My Best Friend's Brother

Chapter 16

"How long until you are seen?" Thor spoke as he paced up and down. We had left the others back at the hotel "I swear we have been here for what feels like forever,"
"We have only been waiting for 10 minutes,"
"That's still a long time," Thor grumbled. I rolled my eyes.
"I pity your girlfriend if you think 10 minutes is forever," I had made myself comfy in a chair "They will get round to me when they get to me," I leaned back in my chair while I read my book, licking my finger as I flicked a page "Now sit down before you wear a hole in the flooring,"
"But--"
"Lady Featherwine?" A healer called out, cutting Thor off.
"Finally," Thor and I both stood up. I pushed him back down "Willow, what are you doing?"
"You are not coming in with me,"
"But,"
"But nothing. I don't need you breathing down my neck," I patted Thor on the head and walked off.

The healer escorted me to a room where I was told to jump up onto the bed with the paper sheets.
"So what's the verdict?" I shot straight to it. The healer tilted her head at me "Sorry. Midgard seems to have rubbed off on me. I meant to say what does my test say?"
"That's quite alright," The healer smiled as she looked at my papers "So it looks like everything is in order,"
"So my chest is fine?"
"More or less. You just got a little too dehydrated. Has this ever happened before?" My eyes drooped down embarrassed.
"I am afraid so. I've had to go to the hospital for it." A moment of silence. The healer's face dropped "But that was a long time ago. The last time I was at the hospital was for period problems."
"Ah, yes. I see on your record that you're taking contraceptive pills. Are you sexually active?" "No. They're for to stop my period," god, I wanted to die inside. I am so glad Thor is not here. She nodded in an understanding fashion.
"And when did you stop having a period?" The healer grabbed her pencil.
"I think that it has been almost four and a half years now."
"Your body just couldn't handle the symptoms?" The healers inquired. I shook my head.
"No. It was getting too hard and I was losing too much blood. My body couldn't handle losing that much iron every month anymore." I was bedridden for a week at one point.
"Well, that makes sense. It's quite common for women with your condition. But you understand, with these tablets, you'll never be able to have children?"
"That's fine. I want a PhD anyway; children would just be in the way of my academic dreams." Her head nodded again, then checked over her notebook briefly. When it comes to children, I could always adopt.
"You've said you've experienced critical levels of dehydration before?"
"Yes, when I was younger. But I'm better at monitoring it now. If I start to see stars or feel light-headed or nauseous, I drink a lot of water. I don't drink or smoke. I'm usually good at staying on top of it. It's just when I travel," I'm usually so on top of everything, but admittedly when I travel, I forget that my body's not normal. Thinking about it only made my eyes lower. I forgot this weekend. I was having such a good time with Loki; I didn't want to bring him down with my needs. I wanted to be normal. The healers jotted down some notes.
"I understand that it is a hereditary condition in your family?"
"Yes. My father had it."
"I see. And how's he handling it?" A moment of silence broke over the room. She asked this so innocently and yet, hearing her say that stung. It stung- quite a lot. My eyes drifted down from her face to my hands clasped together on my lap.
"He's passed away," I whispered. The healer was silent for a moment.
"I'm sorry."
"He had an accident. He jumped into the water to save my mother. And He wasn't the best at monitoring his condition," he never was. She nodded slowly.
"Was he aware you inherited it?"
"He knew. He worried more about me than himself. Drove me up the wall at the time. He made me go to every healer's appointment and bought me this really fancy pink water bottle so I could carry it everywhere and he made my best friend watch over me like a hawk. He did everything he could to make my life better. To make it easier. But he never cared about himself. I think his greatest regret in life wasn't that he had heart problems. It's that I have it," my finger twitched. My bottom lip quivered a little as my eyes just stared down blankly at nothing. I let out a low, pained chuckle "If he was still here, I would've shoved those meds down his throat." The healers took her time responding to this, sensing the mood.
"But you don't want to take medication?"
"I already don't have a period, on top of my condition. I'm done not being normal. father didn't take medication, and I'm not going to either." The healers' eyes glued onto me in this studying manner. It's as if she was trying to figure out the meaning behind my words.
"Are you doing this to punish yourself?" She tilted her head at me "You couldn't save his life, so you're not going to take the proper measures to ensure your own?" That was blunt of her to ask and I appreciated her sincerely. I grinned sadly, shaking my head.
"My father made his choices; he's responsible for what happened to him. Yes, wish that I did more, or rather that I made him do more for his own health. It's just my father wanted so much for me and we both knew my condition didn't help anything. I know I'm not normal but I like to pretend I am. I feel like if I take medication for this particular condition, it's like admitting I have a problem. I can get over the period thing since it's super convenient not to have one and lots of women choose not to have a period," I look down at my lap "But no one chooses to take heart medication unless there's a serious problem," my eyes lowered again. Yet another pause ensued.
"You don't want to admit there's a problem?"
"It's not that, Well, maybe it is. I don't know. All I know is that I saw how much my condition worried my father, and I worried about him. I don't want to be a burden on anyone else like that. I can take care of myself just fine. I didn't want my father to have to do that back then. I hated seeing him worry so much. I loved him. He was my favourite person in the world. It felt like it was my job to worry about him; not the other way around," bizarre as that may sound coming from a daughter about a father. The healer's eyebrow raised up. I flashed her a small grin.
"So you still don't want the medication, then?" She then asked. I let out a sigh, hopped off the bed and walked over to the window. Thor would freak out if I left here without at least a prescription, but I really didn't want to take it. My father worried so much over me near the end of his life. I don't want anyone else to see me as not normal in the world. I was already an Elf freak with powers that I couldn't control. I didn't need people pitying me. I didn't want to be a burden. Another long sigh fell from my mouth. I gently shut my eyes.
"I'll take a prescription and keep the pills as a backup. Can't hurt. I can use it in case it ever gets too much to handle."
"I think that is a good idea," she pulled out her prescription pad. I watched her write down the material on its blank page. I thought about what the healer said a moment ago. Did I want to punish myself for what happened to my father? Is that perhaps why I have such an aversion to marriage or love in general? Because I don't want anyone to replace father to me? Maybe I don't want anyone to worry about me the way he worried because it's not him. I thought that maybe if I was normal then I didn't need to get married because no one would have to worry about me, and at some point, I equated worrying with control. I want to be normal, but I've never given much thought as to why before. I can't help but wonder why.
"Thank you, ma'am," I smiled as took the paper and left the office.

"So what did the doctor say?" Thor asked the moment he saw me. I sighed as I handed my prescription note over to the lady behind the desk.
"I got some tablets to take for when it gets really bad but I am fine. Like I knew I was. I was just a little dehydrated," I sighed as I leaned on the desk.
"Are you sure?" The nurse came back with the tablets.
"Yes. I am sure," I nodded. I thanked the nurse and Thor held his arm out for me.
"Come on. back to the hotel. You need to rest,"
"Can we get some food? I am starving," I asked as I hugged his arm.
"I believe there is a fruit stall around the corner," Thor grinned. I leaned into his side.

On the way back to the hotel, We did indeed stop off at the fruit shop and got some strawberries.
"These are so sweet," I exclaimed as I happily munched on a big strawberry. Thor let out a loud chuckle.
"They do look rather nice for this time of year," He said as he picked one and ate it "Hmm. These are sweet. We should have got more,"

I decided to take a nap when we got back to the hotel. It was not as easy to fall asleep without Loki but I still slept. But I dreamt of my father again.

We were in the hospital after the first time I had an issue with my heart. The healers said I had the same heart condition as my father. We had found this out because when I arrived at school that morning, I didn't go to class. Instead, I went straight to the bathroom to vomit my guts out. My chest felt like was on fire; like someone was sticking a hot poker into it repeatedly. I lay there in sheer agony in the nurse's office, throwing up uncontrollably until my father came to pick me up ten minutes later. He took me straight to the hospital.

After some tests and x-rays, it was confirmed that I was dangerously dehydrated and that in turn hurt this condition neither of us knew I had. I was in a bed in a hospital room on a high floor, with an IV stuck in my arm. I always hated needles, and having one in my arm for hours was not my idea of a good time. (Though I will be honest, I was more upset that I missed history with Mrs Giles than I was being in the hospital)

My father was beside himself with a handful of different emotions. He was mad but not at me. Rather he kept yelling at the healer, demanding a second opinion. He didn't believe that I inherited his heart condition but as I grew older, I believe that he didn't want to believe until three different healers and Queen Frigga eventually confirmed it. That's when my father's emotions changed from rage to being distraught. He collapsed down onto the stool beside my bed with his face buried in both his hands. He didn't speak or do anything for hours. In the end, I fell asleep. I was feeling better but still in a lot of pain. It was then I learned that getting dehydrated was a dangerous game to play.

Sometime later I woke up in a quiet, empty hospital room. The first thing I saw was the ceiling since I was currently lying on my back. The arm with the IV in it tucked when I tried to move it, forgetting temporarily that the IV was still in there. I winced, suddenly recalling earlier events and rested my arm back down again. My other arm was also difficult to move and when I spun my head to the side, I found Father fast asleep. He was holding my right hand in both of his. I watched him for a moment, not wanting to wake him. It seems that he has not left my side since we got here; not even for an instance. He'd stayed with me this whole time. I shuffled somehow and he began to stir. His eyes cracked open a tad, this soft warm smile shining up at me. He didn't move his weary head off the covers.
"How are you feeling, sapling?"
"Go back to sleep, Father. I didn't mean to wake you," I cooed in reply. He must be so tired; no wonder he fell asleep sitting up. His head nudged a little.
"You ok, princess? Tell father what you need. Does your heart still hurt? Do you want some more medicine?" My head shook lightly, my eyes not leaving Father's gaze.
"I'm just a little sleepy."
"me too. Don't worry, sapling; you can go back to sleep. I'll take care of everything; you just rest."
"But you're tired too, father. I don't want you to have to stay on my account." His eyes transfixed on me, his eyes lowering. His hands gave mine a tight, loving squeeze.
"No, my little sapling. Don't think like that. I want to be here with you. You are never a burden. not to anyone who loves you. Any man who loves you will be happy to stay and hold your hand like this. For as long as you need. I want to be here, little sapling." After another minute of silence, my father's bottom lip began to tremble uncontrollably; his whole jaw was practically vibrating. A stream of tears started dripping down from his eyes. While now clenching onto my hand, his upper half lowered so he could hide his face from me. This was the first and the only time I'd see my father cry.
"Father?" I tucked my hair behind my ear as I sat up a little.
"I'm sorry, Willow. I'm so, so sorry."