I woke up not in heaven, but in another hospital room. It took me a few minutes to get my bearings.
When I did I saw Michael sitting in the chair next to me. He looked like absolute hell, but at least he was sober.
“Wolff,” he said. “Welcome back.”
“Why am I not dead?”
“Because I woke up and found you before you had a chance to die. So here you are.”
A long, horrible pause passed.
“I’m sorry," I said.
Michael gave me a weird smile. “For what? Not dying, or trying to kill yourself six inches away from where I was sleeping?”
“...I don’t know.”
“Well, we’ll have words about it later, but it will have to wait because I have other places to be.” Michael stood up, his car keys jingling in his hand. “Your mother is on her way. Our family is a major donor to this hospital so they're letting you go home with her.” He narrowed his eyes. “Don’t make me regret that.”
Confused, I returned, “Where are you going?”
“Rehab. See you around, Wolff.”
In that moment I understood that he was not only going to rehab, but that he was also leaving me. As I watched him walk out of the door I never hated anyone more in my life.
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