Doctor & Nurse

Chapter 45

"Mom? Dad?" I mumble, my eye falling onto a woman and man who look eerily similar to my dead parents. The woman whispers, "Tris, honey, you gave us all quite the scare. We thought we had lost you," her warm fingertips touch my cheek. I reply, "I'm sorry, mom. I thought dad, and you were dead. I thought I was never going to be able to see you again." My eyes dart to the floor, unable to look at her. Embarrassment floods my chest at how careless I have been with my life. Dad kneels nearby, staring into my eyes, "Sweetheart, we are always with you, even when you can't see us," his hand reaches for mine. I cry, "I miss you both," wrapping my arms around my parents. Mom turns to me, commanding, "You need to go back home." Stubbornly, I ask, "Why do I? I want to stay here with you!" She pushes my hair behind my ear, "No, you don't, Tris. Our time on earth is over. We want you to live a long life. Tobias loves you very much. We will always be with you in here," her hand touches my chest where my heart is. I pout, "I don't want to. I want to stay here!" Mom reprimands me, "You need to take better care of yourself. If you die, think of how much that will hurt him! Tobias has already lost his grandparents and his family. You are his family now. Take care of one another, grow old together, and love one other with every fiber of your being like I have loved your brother, you, and your father. Never take a moment for granted with one another." Tears well in my eyes at her words, "I won't. I'll miss you. I love you." Mom wraps her arms around me, whispering, "I love you. If you are ever missing me, look in the mirror, and I'll be standing invisibly next to you." Turning from mom's arms into dad's outstretched arms, he murmurs, "I love you. I'm so proud of the woman you have become. Every day, you make me proud. I will always love you, no matter what. I wish I could have been there to walk you down the aisle on your wedding day, but fate had other plans for me. Marry Tobias. He is a good man." I whisper, "I love you," hugging him tightly, breathing in his scent one more time. Taking a step away from them. My parents smile at me, touch my arms together, pushing me backward toward a blinding white light in the distance.

My eyes fly open to find an anxious-looking Tobias standing over me. A small crowd of people has gathered around me, lying on the mall floor. Relief fills his eyes when he notices I'm awake. He picks me off the floor, shooting me a stern look. I don't dare speak to him. I wave goodbye to Christina from his arms while he carries me out to the car. We drive in silence, the tension radiating off him. I attempt to gather my courage to speak to him. Every few minutes, he glances at me from the corner of his narrowed eyes. He looks pissed off. If looks could kill, I would be dead, or someone would be. I croak, "What happened?" His eyes snap to mine. An expression of relief crosses his features but is quickly replaced with a look of anger once again. His fingers drum against the steering wheel. His eyes snap shut, reopen, frustration laces his voice, he says, "What happened? Why don't you tell me what happened, Tris?" I don't answer him. I can't. He continues, "I'll tell you what happened! You have been lying to me about taking care of yourself for weeks! I had to leave work early to come to you. I got a panicking phone call from Chris because you had passed out on the floor of the mall. She had no idea what to do! I was worried you had died or something! She checked your breathing. You were still thankfully alive. I had her check your blood sugar, and it was six hundred! I had her check your meter log to see what your blood sugar was earlier before dinner, and low and behold, you haven't checked it in weeks! Weeks, Tris! Are you trying to kill yourself? Your insulin vial still had its cap on! I know it isn't a new one either since that was the last one in the house. Don't try that excuse with me, either! Do you not love me anymore? Why aren't you taking care of yourself? I understand you are angry and upset your parents died, but they would not want you to do this to yourself! They would want you to keep living your life and to take care of yourself! Do you know how scared I was when I got that phone call from Christina? I thought I lost you! I sped to the mall, hoping I would make it in time. I thought you were in a coma. I had Chris give you some insulin before I arrived. It must have been enough to bring your glucose down to wake you up. I should be bringing you to the hospital, you are probably in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), but against my better judgment, I'm not." Tears roll down my face from Tobias's harsh words and his severe tone. Tobias hardly ever yells at me. I feel like I'm being scolded by my parents. Although, if they were alive, they would probably be doing the same thing that Tobias is doing.