Uplifted by you

24

Now

Hospital

A place I loathed. There was this aura of sadness that came with it, followed it around like a tick. It was a reminder of what I went through. A reminder of how I was probed and questioned until I couldn't take anymore of it.

Yet, I had visited it for a loved one and here I was again to see yet another person I had grown to deeply care about.

Blocking out my feelings as I had done a couple of times I had to visit my mother in-law when her health and treatment required her to be in the hospital, I stepped inside the health center and made my way to one of the nurses at the front desk "Good Morning" Her head spiked up from what she was originally occupied with to take a look at me at the sound of my voice.

"Morning" She replied with a slight smile on her. She seemed friendly.

"I'm here to see a patient, a child, her name's Kathy. She was admitted here today"

"Last name?"

I didn't know. I was about to ask the nurse how she could be of help since I couldn't give her a last name or better still, I could just give Andrew a call. I held a finger up to the nurse signalling I needed a minute and looked through my bag for my phone. I was at it when I heard Andrew's voice.

I looked up and the look on his face broke my heart. His eyes were bloodshot and his hair looked slightly disheveled like he had run his hands through it a lot of times. My guess was that it was due to lack of sleep or he had been boiling his eyes out.

What was he going through?

Of course his sister was in the hospital. He didn't really give me the details over the phone but hearing Kathy was in the hospital was alone to bring me here. I couldn't help but wonder what brought them here though. I just hoped it wasn't anything serious.

"You came?" He questioned, doubt laced in his voice.

Did he think I wouldn't show up or I would ignore him?

Who does that?

He walked towards me, a bottle of water in hand.

"Of course. I told you I would, didn't I? You just told me your sister is in the hospital Andrew and needed my help urgently. Of course I'd be here. Is she sick?"

"Thank you and I'm sorry for troubling you. I didn't know who else to call. My friend and his mom are out of town. I couldn't reach my boss..."

I placed my hand on his arm "Andrew, there's nothing to thank me for. How is she? Can I see her now?"

He nodded and together we went back to the same nurse at the front desk and after the necessities, I was taken to see Kathy.

My breathe hitched. I could have taken her to be sleeping peacefully if not for the bandage around her head and the slight bruise on her cheekbone as I got closer to her. I sat beside her sleeping form and held her small hand in mine, careful not to wake her up.

"What happened Andrew?" I questioned, looking at him on the other side of the bed where he sat with his shoulders hunched.

"I..umm..the floor was slippery and she fell while taking her bath this morning" I couldn't pinpoint what gave him away but I knew he wasn't telling me the truth.

"Please tell me what really happened and not the version you told the nurses or doctors here" I raised my eyebrow and for the first time since we got to the bed assigned to his sister he looked at me.

He averted his eyes "Fuck!" He cursed and I chastised him for it. I didn't really like when people curse around me. Christian had had it from me but didn't get him to stop though, however it dwindled "I'm sorry." Andrew apologized.