Daffodil Sprouts🌼

Ch. 54 ' Always and Forever, Mr Bad-tempered.

A Week Later . . .

Cold.

Wet.

That's what wakes me up; a wet feeling on my face. I raise my head from the bed -Jason's bed in the hospital- and when I look up, Jason's staring at me.

No.

I see him staring at me.

He's seated up, arms lying on his laps, staring at me, still as steel. That's how I know this is my imagination at play, because he's so still. I stare at the form, craving the moment it disappears and everything returns to normal because, to be honest, It's all scaring me.

But it doesn't.

I shakily push back the seat from the bed and find my way to the switch. I turn the lights on.

He's still sitting there.

One breath.

Two breaths.

I burst into an explosive but somehow quiet wail. Putting my hands over my mouth, I sob heavily, still haunted by the possibility that this could be a hallucination.

Don't disappear, please. Don't disappear.

"God, no . . . I knew you'd be like this that's why I didn't want to wake you up."

He's talking. Oh my God, he's talking.

"You're awak— you're really awake. Jas— It's really— you . . . "

"Why? Who else could it be?"

I lay on the wall for support as more tears pour out of my eyes.

"I was so— so— so scared. Jason, I'm so happy you're aliv— awake— I'm so—"

"Yeah, I get it, stop crying now, come on."

"Are yo— are you okay?" I rush to his side, looking over him while not wanting to touch anything. "Should I get a doctor?"

"I feel fine. No, there's no need for a doctor. At least not right now, I just . . . "

"What?"

"Just glad you're still here."

My hands move from my mouth to my chest, calming. Breath in, breath out. "Me too."

He chuckles. "So what happened? Changed your mind at the last moment?"

"Heard you got hit."

"Oh." He looks sideways, his lips folding into a small frown. "That must've been a bother."

You can't imagine.

"I told you not to leave, didn't I? WHY is it that you never listen to me?"

I shift back. "Are you seriously trying to yell at me while on a death bed—"

"Death bed?!" He looks around panicked.

"I did not mean that. I don't know why I said that, it just came out of my mouth—"

"It's not a death bed, I'm not dead."

"Yes, thank God."

One, two, three seconds.

We burst out laughing.

I use a hand to wipe off my cheek. "Mummy will be so happy."

He smiles. "How has she been?"

"Not very good," I answer.

"I guess I'm . . . sorry for bothering you all."

"Please don't sound so sad, I'm going to start crying again."