“Life goes on,” she said. “People can’t tiptoe forever.”
Dad was at the grill, refusing to look at me. “Honey, it’s just a get-together.”
“It’s the anniversary,” I said. “The first one.”
Celeste laughed softly. “That’s exactly why we shouldn’t drown in it.”
My chest tightened. Like a belt cinched around my lungs.
The backyard blurred. The laughter got too loud, and I almost couldn’t block it out.
I woke up under bright hospital lights with a monitor beeping beside me.
I grabbed the edge of the table. Celeste’s smile stayed glued on.
Then my knees buckled and the world snapped to black.
I woke up under bright hospital lights with a monitor beeping beside me. A nurse leaned in.
“Hey. You’re okay. You fainted.”
My throat was dry. “My dad.”
“On his way,” she said. “You’re safe.”
Then my hand flew to my ear.
I nodded, trying to slow my breathing.
Then my hand flew to my ear. That reflex.
Bare skin. That was all I could feel.
No weight. No metal.
My stomach dropped so hard I almost gagged.
I checked the other ear. Same.
Dad and Celeste came in minutes later.
“My earrings,” I croaked. “My earrings are gone.”
The nurse blinked. “Okay. We can look. Sometimes jewelry is removed during.”
“No,” I cut in. “They were on. They don’t fall off.”
She softened. “I’ll contact security.”
Dad and Celeste came in minutes later.
Dad looked worried. Celeste looked annoyed, like my medical emergency had messed up her schedule.
Celeste gasped loudly and dramatically.
I said, “My earrings are gone.”
“What earrings?”
I stared at him. “Mom’s diamond earrings. The ones I wear every day.”
“Oh,” he said, as if he only then remembered I’m a person. “Those.”
Celeste gasped loudly and dramatically.
“It’s the nurses,” she said quickly. “Hospitals are full of thieves. People get robbed all the time.”
Celeste squeezed my hand like we were allies.
She said it so smoothly it almost worked. Almost.
Both earrings. Gone. While I was unconscious.
I nodded like I believed her. I played tired.
“Maybe,” I said softly.
Celeste squeezed my hand like we were allies. “I’ll handle it. This is unacceptable.”
Dad patted my shoulder. “We’ll sort it out.”
“We can check hallway footage.”
They left.
I stared at the ceiling until my eyes burned. Then I pressed the call button.
A security guy came in. Calm, professional. His badge said Hector.
He asked, “Walk me through what happened.”
I told him. “I fainted at home. I woke up here. My earrings were gone.”
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