There was a young woman with her mother by her side helping her tread slowly on a walker to her patient room.
"Mom, it's fine, really," she beamed at her as she grunted, feeling as though each step was dipping her bare feet into ice cold water. "I have to do this on my own, anyways, and your shift starts in an hour. Go ahead, I'll be fine. Promise."
"Brie but--"
"Mom, I'm fine, don't you worry. You know I'm in good hands," she softly said, her mother kissing her on her forehead as she nodded, leaving to fetch her purse.
As Brie walked along, staring down at her footsteps, she heard the same familiar voice that came from the room next to hers. First, a much older man and another who had a distinctly younger voice. He's here again. She squinted as she glanced up as if that would help in focusing in on their conversation until her mother came out, ready to leave.
"I left a note to the nurse in case anything happens. I love you and you take care, honey."
Brie nodded in response and both exchanged an arm hug.
She pushed her walker further down closer to her room, leaning against the wall, gasping for a bit of air. She should've never joined the girl's soccer team at her college; it wasn't worth the stay at the hospital nor the pain. She wanted to leave as soon as possible because the longer she stayed, she knew that would be a lot of money deduced from what she had saved up.
Her stress was put on hold until the words "to not worry" repeatedly came from the older man next door to his visitor.
That makes two of us...