She stared at the sign. This was it.
Edison Hospital.
The place where all the answers were. And the place holding the one thing she couldn't afford to lose.
Inside, the lobby buzzed with movement-the busy atmosphere was what she was expecting from a prestigious hospital; however, few people knew what lay hidden in the closet.
The place looked normal.
Too normal.
Avery made her way to the receptionist's desk, her expression settling into something soft and harmless.
"Hello, can I help you?" The woman asked with a polite smile.
Avery returned it easily.
"Hi, I'm here for my appointment with Dr Williams."
The receptionist nodded.
"And can I get your name, please?"
"Yeah, Lilac Caldwell," Avery said, the name coming easily now.
The woman nodded at her and gave her a card.
"Please take the elevator on your right. Dr Williams' office is on the tenth floor."
"Thank you," Avery took it, her fingers brushing lightly against the edge.
She turned away before the woman could say anything else.
Her jaw tightened when she entered the elevator.
"That was a close one." She murmured under her breath.
She wipes her hands on her skirt before pressing the button.
The elevator dinged, and she stepped out.
She clenched her fist and unclenched before knocking on the door.
She opens it and enters.
"Good afternoon. I'm Lilac Caldwell."
Dr Williams rose to greet his patient.
"Please, have a seat, Miss Caldwell."
Avery sat, crossing her legs slightly, her posture relaxed - practised.
Dr Benjamin Williams studied her briefly before speaking.
"So, what brings you here?"
She hesitated.
Just for a second.
"I... haven't been feeling like myself."
He nodded, already reaching for his notes.
The check-up didn't take long.
Too quick.
He asked fewer questions than she expected.
And that alone made her uneasy.
An hour later.
The door opened.
Dr Williams stepped in, a file in his hand.
He sat across from her.
"Good news, Miss Caldwell," He said.
"You're healthy."
Avery let out a breath she didn't realise she was holding.
For a moment -
"Bu..."
Her head snapped up.
"But what?"
He flipped the page slowly.
Too slow.
"There's something unusual."
Avery's fingers tightened in her lap.
"What do you mean?"
She came to figure out things so as not to have her heart thrusting against her chest. She used a fake name; however, everything in that report the doctor was holding was about her health.
"Your results are ....normal."
Normal? Then why is he taking so long to tell her everything? She isn't ready to die or anything. She has things to deal with. Answers to uncover
"Except for one thing."
Her heart quickened.
She was going to die. She could feel it in her gut.
"You're pregnant."
"WHAT?"
Her laugh filled the room. Pregnant? Her?
She held her stomach as her laughter echoed in the room.
She looked at her doctor. Is he not laughing?
Why isn't laughing?
"You're.... not laughing," she said.
Williams adjusted his coat. He cleared.
"And why should I laugh, Miss Cadwell?"