Jason.
I sat down helplessly in front of Eve’s ward. I couldn’t bring myself to go in.
After returning from the emergency exit and sobbing for the nth time, there was nothing else to do than to sit and get lost in thoughts.
I couldn’t think about anything. My head was blank and my eyes looked soulless.
“I think you should all go home and get some rest.” My mom said as she got up from where she also sat and turned to face us all.
I simply glanced at her before looking elsewhere.
“Jason..” she called but I ignored her.
“Jason!” She yelled in a loud voice that caused me to wince before I turned to face her.
“What?” I snapped.
“Don’t go all ‘what’ with me!” She snapped back. Then she sighed heavily and looked at me pitifully.
“You need to go home and get some rest.” She said in a calm voice.
“All of you.” She said pointing at everyone who was seated there.
“I’m not leaving this place.” I managed to say.
“You have to leave this place, go home and take a bath.” She said in concern but I simply shrugged.
“You need to go home, you ran all the way here from work without your coat, you’re all sweaty and you smell like a wild German shepherd.” She said in a slightly raised voice but I didn’t even budge.
“I’m sure Jade has to return home too.” She suddenly said seeing as I wasn’t even listening to what she was saying anymore.
“No, I’m fine.” Jade quickly said which made her roll her eyes.
“This place smells like a skunk hole, you all need to go home, I’m sure Eve will not appreciate you all sitting here and not going home to take a rest.”
“You need to get some sleep.” She repeated in concern but I didn’t care.
“Max, you need to go home and rest.” She said to Max but Max didn’t say anything either.
I turned to face him and I could see that his face was stained with tears and his eyes were red and swollen. And here I thought I looked worse. If it was in another situation, maybe I would be tempted to laugh but not now. Now with what is going on.
“Are you even listening to me?” Mom asked but no one said a word.
We all didn’t want to go home.
No, let me rephrase that.
I don’t want to go home at all. I can’t leave when Eve isn’t awake and her life could be in possible danger. And my potential son or daughter could also be in danger.
No!
I will not be leaving this place tonight.
“Ethan, say something.” Mom urged Ethan but he simply sighed heavily.
“You all have jobs, are you going to abandon them and build a nest here?” She asked but we ignored her.
“The only reason they’re letting you stay is because no one is on this floor.”
“Besides, only one guardian is allowed to stay behind so you all have to leave.” She said again but no one was listening.
“Jade!” She yelled, making me turn to face her once more.
“Take Jason and grandma Nini home.” She said loudly.
“Me too?” Grandma Nini asked with raised brows.
“Yes mom, you’re not going to refuse to leave, are you?” My mom asked grandma Nini.
“Like Jason?” Grandma Nini scoffed.
“One person throwing a tantrum is okay.” She smirked and I almost smiled.
She’s sarcastic even in this situation? I envy her mental health.
“Ethan, you have to take Max home.” She said calmly to Ethan.
“If these two don’t go home now, they’ll be admitted to the hospital.” She said, referring to Max and i.
“I’m not leaving.” I said quietly.
“You are leaving.” She challenged me.
“Even if they have to bundle you out of here, you will leave this hospital, go home, take a bath, get some sleep and come here tomorrow to check up on her.” She said in a harsh tone but I wasn’t even affected.
“I’m not leaving.” I insisted on staying ignoring all what she had said earlier.
“You have to go!” She yelled again but I didn’t care.
I don’t care how much she yells or how loud she yells but I’m not leaving this place.
I’m going to remain seated here until something happens.
I’m going to sit here and keep waiting for a miracle.
She sighed heavily. The hallway was quiet and only the sound of our breathing could be heard.
“Eve is a fighter!” She suddenly yelled, scaring me a bit.
“All what the doctor said are simply speculations and assertions.”
“They’re not facts!”
“I know for a fact that Eve is currently fighting to return to us all.”
“But you all want to stay here and cry like she’s dying?” She scoffed.
“I’m sure you believe she’s going to wake up!”
“So if you truly want her to wake up, you’re going to go home and get some sleep so that you won’t fall sick and end up in a coma before she even wakes up!” She said so quickly that I almost didn’t catch any of the words that she said.
“You have to go home, you have to take a rest, you all have jobs, I’m sure Eve wouldn’t be happy to know that you’re putting all those on hold just to stay here in the hospital doing nothing but crying.” She said quietly after a while.
“I’ll watch over her, I’ll be here and I’ll call each and every one of you if something unusual happens.” She said and sat down after her grand speech.
“Goodnight.” Ethan said as he and Max got up to leave.
Max gave me a look and I nodded in response. I knew he didn’t have the strength to say anything.
Just like me, when he got here earlier, he just started crying without reason because of how bundled up they made Eve look. Although she looked like she was in a peaceful slumber, her head was bandaged and her hands as well. Even though she isn’t using any oxygen mask and she can breathe properly on her own, to me, she looked like she was going to slip away if I dared to move close to her. And then, with the news the doctor gave regarding her health issue, there was no way one wouldn’t cry. Especially if they’re close friends like Max and Eve are.
“Jade..” Mom called from where she sat after Max and Ethan had gone and jade went over to where she sat.
“Can you stay with Jason tonight?” She asked in a low tone but I could hear her anyway.
“I don’t want him to do something drastic.”
“Not that I think he will but sometimes when we’re faced with difficult situations like that, it’s not good to keep it all bottled up like he’s doing.” She said and jade nodded in understanding.
“Stay safe.” Grandma Nini said and disappeared to the elevator.
Jade came to me and I sighed heavily before getting up and leaving the hospital as well.
I knew Eve was in safe hands but I couldn’t help but worry.