Cottage on the Hill (MxMxMxMxM)

Chapter Thirty-five

6:54am, Friday November 13th

The lamp beside the bed turned on and I blinked, squinting into the light. The figure tidying up the bedside table glanced down at me and smiled. Nina seems to be solely my nurse, but I know she has other patients. I wonder why no other nurses attend to me, but she attends to other people. Surely the hospital can't be that well staffed.

"Good morning, Elliot. How are you feeling today?"

I pushed myself up onto my arms and waited until she'd moved the bed so I wasn't lying flat anymore. When I'd gone to sleep properly last night, James had fixed all my pillows so I was cocooned. He'd then gotten in trouble from a night nurse and was told to get out. He only went down to his office, though, so he isn't far and can get up here fairly quickly. "I'm alright," I responded, accepting my first medication from her and downing it quickly.

"Good. You get to go home today if all goes well. When james comes back up I'll have him give you your shot since you missed it yesterday." She fixed my blankets and started recording my vitals. "Are you feeling hungry at all?"

"A little. I'll try breakfast," I said softly, coughing the scratch out of my throat. Nina gave me a disapproving look, but didn't say anything. She checked my temperature again. I shivered a little.

"You are a little cold. I'm going to get you a heat pack and then I'll sort out some breakfast for you. Do you think you'll be alright to eat once you get home if I take out the gastric tube?" she asked.

"I'd like to say yes, but who knows what will happen." I shrugged. It's easier admitting these things when my partners aren't around. Nina nodded knowingly.

"We'll take it out, but if you're struggling to eat over the next week we can have a new one put in, sound good?"

I nodded and fixed the folds of my blankets, then pulled my knees up to sit more upright. She left to get some heat packs. I assume I'll have the tube taken out at some point today, probably before the ATG but after my medication because she knows it makes me feel sick and I might change my mind about having it.

"Right. Hassel has ordered a blood test this morning and I'm going to fast track the results so you can go home this afternoon after your ATG." She set up the little vials, then set my arm on the table. I looked away as she took a sample, closed off the cannula, and reattached my IV drip, which I'm pretty sure I pumped full of anti-nausea and pain medication, as well as fluids. I'm fully aware I'm not drinking enough.

Nina took the sample with her when she left. I wonder where James is? He should've been up by now. Maybe he's got to work all day?

"Good morning, my love," James said, as if I'd summoned him with my thoughts. "How are you feeling today?"

"A little better than yesterday."

James kissed the top of my head and checked my chart, then the monitor. "Has Nina taken your temperature today?"

I hummed, nodding.

"And it was good?"

"I was a little cold."

"Better than warm. Got heat packs?" He eyed the flat lumps beside my leg lumps under the blankets. "Good. Hungry?" He raised a brow.

I nodded slowly. Yes, but I don't want any complicated food, I thought, frowning at my lap. James was silent for a few minutes while he read through the chart again, and yesterday's chart. He hummed approvingly before slotting it back into it's shelf and coming over to me, smiling stupidly.

"I love you." He reached out and wrapped his hand around mine, kissing my knuckles.

"I love you, too." I cocked my head to one side before leaning forwards and kissing him softly. He hummed against my lips, I smiled. When I pulled back, Nina came in carrying a tray of breakfast and what I'm guessing is the rest of my medication. James stepped aside and chuckled at me evidently flushed face. I'm glad she didn't walk in five seconds earlier.