𝐏𝐔𝐃𝐃𝐋𝐄𝐒 | ✍︎︎

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟯𝟱

Again, I find myself at the gift shop at the hospital, in which I've visited every time I've come.

I know showering her in gifts won't make the pain go away, but maybe it will make it bearable.

When she was younger, she could always get me to get her something and she knew it too. If Papa didn't want her to have it, she came running straight to me.

I can't resist the puppy eyes.

Her cute little pout with her once chubby cheeks, I had never been able to say no.

And now, even when she's asleep in a coma, I still can't stop buying her things.

I saw how happy she was when she saw Puddles, her elephant, and Socks sitting together after Adonis had positioned them as such. She's happy she has a friend.

When Adonis came running to me, saying she had named her elephant stuffed animal Puddles, safe to say I was extremely surprised. We assumed she had no memory of us, any concept of how we spoke or looked or acted.

And maybe she did forget, maybe it was just her mind remembering a little piece of when she was with us.

Papa never called her anything but her name, Clailea. He had to fight tooth and nail in order for her to be named Clailea, and I think he got a little pride every time he got to call her by her name.

I miss him dearly, and with that thought I grab the dog stuffed animal sitting cutely among the shelves.

It's pretty cute, seeing as the others look like carnival stuffed animal, and I'm entirely glad I can add another to the pile.

I'm way too indecisive with these things, which is why Zara is currently upstairs with Clailea, seeing as we came in together.

Making my way to the counter, I put the stuffed animal on the counter and search through my wallet for my familiar black card.

"Back again?" The familiar woman behind the cash register asks, an obvious smile in her voice.

I chuckle lightly, getting my card from my wallet, "Yes, just can't stay away."

I look to the keypad, sliding my card in and pressing the correct buttons. $33.26, overpriced for a stuffed animal but whatever.

"See you soon," I smile politely, hoping the words I've said weren't true, I never hope to come back here. Only to visit Rylie when he's a successful doctor.

I'm so proud of him.

He works so very hard, studying and pulling all nighters.

Quickly, I walk toward the elevator, hating the smell of hand sanitizer and just hospital.

Clicking the fourth floor, I rest against the wall of the elevator, the handle bar digging into my back.

Looking around the elevator as a way to pass time, I catch myself in the reflection. Leaning against the wall with a dog stuffed animal hanging loosely in my grip. The stuffed animal looks completely contrasted against the dark clothes blanketing my body.