She Took My Hearing, He Took Her Side Chapter 04

She Took My Hearing, He Took Her Side Chapter 04

The high-frequency feedback hadn’t faded yet.

I held on to the mic stand. Blood from my ear ran warm down my neck.

Graham looked at me.

For the first time, he looked terrified.

He took a hesitant step toward me.

And some pathetic part of me still hoped.

This time, would he come to me first?

Sienna’s voice cut through.

“Graham, my hand is bleeding.”

“The recital is tomorrow. I can’t… this can’t happen to me.”

The room erupted into chaos.

The press surged forward.

Someone called for a doctor.

Someone called for security.

Someone shoved a mic in my face. “Did you do this on purpose? Did you sabotage her comeback?”

I couldn’t make out the words.

All that was left in my right ear was a high, thin ringing.

The on-site medic rushed over.

Overwhelmed by the chaos, he looked to Graham, the man in charge. “Who needs me first?”

Graham stood between me and Sienna.

I looked at him.

Sienna grabbed his sleeve, shaking.

“Graham, I am a piano player.”

“Nothing can happen to my hand.”

Graham swallowed.

He finally spoke.

“Look at her hand first.”

Four words. That was all it took.

Something inside me that had still been listening finally went quiet.

The medic turned to Sienna.

Graham held her, pressing his hand over the cut.

My legs gave out. I hit the floor.

My hearing aid dropped from behind my ear.

A heavy boot crunched down on it.

The feedback cut out.

My world went silent.

Someone stepped on the back of my hand.

Someone screamed that I was a monster, that I’d caused the accident on purpose.

Another reporter shouted that I couldn’t stand seeing her back in the spotlight.

Graham glanced back. He saw the blood on my neck and hands, and stark terror crossed his face.

He looked like he wanted to come over.

But Sienna had his collar in her fist.

“Graham, my fingers are numb.”

“What if I can’t play again?”

Graham froze.

He didn’t let go of her.

He stepped around me, pausing for just a second.

“I’ll have my assistant bring you to the hospital.”

I looked up at him.

He wouldn’t look at me.

Sienna buried her face in his chest.

He said again, “She’s a pianist. Nothing can happen to her hand.”

I laughed.

Eight years ago, he said my hearing was his top priority.

But he chose to protect her reputation first.

Eight years later, my ear bled again.

He chose to protect her hand first.

When the ambulance came, they took Sienna first.

Graham climbed in with her.

Right before the doors closed, he turned and called my name.

I didn’t answer.

I couldn’t hear him.

And I didn’t want to anymore.

Someone else must have called a second ambulance for me.

I woke up to the sterile smell of disinfectant and complete silence.

My right ear was wrapped in gauze.

What was left of my hearing aid sat on the nightstand.

The nurse wrote on a notepad that my ear canal was still bleeding. They needed to keep me for observation.

She wrote that a Mr. Whitaker had been calling. Kept asking if I was awake.

I said nothing.

I felt for the phone beside my pillow.

I sent the papers calling off the engagement to my lawyer.

Then I called the airline. Moved my flight to tonight.

I changed out of the hospital gown.

I took off the ring.

I slid it into an envelope with the broken hearing aid.

On the front, I wrote:

For Graham.

Half an hour later, Graham sprinted into the hospital.

He slammed his hands down on the nurse’s station.

“Which room is Tessa in?”

The nurse handed him the envelope.

“Ms. Caldwell has already left.”

“She asked me to tell you not to come looking for her.”