A few days later Chris has made remarkable progress. She isn't winded anymore just by getting out of bed or the few steps around her apartment. Hazel even started working with her on taking the stairs, so they could leave the house.
"Are you ready for a trip outside?" Hazel asks over breakfast and Chris nods vigorously. "If you think I am ready… heck yes. I wanna see the outside again!"
"I am sure you're gonna do great," Hazel starts clearing the table. "Go get ready," she smiles back at Chris, who pushes out of her chair and heads to her room.
The way down the stairs was surprisingly easy and Chris felt like doing a happy dance. Her phone ringing stops that though.
"Hey, Bonnie. What's up?" she answers seeing the name. "I am in the neighborhood, and was wondering if you're up for some company?"
Chris holds a hand over her phone and looks at Hazel. Her therapist had taken a few steps away to give her some privacy. "Are we up for company?" she calls out and Hazel nods. "Yeah, I can give you some space. Just don't force too much!"
"Nonsense, stay. Bonnie is a friend, just like you are!" Chris frowns a bit before explaining to Bonnie that she is out and about so to speak.
They take a seat at a nearby bench to wait for the blonde woman and Chris turns to Hazel, who is gnawing on her lower lip and fiddling with her hands.
"Hey," she reaches out, jolting Hazel upright. "What's going on? You've been acting weird the past days," Chris studies her friend.
"It's nothing," Hazel shrugs in an attempt to deflect the question and can let out a sigh of relief because Bonnie joins them "Hey, there you are!" the blonde hugs Chris and smiles friendly at Hazel.
"The guys will be happy to hear that you made it out of the apartment." Bonnie adds and Hazel slowly gets up.
"I'll be upstairs. Just call me before you attempt climbing the stairs, okay?" she adds with a smile before walking off.
Chris spends the rest of her morning with Bonnie, talking and it keeps her a bit distracted. But something isn't sitting right with her. And she'll get to the bottom of it.
After Bonnie has left Chris pulls out her phone to text Hazel that she is ready to come back up. While she is waiting for her therapist to come down, she receives a text from Street but she decides to open that one later when she sees Hazel across the path.
"Did you have fun?" she asks with a smile and fidgety fingers. "Yes, I did. But I am still worried about you. Please don't lie to me," Chris replies and slowly gets up.
"Let's get you back upstairs and then I have a surprise for you," Hazel smiles and winks.
The walk up the stairs is draining all of Chris's energy and she is glad when she can collapse onto the sofa. She definitely needs a minute or two before she can breathe normally again. Hazel hands her a glass of water to rehydrate and while taking a sip Chris's eyes fall onto a packed duffel next to the door.
She frowns visibly. "You're leaving? Why?" she tries to push up but Hazel holds up her hand.
"I said I have a surprise for you," she starts. "And that surprise is you're leaving? Come on I barely made it up here again!" Chris cuts in.
"My surprise for you is, that I'll leave for this weekend. You get to be alone here, well with Jim. But I won't be here." Hazel calmly explains in a pretty monotonous voice. It sounds rehearsed to Chris's ears and just when she is about to call her out on that, there is a knock on the door.
Hazel jumps up and pulls the door open with one hand while grabbing her duffel with the other.
"Have fun, within reason," she calls before leaving.
The door falls shut and for the first time Chris realizes Street brought an overnight bag. "How?" she motions to him. "Hazel called, well texted. Didn't you get my message?" he walks over and takes a seat next to her.
"I didn't get a chance to read it. I was with Bonnie," Chris explains while cuddling into his side. "But I am happy you're here,"
"Me too," Street mumbles pressing a kiss to her hair.
They spend a lazy weekend cuddled up on the sofa. Street watches Chris's every move like a hawk. Scared that his stubborn girlfriend pushes herself too far too fast and has a setback. That annoys Chris a good deal but she also realizes why this is happening.
"I promise you won't lose me," she hugs him after Street had to brace her fall in the bathroom. She had insisted on showering standing up again, which was still a mistake as she learned quickly.
It's in that moment that they hear the front door open.
"I am back," Hazel calls out and adds "I'll be in my room!"
After Street has said goodnight Chris walks to Hazel's door and knocks twice. "Can I come in?"
"Of course, it's your place after all," Hazel tells her pulling open the door.
Chris has a little trouble standing after that scare before and when the experienced therapist sees her swaying Chris finds herself gently being guided to sit on the bed.
That's when her eyes fall onto two more filled duffle bags and the assortment of exercise equipment neatly stacked into a box.
"What's going on here? And don't you dare try to say nothing," Chris can't help feel angry.
Hazel kneels in front of her. "Chris, I realized this weekend I shouldn't be here,"
"What? Why? I don't understand. We talked about this before, right?" Chris interrupts getting agitated and the heartrate monitor is blaring again.
"Chris breathe. In and Out," Hazel immediately switches to a calming voice but Chris pushes her off.
"No, I don't want to breathe! I want an explanation!" she demands. "I want to know why you're leaving and what the hell am I supposed to do now? Go back to the hospital? You know I don't want that!" she rattles off before she seriously needs to take a breath.
"You won't have to go back to the hospital. I found a colleague, Marie, she's coming over tonight and taking over for me. And in a few weeks you'll be ready for outpatient therapy and everything is going to be back to normal in no time," Hazel explains and reaches for the box with the training gear.
"I'll bring those down and maybe then Marie is here and everything is sorted,"
Chris is speechless. She sits on the bed, motionless. She doesn't even react at first when Hazel brings in Marie. Yes, she shakes hands with the new woman but she is so shellshocked and confused that she can't bring herself to be friendly right now.
Hazel leaving with no real explanation hurts - more than it should.