A Better Life

The Fourth Roommate

It's currently 3am and I haven't slept a wink. I slowly get up out of bed, my entire body in pain, but I try to ignore it. I take the IV pole and make my way towards the door.

Peeking out, I don't see anybody and try to navigate my way through the halls, trying to find Macy's room.

I don't know for how long I've been walking around when I spot her in the room I was about to pass. I slowly creep to her bed, making sure there's no one there to chase me away.

"I'm sorry" I apologize.

I've seen a bunch of movies where they always talk to the person in a coma and when they wake up, they can remember what was being said to them.

"I tried to warn you, you know." I grab her hand, clasping it with both my hands.

"I shouldn't have worried about what your mom would have thought, at least her scolding or grounding you would have been better than this."

I let go with my left hand, wiping my tears away with the back of it.

"You searching for the deodorant didn't even help, because we never got to spray it on" I whisper. My sobs quietly wracking through my body.

Someone clears their throat behind me, and I jump around. There is a doctor leaning against the door, arms folded over his chest as he stares at me.

I clear my throat, trying to wipe the remaining tears inconspicuously.

"How – how long have you been standing there?"

He doesn't answer me. His eyes roaming over my face, trying to read me.

"I'm sorry, I'll be going."

I'm just about to leave her room when he gently grabs my upper arm. I look up at him, his eyes still scanning my face.

"Do you always apologize when it's not your fault?"

"Uh, no? Yes? I don't know" I let my gaze fall to the floor, zoning in on my sock cladded feet.

"Shouldn't you be resting?"

"Couldn't sleep" I mumble.

"Let's get you back to your room." He says, gently tugging my arm to get me to start walking with him.

"Are you her doctor?" I ask him after a while of walking in uncomfortable silence.

"Yes" We enter the hall where my room is situated, when he adds "I'm also the hospital's psychiatrist."

I will myself not to gulp loudly and give him the faintest smile I can manage.

We enter my room, and he leads me to the bed telling me to get situated as he makes his way to the foot of my bed.

"You should try to get some rest; I doubt Calum would be happy to learn that his patient was roaming the halls at three in the morning."

"He'd probably understand if I told him that his patient was in pain".

"No, that'd only make him cuss out the nurses for not giving you pain medication and then scold you for not just pressing the nurses button" He smiles, flipping through my file.

I huff, but a faint smile reaches my lips.

"How do you know how Calum would react anyways?"

"He's my one of my best friends and we're roommates" He laughs. "We've known each other since the beginning of med school. Stayed friends all throughout our internship and residency, up until this day." He puts the file down and makes his way towards one of the cupboards.

"I'm going to give you something to help with the pain and to help you sleep. Your body needs all the rest it can get to fully recover, or you might be here longer than you want to."

I mumble under my breath that I'd much rather stay here than go back to the orphanage, hoping he didn't hear.

"Look to the other side for me please."

He quickly does the two injections. "You'll be feeling some relieve soon. Hopefully some tiredness as well."

He throws everything away and locks the cupboards again.

"Goodnight Jany."

"You never told me your name, it's kinda stalkerish for you to know mine, but you didn't tell me yours." I mumble, the sleep creeping up on me, obliterating any dignity or shyness I had left.

I hear him laugh, the noise fading in and out.

"It's Ashton. Now sleep, before Calum beats my ass for keeping his patient awake."

Content, I finally close my eyes and then I'm out.