The emergency room lights felt too bright against Ariana’s feverish pale skin.
Her head throbbed mercilessly, her throat was scratchy and dry, her body was shivering despite the warmth spreading through her limbs.
Her mother had insisted on going straight to the hospital where her husband worked.
She hated being in the same space as her mother's husband and had declined.
Simeon was younger than her mom, she hated that her mother was settling for a younger man.
Her mother forced her and here she was in the hospital waiting for her stepfather to diagnose her.
“Dr. Simeon will see you right away,” the nurse had said, leading them to his private office instead of a crowded exam room.
Simeon looked up from his desk as they entered, his expression shifting from focused professionalis
