Presley Tower, Wesbury
Sitting in the Presley Tower office, I’m enveloped by a tension that seems almost solid. Simone’s in the hospital, and it’s messing with my head. She’s getting treatment that could have all kinds of side effects, and all I’ve ever wanted is to keep her safe. Now, she’s vulnerable, and it’s killing me. I can’t stop thinking about how much she must be hurting.
I grab my phone and call Leonard, needing to know if he’s in Knoxville yet.
‘Hey, where are you?’ I ask the moment he answers.
‘At the airport, waiting for my flight. Was just gonna call you,’ he says.
‘Have you talked to her?’ My heart’s racing.
‘Yeah, a few minutes ago.’
‘How is she?’
‘She’s good, Duke.’
‘But is she going to be okay?’
‘Duke, relax. She’s not dying,’ he tries to reassure me.
‘Okay,’ I say, but I’m not really okay.
‘She’s fine,’ he insists.
‘Can I call her?’ I need to hear her voice.
‘I’d rather you didn’t,’ he warns.
But I push back, ‘She’s in the hospital, Leonard. This is serious. I have to talk to her.’
He sighs. ‘Fine, call her. But keep it short, no more than two minutes.’
‘Alright,’ I agree, but inside I’m a wreck. The image of her in that hospital bed is suffocating me. I need to hear her voice, even if it’s just for a moment. The worry won’t go away, and all I can do is hope she’s really as okay as Leonard says.
I end the call with Leonard and pause before hitting Simone’s number. The phone barely rings once before she picks up.
‘Hi, Duke?’ Her voice comes through, sounding weak.
‘Hey, Simone…’ My voice shakes a bit. I’m not good at this.
‘Hi,’ she says, so softly.
‘How are you feeling?’ I ask, trying to sound calm.
‘Not too great…’ She’s breathless, and it scares me.
‘Did they say what’s wrong?’ I’m imagining the worst.
‘Not yet,’ she says, and my heart sinks.
‘Can I talk to your doctor?’ I need answers.
‘I’ll find out. The nurse will be here soon,’ she tries to reassure me.
‘Okay,’ I say, struggling to keep my voice steady.
‘I thought you were coming,’ she says, and I hear the disappointment.
‘I couldn’t.’ It’s complicated.
‘Why?’ She’s curious, maybe a bit hurt.
‘I’m tied up with work,’ I admit, not wanting to say more.
‘I thought it was because of Aisling. She’s back, right? You didn’t want to leave,’ she guesses.
‘No, it’s not that,’ I quickly say, needing her to believe me.
‘How is she?’ Now she’s asking about Aisling.
‘She’s fine. Look, I gotta go. Tell me what the doctor says, okay?’
‘Alright,’ she says, and I can tell she’s not satisfied.
‘Leonard’s on his way to you. He’ll look after you,’ I tell her, hoping it helps.
‘Sure. Thanks,’ she says, and there’s a hint of gratitude.
I hang up, feeling a mix of worry and regret. I wish I could be there with her, to be the support she needs. The distance feels like a huge gap, and all I can do is hope she’s going to be alright.
