I chuckled at myself softly, put the phone away, and headed to the patient lounge, carrying my herbs and infusion alone.
The morning dragged on endlessly as I painstakingly finished the herbal infusion and medicinal concoction the doctor had prescribed. Dizziness swirled through my head, making each movement a challenge, and I nearly lost my balance more than once, gripping the edge of the sleek marble counter to steady myself.
I picked up my phone to call Caleb, only to feel my chest tighten when I noticed there were no messages from him—not a single text checking in, not even a brief note about where he had gone. My stomach twisted with disappointment.
With a sigh, I pressed his number, trying to keep my voice steady. “Caleb, I’m still at the clinic,” I said, forcing calm into my tone.
There was a pause on the other end, and then he spoke, his voice faltering slightly. “I… I was planning to come back for you after I dropped Marina off, but… she wasn’t feeling well. Her stomach… started acting up.”
Wait. He took Marina home?
Before he could continue, a sharp, cheerful voice rang out in the background: “Sir, your lunch is ready! Please enjoy your meal.”