How I Got Here by Hannah Harvey Page A

my mind.’ He keeps his tone level, carrying off the same casualness that he started with, even though his heart is racing, and a million emotions are crashing through him.
    ‘Is this because of what I wrote?’
    ‘No.’
    ‘Then it’s because of how my brother treated me, or because of how I reacted to everything by becoming obsessive, or if it’s not any of that then it must be because you feel sorry for me.’
    ‘No, it’s because keeping you locked up in here isn’t going to do you any good, it’s because you want to go, it’s because I want to take you there, and most of all – it’s because you asked me to take you, and I can’t say no anymore.’ He clears his throat again, ‘Now come on, before I come to my senses.’
    He helps her get to her feet, knowing that she is still a little weak. The black floral dress she’s wearing hangs down to just below her knees, but it’s loose on her and so it swishes around her frame as she moves. He checks that the coast is clear then they walk out of the ward together, keeping their distance, Oliver walking a good ten steps in front of River, only looking back over his shoulder now and then to give her a small smile. Once they make it out to the street he takes her hand, leading her to the parking lot, he helps her into his car, and then without hesitation he pulls away from the hospital.
    ‘I can’t believe I’m really outside.’ River smiles a real smile, that lights up her whole face, Oliver finds himself wishing he’d broken her out sooner, even though it could jeopardize his career, he doesn’t care as long as he can help her healing process, as long as he can see her smile like that.
    River rolls down her window and lets the air brush her skin, closing her eyes she watches the colors float around beneath her eyelids, as the sun shines down on her face and the city rushes past. It’s a mixture of familiar sounds and smells; the hum of traffic, the constant drone of conversation, street vendors selling their goods, business people rushing around between meetings, tourists exclaiming wildly over the sights; the smell of street stall food, mixing in some strange effortless way with the trees and flowers dotted in the park on one side of them, and in a few planters in front of some of the buildings.
    ‘I’m sorry that I kept saying no, I should have agreed right away, I knew how much you needed to get out of that place, I was stupid to refuse.’ Oliver says as he pulls onto a new street, now coming closer to the right entrance.
    ‘That’s ok you were just being cautious; you probably shouldn’t be doing his.’ Her eyes snap open and she turns to him, ‘I won’t get you in trouble will I? I wouldn’t want to get you in trouble.’
    ‘Don’t worry about me.’ He shrugs his shoulders slightly.
    ‘Why shouldn’t I? I’m getting a little sick of you always worrying about me; it’s kind of nice to turn the tables once in a while.’
    ‘It’s my job to worry about you.’ They continue in silence for a while, him going over the contents of her last letter, wondering how to bring it up, wondering if he should even attempt to bring it up. While River was worry ing that she was going to get him fired, and realizing that she didn’t want him to leave, because she’d bonded with him, because he was the first person in that hospital who actually genuinely cared about her. Sure the other doctors were kind and at first they’d been attentive, but she knew that they were only doing it because it was their job, and she couldn’t blame them for that. It was just that Oliver may claim that it’s his job to care, but she knows that he really does worry about her, he does care what happens to her, and so if he were to get fired, she isn’t sure what she would do.
    He parks the car sometime later, getting out and opening her door for her, she steps out but hesitates for a few seconds before stepping away from the car. It feels strange to her being outside