It’searly afternoon when we arrive at Angelwood Medical Center. It’s small, no more than three floors, which hopefully works to our advantage this time.
We walk through the double doors, and Lilly’s pinkie brushes against mine. I see her stiffen for a fraction of a second, but she composes herself quickly. That was...weird. She’s probably on edge about Madeline.
The center is built around an atrium with lots of planters and bright, comfortable sitting areas, which gives the whole place an almost welcoming feel. Definitely not like a hospital. There is a small reception area straight ahead. The hallway to the left leads to the emergency department, based on the layout I saw when we parked. The right side seems to be offices, maybe administration.
We approach the desk manned by an elderly woman whose nametag reads Maria Adelstein. Her graying hair is tied in a bun at the back of her neck, and she is dressed impeccably in a crisp, white blouse. I let Lilly take the lead and stand slightly back.
"Hi. Happy New Year."
Maria Adelstein genuinely smiles at us. She doesn’t seem to mind being here on New Year’s Day at all. "Hello, and Happy New Year. How can I help you?"
Lilly takes a deep breath. "I’m looking for Madeline Cross, but I’m not sure if she’s working today. We’re just passing through and wanted to say hi. I can’t remember which station she is at now."
Complete bullshit, but we figured if we make it personal, it’ll be less suspicious.
The woman places both hands on her heart. "Oh my, how wonderful. Young people nowadays rarely take the time to visit anyone in person with all that technology. In my day, we visited all the time." She sounds like she’s talking about the early nineteen hundreds. I worry she’s launching into a whole story, but then she continues, "We are such a small hospital. I know pretty much everyone’s schedule." She beams at us.
Lilly glances over her shoulder at me, and I can see the relief in her eyes.
When she faces forward again, Maria says, "Maddie is such a wonderful nurse, especially with the kids. Everyone loves her. She is currently out for the holiday, but she is working the night shift tomorrow evening."
Lilly reaches back and takes my hand. Her touch is like a jumpstart for my pulse. I squeeze her hand in an attempt to let her know I’m here for her.
Maria watches our exchange closely and gushes, "You are such a sweet couple."
Lilly lets go of my hand immediately and stammers, "Oh, uh...no. We’re just friends."
Ouch. I try to hide my disappointment, despite feeling as if I were just sucker punched.
But Maria just winks at us. "If you say so."
She gives us instructions to come back here at eight p.m. tomorrow, and she will let the evening receptionist know to provide us with directions to Madeline’s station.
Chapter Twenty-One
We arriveat the hospital a little after eight, and the night receptionist directs us to the east wing of the second floor. It’s the longest elevator ride in the history of elevator rides. When was this thing made? I envision someone manually pulling us up. I start flicking my thumb against my fingers again, and Rhys gives me a knowing sideways glance but remains mute.
The number on the display finally switches from one to two, the doors open, and my stomach contracts into a tight ball. We find a middle-aged woman at the nurses’ station, and I hesitantly approach her. Is she Madeline?
"Excuse me?" My voice sounds weak.
She looks up from her computer. "Yes?"
I take a breath and try to steady my voice. If I sound like Minnie Mouse on helium, no one will believe I’m here to pay a visit to an old family friend. "I’m looking for Madeline Cross. We were told we could find her here."
The nurse scans me up and down. She’s skeptical, but then she points to the right and says, "Why don’t you head over to the family room? I’ll let her know you are here. What’s your name?"
"Lilly McGuire."
The woman nods and starts talking into a walkie-talkie-looking thing pinned to her scrubs. We’re dismissed. I turn and head in the direction she pointed.
The family room doesn’t look like a hospital either—a waiting area, yes, but not a hospital. It contains similar planters to the ones downstairs with two beige couches positioned in an L along two walls. Under the window is a small shelf with various books and magazines. It’s cozy.
I sit down on the farthest couch, and Rhys lowers himself onto the other one. His ankle is crossed over his knee, and his arms are spread over the back of the couch, radiating calm and relaxation. I’m pretty sure that it’s for my benefit. For a while, it works, but after thirty minutes, I can’t sit still anymore and start pacing. Rhys remains still the entire time, which eventually starts feeding into my restlessness.
Another fifteen minutes later, I am ready to go back to the nurses’ station. Maybe she didn’t tell Madeline we’re here after all. I start for the door when it swings open, and I come face to face with a woman in her mid-forties. She’s petite with a heart-shaped face, wearing light-green scrubs. Her short blonde hair is tied in a ponytail, and she wears little makeup. Her eyes are exhausted.
"I’m sorry, I was held up and—" Madeline’s gaze sweeps the room, and when she locks on mine, she stops in her tracks. Her eyes grow wide, and neither of us looks away.I remember her!An immediate sense of peace fills me. I trusted this woman. Tears start to well up, and her expression mirrors mine.