Little Wonder (Phan)

Thirty-Six.

We'd been here two days, it was Friday, and I still hadn't made a choice. Phil hadn't really left the couch the entire time, but I took some time to walk around. The hospital was pretty nice, and the people here were rather friendly. Especially the nurses, but I think they were just flirty with me and Phil, until they realised we weren't just concerned friends here for the others daughter, but we were, in fact, married and Winnie was our own daughter. They stopped with the flirting after that. "So, I'm taking it everything is to your liking? You've passed by here at least 3 times." And there was that oh so cheerful voice that I had not expected to hear, it was Eliza. She was a new friend I'd acquired thanks to our current situation, but she was a lovely human being, very caring and sweet, and had a lot of patience. That was very important to have in a hospital usually filled with sick children, injured children, or just young children.

Leaning against the wall I watched as she fiddled with Winnie's tubes, they helped fluids get in, seeing as she couldn't exactly drink on her own right now. "Well, of course. But the food could be a bit better, though I'm not about to complain to the chief, have you seen that woman? She would /crush/ me." I heard her giggle, a nod of agreement, and then she turned around towards me, her dark eyes sadly smiling at me, along with her face. She was never really good at looking me in the eyes when she was in the same room as Winnie and Phil. I knew she felt bad for both of them, Winnie's reason was obvious. But Phil, he just didn't get enough sleep, you could see the dark circles under his eyes. Everyone thought I was doing just fine, but really, I was good at hiding how tired and drained I was. She also apparently heard him crying at night, when she came in to check on Winnie's condition, but I didn't need her to tell me that, I could hear him myself. Like I said earlier, I'm good at hiding my tiredness.

"Daniel, you and I both know how much you hate hearing the word -- you know, but I really think that you should make a decision, and quick. I know I am nothing more than your nurse, but I consider you a friend, and as one friend to another, you should take it. I've lost a child due to a bullet, it was a stray gunfire, and he happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time." She took a deep, shaky breath, and I was tempted to pull her into my arms, but I knew she would just push me away, at least, that's what's happened before. "His name was Philip as well, kinda funny, isn't it?" She smiled up at me, her dark eyes filled with tears before she shook her head. "I didn't -- I refused the surgery on him, he was 19, he was able to make the choice himself, but he wanted me to make it. I was the nurse, I knew everything, I didn't think he needed it. And I was wrong. I made the wrong choice and I paid for it. Horribly."

And this time, I did bring her into my arms, and she held me close for a moment before pushing me away like I thought she'd have done at first, smiling thankfully at me. "So you really think that we should go through with it?" I looked at Winnie, tears welling up in my own eyes, Eliza was a new person in my life, but she was trustworthy. You know how sometimes you just /knew/ someone was? Well, she was. With a nod, she collected her things and began to exit the room, but I stopped her, holding her hand for a brief moment. "I'll talk about it one more time with Phil, and then we'll see. And between you and me, I consider you a friend as well, a very good one at that." She blushed and thanked me, and I finally let her scamper off.

"You know, we should do it Tuesday. Wait, like we've discussed." Sighing, I turned to see him struggling to sit up, and I scurried over to his side to support him, and he gave me a very thankful smile, pecking my cheek. "Hope is all we've got at this point, and I'm not about to throw away a very hopeful moment. Maybe she won't need the surgery." His smile was worn out, broken down, like he didn't know how to anymore. I pulled him into my arms and smiled, we were both hopefully, but I was depending on Phil's optimism to get us through this difficult time. He leaned up and stole a kiss from my lips, and I pressed back against him, we needed it.