Mariah POV
“I’ll check in later,” Rose said, already halfway out the door. She gave me a small wink. “Don’t overdo it.”
I smiled faintly and nodded, watching her close the door behind her with a soft click.
The room felt still again. Too still.
Nick sat silently in the chair beside my bed, his elbows resting on his knees, eyes fixed on the floor like he was stuck in a thought he couldn’t shake.
I shifted slightly, wincing as a sharp ache rolled through my side. “She worries more than my mom,” I said, trying to lighten the air.
He looked up and cracked a smile. “She’s earned the right. You scared the hell out of all of us.”
I glanced down at my hands, pale and thinner than I remembered. “I scared myself.”
Nick reached for my hand. “But you’re here.”
“Yeah,” I said softly. “I’m here
