“Those are my mom’s. I like comic books better. I’m not a very good reader yet, but with comics, you can understand everything from the pictures.”
Time dragged on. Tessa was terrified the girl would suddenly take a turn for the worse. She pushed away dark thoughts and kept up a stream of conversation. The sound of the approaching siren was the most beautiful music she had ever heard.
The paramedic who examined Sophie shook his head. “Well, like it or not, we’re taking a ride to the hospital. Gather her things, any documents you have, and meet us in the ambulance. We’ll get the paperwork started.”
After the crew left the room, the girl, who had been surprisingly calm, suddenly gripped Tessa’s hand. “Aunt Tessa, please come with me. I’m really scared. I can’t be alone. Please.”
Tessa’s heart melted. There was so much desperate hope in the girl’s eyes, she couldn’t let her down. “Okay, don’t worry. We’ll go together. But if they ask, I’m your aunt. A cousin, maybe. My name is Tessa Novak. Got it? Of course, someone at the county hospital might recognize me, but we’ll have to risk it. I can’t think of another way to explain how we know each other. Right?”
Seeing the girl nod, Tessa continued, “You need to tell me your full name, too, because I’m sure they’ll need it for the forms.”
Sophie, seeming to forget her pain for a moment, answered with solemn dignity, “Sophie Ann Korolkov.”
The middle name, Ann, matching the name of the mother, Anna, sparked a suspicion in Tessa’s mind, but she had no time for puzzles. She scribbled a quick note for Tony, explaining what had happened and asking him to call as soon as he could, then went with the girl to the ambulance.
The county hospital’s emergency room looked exactly as Tessa remembered it. The pale yellow walls were probably meant to be cheerful, but for her, they brought back only painful memories. Luckily, she found her own ID in her purse, and thanks to the information she’d gotten from Sophie, the admission forms were filled out without any issues. Tessa’s heart pounded, but she was more worried about Sophie’s health than about being caught in a lie.
The surgeon confirmed her suspicion: appendicitis. They began prepping the girl for emergency surgery. After filling out another mountain of paperwork, Tessa felt emotionally drained. She had stumbled over questions about the little patient’s allergies, but Sophie herself had helped fill in the blanks. Apparently, it wasn’t unusual for adults in a panic to forget such details, because no one gave her a second glance.
Sophie was taken to the operating room, and Tessa was left alone in the waiting area. After taking a picture of the visiting hours sign with her phone, she stepped outside. She needed to get back to the house, and since it was now the middle of the night, her only option was a taxi.
Just as she pulled out her phone, it rang. Her fiancé’s picture and name lit up the screen. She answered, and heard Tony’s smooth voice. “Hey, honey, where are you?”
But a strange woman’s voice—presumably Sophie’s mother—cut him off. “You tell me where you took my daughter, right now! You have half an hour to get her back to me, or I’m calling the police and telling them you kidnapped my child!”
The woman’s audacity infuriated Tessa. She was about to tell her exactly where she could go, but she heard a scuffle on the other end. Tony had apparently gotten the phone back. Tessa could hear him yelling at the woman to read the note carefully and calm down. Then, his voice softer, he spoke to his fiancée. “Tessa, I’m so sorry. Anna’s just on edge. She didn’t even read the note properly before she started freaking out. Tell me, what’s wrong with Sophie?”
It took all of Tessa’s self-control not to lay into the man who had revealed himself to be a complete stranger. “She’s in surgery at the county hospital right now. They’re removing her appendix. They said you got her here just in time. You can visit or call the information desk tomorrow. I took a picture of the visiting hours. I’ll send it to you.”
“Thank you so much, Tessa. You have no idea what a lifesaver you are. Just wait there for a minute. I’ll come pick you up so you don’t have to get a taxi.”
Tessa had no desire to see the fiancé who had sprung this surprise on her, but she was so exhausted from the stress that she agreed.
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