love, emma | j.brooks

two

THE NEXT TWO DAYS were unbearably dull. Each day passed like a blur of tests, questions, a bit of food, and sleep. A lot of sleep. Jai didn't have a choice in what he got to do. He asked to go outside and was always denied the option. He asked to call his family, get his phone, anything that doesn't involve being bored enough that the only option he had was to sleep. But the doctors didn't want him to stress too much or to potentially get hurt even more and make his situation worse. Still, he hated the hospital and wondered why he was dumb enough to even get put here in the first place.

It was raining that day, the skies were grey and hazy with the clouds looming close to the earth. The weather dampened Jai's mood tremendously; his hospital room seemed darker and duller than usual, which didn't help him.

No one came to visit that day, so Jai was left by himself in a dark and dull hospital. The only person he could talk to was the nurse that came in every hour or so to check on him. Her name was Myrna and she was a rotund middle-aged Russian woman with a heavy accent. She was there the first time Jai woke up in the hospital just three days ago.

Myrna was currently walking in with a tray of steaming soup and orange juice. The only good thing about this hospital was the amazing food it served. Always fresh and mouthwatering, Jai often found himself excited when Myrna would show up with hot dishes for him.

"Hello sweetie. How are we feeling today?" Myrna asked the same way she always did when she saw him.

"Im good Myrna, how are you?" Jai replied back sweetly, since Myrna was the first person who actually made an effort to converse with him. He was grateful she was his nurse.

"Oh, you know how I always am honey, I don't change." Her accent was thick and sounded as smooth as melted butter, which added to the Myrna-esque of her entire personality.

"I do have something different for you today." Myrna continued, as Jai sat up and brought the tray of food closer to him.

"What is it?" Jai asked, half focusing on his soup and half on Myrna's words.

"An envelop addressed to you. The sender said it was pretty urgent." Jai looked up from his steaming bowl and looked at Myrna curiously.

"Who's the sender?"

"Can't say, sweetie. She said you'll figure it out eventually."

Those words only heightened Jai's curiosity even more.

"Where's the envelop?" Jai asked, the steaming bowl of soup now forgotten. The only craving he was interested in fulfilling was his craving for curiosity.

"Oh! It's right here." Myrna replied and handed Jai a white envelop with handwriting looking curved, messy, and feminine.

It wasn't anything special. It was an envelop with the words 'For Jai' written in the front. It was sealed, and feeling around the envelop, Jai could tell the only thing inside was paper.

"Thank you, Myrna." Jai said with a genuine smile. Myrna giggled that sweet sounding giggle she always does when she thinks Jai is being cute.

"Anytime sweetie, fill me in on the details later." She said, gesturing towards the envelop. Jai nodded his head, and Myrna stood and left the room leaving Jai alone with the envelop.

He ripped through the top, and pulled out one piece of paper. Opening it, he could tell that whoever wrote it was probably someone he knew, since it started with his name.

-•-

Jai,

You're probably confused as to who would send you a letter. Why someone would go through all this trouble to tell you things when the could simply come to you in person. But I don't want to use that option. Seeing you personally would hurt too much. Seeing you in pain hurts too much. Seeing you forget me makes the pain unbearable.