Ivy laughed softly too.
"Speaking of," Dr. Lawrence added, "tell Sam I miss him. That man gave me hell when Mrs. Everest was having his granddaughter. I almost prescribed him a sedative instead of her."
Ivy's laughter bubbled out. "You miss him because he gave you hell?" she teased, sliding off the exam bed to reach for her bag.
"Oh, absolutely," the doctor said with a wink. "There's something quite cute about grandpa bears."
"Okay," Ivy said with a playful grin. "I'll tell Gramps my doctor has a crush on him."
"See you later, Miss Everest," the doctor said lightly as she walked out.
Miss Everest. She turned slightly, as if to correct the doctor, but stopped herself. Instead, she offered a polite smile and stepped out into the bright hospital corridor.
But as she walked, the thought gnawed at her. Was that the name Evans gave the hospital? She frowned. Not Morales?
Seeing her name swapped without her consent — even casually — felt like a theft. A small, quiet erasure.
