’ll just go speak to the principal,” I murmur to Adrian. “You two hold down the fort.”

“Good luck, Mom,” Adrian winked. Liam just pointed at a fish tank, completely engrossed.

The principal was a kind-faced woman named Mrs. Davies. She greeted me with a warm smile, her eyes sparkling behind her spectacles. “Liana Hayes?” she confirmed, scanning a tablet.

“That’s right,” I said, trying to keep my voice even. Relief washed over me; no hint of recognition there. I handed over the paperwork I’d painstakingly filled out online. “Everything should be in order.”

“Excellent,” she replied, her fingers flying across the screen. “Welcome to Northwood Prep, Liam. We’re so glad to have you.” She gave me a brochure. “His homeroom is down the hall, last door on the left. Ms. Elena Dubois. She’s wonderful with the little ones.”

“Thank you,” I said, genuinely grateful.

As we approached the classroom, Liam’s excitement was palpable. He practically bounced through the door. Ms. Dubois, a young woman with a kind smile, was already engaging with the handful of students present. “Hello, Liam,” she chirped. “Welcome!”

Liam, usually shy, immediately gravitated towards a table laden with blocks. I knelt down, trying to keep my voice bright. “Okay, buddy. Mama and Adrian are going to go now. But we’ll be back, okay?”

His head shot up, eyes wide. “No! Don’t go!” His lip trembled. Before I could say another word, tears welled in his eyes, tracking paths through the tiny bit of dust on his cheeks. “Mama, no!”

My heart ached. “Oh, sweetie,” I whispered, pulling him into a tight hug. “I promise, I’ll be back. I’m just going to work.”

Ms. Dubois, sensing my distress, knelt beside us. “Liam, look what I have here,” she said, her voice gentle as she produced a bright red race car from a basket. “Do you want to play with this?”

Liam’s sobs hitched. He looked at the car, then back at me. “Mama?”

“You can play for a little while,” I said, pressing a kiss to his damp hair. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

With a heavy heart, I disentangled myself. “It’s okay,” Adrian murmured, guiding me out the door. “He’ll be fine.”

“I know,” I said, but the guilt gnawed at me. His cries, though muffled by the closing door, echoed in my head.

We walked briskly back through the bustling hallway and out into the parking lot. The sun felt even hotter now. I fumbled for the car door handle. “Just a second,” I said, my voice trailing off. My hand went to my side.

“What is it?” Adrian asked, already settling into the driver’s seat.

“My purse,” I breathed. “I left it in Liam’s classroom.”

Adrian sighed good-naturedly. “I’ll go grab it. You look beat.” He started to unbuckle.

“No, no, I’ll be quick,” I insisted. “You stay here. I don’t want to bother Ms. Dubois again.” I was already halfway out of the car. The thought of facing Liam’s tear-streaked face again was too much.

I strode back into the cool building, my footsteps echoing in the suddenly quieter hall. The school was still, most parents having departed. As I approached the main office, a woman’s voice cut through the silence. It was Clara. My sister.

“—absolutely preposterous, Ethan! They can’t just dismiss it like that!” Her voice was sharp, laced with indignation. Ethan. The name hit me like a physical blow.

I stopped dead in my tracks, my hand frozen on the doorknob of Liam’s classroom. My breath hitched. Clara and Ethan D'Arden. Here? A wave of nausea washed over me.

“Clara, calm down,” a deeper, more imposing voice responded. It was definitely Ethan. The calm, controlled tone I remembered all too well. “We’ll just push for another meeting. They can’t ignore us forever.”

“But the principal practically laughed at me!” Clara retorted, her voice rising again. “She said the application was incomplete! Incomplete! I filled out every single section perfectly!”

I pressed my back against the wall, hoping to blend in. My heart hammered against my ribs. It was none of my business. It absolutely was not my business. Liam’s classroom door was just a few feet away. I just needed to grab my bag and get out of here.

I forced myself to move, my nerves jangling. Each step felt like walking through treacle. What were they doing here? The little girl I’d seen with them that night… she must be their daughter. Were they trying to enroll her? The thought was jarring.

I slipped into Liam’s classroom. It was empty save for a few toys scattered on the floor and a forgotten backpack. My purse lay innocently on Liam’s small chair next to a half-finished drawing of a blue monster. I snatched it up, my hands trembling.

The voices from the office were still audible, though fainter. I didn't want to hear. I didn't need to know. My mission was simple: retrieve my purse, get back to Adrian, and never look back.

I practically ran back to the car, my breath coming in ragged gasps. The moment I slammed the door shut, Adrian looked at me, a worried frown creasing his brow. “Everything okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

I forced a smile, tucking my purse into the footwell. “Just… just a little warm in there.” I shook my head internally. I couldn't tell him. Not now. He wouldn't understand the sheer panic that had gripped me. He didn’t know about Liam. He just thought I’d run into a pushy parent struggling with school decisions.

We drove in relative silence for a few minutes. I imagined Clara’s indignant face, Ethan’s calm, powerful presence. The idea of running into them, of having to speak to them, made my muscles coil. All of me tensed up at the thought.

“Hey,” Adrian said softly, his hand finding mine on the console. “Everything’s going to be fine, okay? Liam will adjust. And we’ll both like the new hospital. It’s a big step.”

I forced a weak smile back at him, squeezing his hand. “You’re right,” I murmured, trying to believe it. “It’s just… a lot.”

“It is,” he agreed, his eyes back on the road. “But we’ll face it together.”

The hospital, a gleaming glass and steel structure, rose majestically against the bright blue sky. It was imposing, futuristic even. New beginnings. I really needed them to be.

Inside, the lobby was airy and bright. We were directed to a large conference room where a dozen other new employees were already gathered. The atmosphere was a mix of nervous excitement and professional politeness. I focused on the faces around me, on adapting, on belonging here.

Our new administrator, a brisk woman named Ms. Albright, welcomed us with a tight smile. “Welcome, everyone,” she announced, her voice clear and precise. “We’re thrilled to have you join the team at St. Jude Medical Center. Today, you’ll all be shown to your respective stations, receive your access badges, and get acquainted with our state-of-the-art facilities.”

Adrian nudged me, a triumphant grin on his face. “Here we go.”

I nodded, a new kind of anticipation stirring. This was where I needed to be. This was the fresh start I craved. Away from the past. Away from everything I wanted to forget. I just hoped the past would stay where it belonged.