Chapter 27 - The Hospital
Nia did not drive home.
That was her first instinct.
Her second was healthier.
She called Lauren.
“What happened?”
Lauren sounded exhausted.
“Bleeding.”
Nia sat upright.
“Is the baby okay?”
“They’re evaluating her.”
“Is Jasmine okay?”
“Yes. Scared.”
Nia closed her eyes.
“Why did you call me if she said not to?”
Silence.
“I panicked.”
“That isn’t fair to her.”
“I know.”
Nia almost laughed.
That phrase belonged to everyone now.
Lauren continued.
“I keep wanting to fix things by pulling old people back into place.”
Nia understood.
“Is she alone?”
“I’m here.”
“Then she isn’t alone.”
“What should I tell her?”
“The truth.”
“Which is?”
“That you called me because you were scared.”
Lauren sighed.
“Okay.”
Nia stayed awake anyway.
At three twelve, Lauren texted.
The pregnancy was continuing.
Doctors had not identified a catastrophic problem.
Jasmine would need follow-up care.
Nia exhaled.
Then she received a message directly from Jasmine.
My mom told me she called you.
Nia:
Yes.
Jasmine:
Sorry.
Nia:
You have nothing to apologize for there.
Pause.
Jasmine:
I was scared you’d come home because of me.
Nia stared at the message.
Jasmine continued.
And I don’t want my crisis to become another reason you stay.
Nia’s eyes filled.
That sentence represented more change than any apology.
Nia typed:
I’m staying at Hawthorne.
Jasmine:
Good.
Nia:
And I’m glad you’re okay.
Three dots appeared.
Disappeared.
Reappeared.
Jasmine:
Thank you.
Nothing else.
The conversation ended.
Nia lay back down.
She understood something then.
Caring about Jasmine did not require returning to their old relationship.
Distance was not cruelty.
Boundaries were not abandonment.
The next morning Ayana noticed Nia looked exhausted.
“Family emergency?”
“Sort of.”
“You want to talk?”
Nia hesitated.
Then told a shortened version.
Best friend.
Boyfriend.
Pregnancy.
Betrayal.
Not financial crimes.
Not yet.
Ayana listened without interrupting.
When Nia finished, she said, “That is a terrible amount of information before breakfast.”
Nia laughed.
“Yeah.”
“Do you hate her?”
“No.”
“Love her?”
“Yes.”
“Trust her?”
“No.”
Ayana nodded.
“Makes sense.”
“That’s it?”
“What else?”
“People usually tell me what I should do.”
Ayana opened a yogurt.
“It’s your life.”
The simplicity hit Nia.
No manipulation.
No demand.
No need to choose a dramatic moral ending.
Just her life.
That afternoon Nia attended her first orientation seminar.
The professor asked students why they chose Hawthorne.
Answers varied.
Prestige.
Research.
Family tradition.
Scholarship.
When Nia’s turn came, she almost said because she fought to get here.
Instead she said, “Because I wanted a place where I could grow.”
The professor smiled.
“Good reason.”
Nia thought of her father.
That evening Ms. Bennett called.
“How’s Jasmine?”
“Okay for now.”
“You didn’t go home.”
“No.”
“I’m proud of you.”
Nia frowned.
“For not visiting someone in a hospital?”
“For understanding you can care without abandoning yourself.”
Nia smiled.
“You’ve been reading therapy books.”
“Lauren sent me one.”
“That’s concerning.”
They laughed.
Before ending the call, her mother said, “I found something in your room.”
“What?”
“A graduation photo.”
Nia’s chest tightened.
“Which?”
“The one by the staircase.”
Nia knew it.
She stood between Malik and Jasmine.
All three smiling.
“Throw it away.”
Ms. Bennett paused.
“You sure?”
Nia looked across her dorm room at the blue cap.
Then changed her mind.
“No.”
“What should I do?”
“Put it in the memory box.”
Her mother sounded surprised.
“Why keep it?”
“Because I was happy in that picture.”
Even saying it hurt.
Nia continued.
“I don’t want to train myself to believe happiness was fake just because people later hurt me.”
Ms. Bennett became quiet.
“That sounds like your father.”
Nia smiled.
“Good.”
When the call ended, Nia returned to her desk.
Outside, students crossed the quad beneath evening lights.
New friendships.
New mistakes.
New possibilities.
Her phone buzzed one final time.
Detective Reed.
Malik had formally entered his plea.
The criminal case, at least, was nearing resolution.
But Reed added something unexpected.
“Malik requested permission through counsel to write you an apology letter.”
Nia looked at the graduation cap.
“Do I have to read it?”
“No.”
“Can he send it anyway?”
“Only if you consent.”
Nia thought carefully.
Then answered.
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“No.”
There was nothing left she needed Malik to explain.
