Chapter 5 DREAMS, TUMORS AND REALITY

Emily

Lily’s face was the first thing I saw, when I opened my eyes.

She was leaning over me, her eyebrows drawn together with worry. Her face lit up when she saw me awake.

“You’re finally awake. You had me worried.”

For a few seconds, I stared at her without understanding where I was. The white walls, the faint smell of antiseptic, and the steady beeping somewhere beside me slowly brought everything back.

I pushed myself up carefully, my head still feeling slightly heavy. “How did I end up here?”

Lily immediately straightened. “You fainted on your way to work.”

I frowned. “I did?” I asked trying to gather my thoughts.

“Yes.” She reached for the glass of water beside the bed and handed it to me. “Apparently, you almost got yourself killed first, then decided fainting would be a good way to finish the morning.”

Despite everything, I almost smiled.

“How did I get here?”

Lily gave me a strange look. “A man brought you in, carrying you in his arms.”

My fingers tightened around the glass.

“What man?”

“The kind of man who looks like he lives in a penthouse and probably has someone else open doors for him.” She shook her head. “He said his name was Davenport.”

My heart gave a strange beat, Davenport my boss?

I swallowed.

Lily continued before I could ask anything else. “I already called your parents. They’re on their way.”

I closed my eyes briefly, “They must be worried sick.”

“They're fine. They just want to see you.” Lily paused before adding, “The doctor already checked you. Apparently, your blood pressure spiked, but it has gone down now. You’re okay.”

I stared at her, trying to make sense of what she had just told me. A spike in blood pressure could explain why I had fainted, but it did nothing to explain what I had seen before everything went dark.

Lily must have noticed the change in my expression because she leaned closer. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“I don’t know.”

Her eyebrows lifted. “You don’t know?”

“I don’t know whether what I saw was real.”

Lily watched me carefully.

“Try me.”

I blinked, suddenly remembering the face, the iron-gray eyes, and the terrifying certainty that I had seen that man before were still too vivid to dismiss as nothing more than a fainting spell. What if I was hallucinating?

I sat up straighter on the bed.

“What if the doctor found something wrong with me?” I asked quickly. “Did they check my brain? What if I have a tumor or something? Something that could make me see things that aren't there?”

Lily stared at me for a second before bursting into laughter.

I glared at her.

“It's not funny.”

“Emily, you’re overreacting.” She wiped the corner of her eye, still smiling. “The doctor said you’re fine. Your blood pressure went up. That’s all.”

“That doesn’t explain what I saw.”

“What exactly do you think you saw? An Alien?”

I looked down at the glass in my hands.

“Worse. You wouldn't believe me.”

“What’s worse than an Alien?”

I hesitated, then looked at her.

“I think I saw the man from my dreams.”

The smile disappeared from Lily’s face.

“What man?”

I gave her a knowing look, “You know…. My nightmares.”

Her eyes widened, “You mean the guy who kills you in your dreams?”

“Yes.” My voice came out quieter than I intended. “I saw him in the flesh, Lily.”

There was a silent pause as I contemplated whether to tell her everything,

“And I  think he is my new boss.”

Lily's mouth fell open.

“Davenport?”

I nodded.

She sat back slowly. “I knew that name sounded familiar. I just couldn't place it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Davenport. The company. Your boss.” She looked at me as though she was trying to put together pieces of a puzzle. “What do you mean he is the man in your dreams?”

I took a deep breath, then I told her what had happened that morning before I woke up in the hospital.

Lily listened without interrupting.

When I finished, she remained silent for a moment.

“Maybe you really did hallucinate,” she finally said.

I frowned.

“Your blood pressure was high, and you were probably under a lot of stress because it was your first day. Maybe your brain connected what you were already dreaming about with the fear of almost an accident with your boss.”

I didn't answer.

She reached for my hand. “Still, I think you should have more tests done.”

“Lily…”

“I'm serious, Emily.” The worry returned to her face. “After everything you just told me, a tumor doesn't sound as far-fetched as it did a few minutes ago.”

My stomach tightened.

I didn't want to think about it.

But I couldn't ignore the possibility either.

Then an idea came to me.

“If I was hallucinating, I know how to prove it.”

Lily stared at me. “How?”

“I have to go to the office.”

She looked at me as if I had just announced that I was going to run a marathon.

“You're joking.”

I pushed the blanket aside and carefully swung my legs over the side of the bed.

“Emily.”

“I have to go.”

I stood up, waiting for the dizziness to pass.

“It’s my first day.”

“That isn't a good enough reason.”

“I don't want to miss my first day.”

“Emily, if everything you told me is true, your boss already knows what happened. He personally brought you here. Surely he isn't going to fire you because you fainted.”

“There’s something else.”

I picked up my bag from the chair beside the bed.

Lily shook her head. “What?”

“I need to know if he's real.”

She stared at me.

“If he is actually my boss,” I continued, “then I saw him this morning, and I need to confirm his face. I need to be sure I was not seeing things.”

“And if he isn't the man from your dreams?”

“Then I'll know something is wrong with me, and I'll get the tests you want.”

Lily opened her mouth, but I raised my hand.

“Please. Just help me clear this with the hospital. Tell my parents I'm okay. I'll call them as soon as I get to the office.”

She looked at me in disbelief.

“You're seriously going to work?”

“I need to confirm that I'm not going crazy.”

Before she could argue again, I stepped forward and pulled her into a quick hug.

“You can't breath a word of this to my parents when they get here.”

“Emily….”

I released her before she could stop me and headed for the door.

Behind me, Lily remained standing beside the hospital bed, staring after me with an expression that told me she still couldn't understand what I was doing.

Neither did I.

But I needed to see those iron-gray eyes again.

I needed to know whether the man from my nightmares was truly standing somewhere inside Davenport Corporation.