No reason to panic.
But the paper in Vega’s hand held a sentence none of us had seen before.
I reached for it.
My eyes dropped to the final line.
Patient has reported new persistent pain along the right surgical site.
Imaging is required before continued unrestricted duty.
PART 3
I read the sentence again.
Patient has reported new persistent pain along the right surgical site.
Imaging is required before continued unrestricted duty.
My fingers tightened around the paper.
“Who reported that?”
My mother closed her eyes.
“Rowan…”
“Who reported it?”
Her silence was answer enough.
I looked at Vega.
He was watching my mother now.
Not me.
Her.
“You knew,” I said.
My mother opened her eyes.
“I knew you had pain.”
“You knew?”
“I knew you had been having pain.”
“How long?”
She hesitated.
“Three weeks.”
The room suddenly felt colder.
Three weeks.
I had been waking up at night with a burning sensation beneath my right scar. I had convinced myself it was from training. The ruck. The push-ups. The obstacles. The compression garment rubbing against tissue that was still healing.
I had told myself it was nothing.
Because admitting it might be something meant admitting I was afraid.
