His Words (bxb)

chapter twenty-three

Sunday, October 11, 2020

✧noah✧

I wince slightly as the nurse sharply inserts the needle in the top of my hand, clearly frustrated. You see, this was his fourth time inserting the needle and attempting to draw blood, as all the other veins he tried were too narrow. Funnily enough, that was never an issue with Nurse Aidan.

I hear another loud groan and look down to find yet another empty test tube. The nurse holds the tube with one hand while he turns around and uses the other to search his tray for something. He turns back with a syringe draw in his hands which he carefully attaches to the end of the tube sticking out of my arm, the deep scowl remaining on his face. A moment later, I wince again at the odd feeling in my hand as the nurse quite literally sucks the blood out of me. After filling three tubes with my precious blood, the nurse packs up his tray and leaves the room with a huff.

I sit in absolute silence for a couple minutes, just looking around the room. I can't say I will miss this place - not even in the slightest - but that doesn't mean that it holds no value to me. I glance at the armchair that held many visitors - Elijah and his mother, the officers who interrogated me, Ava and Charlotte, Dr. Willow, Cheryl and Conan. I shift my attention to the bathroom, reminded of all the embarrassing scenarios that played out in there with the nurses. I look out the glazed window, reminded of my first day here when all I could do was stare out into the world and cry.

My trip down memory lane is interrupted by a knock on the door. I look towards it to find Dr. Evans stepping into the room with a wide smile, holding a clipboard in his hands.

"Good morning, Noah. How were the tests this morning? Did everything run okay?" he asks kindly, approaching my bed. I nod before saying, "Yup. There was a bit of trouble with the blood test, but nothing too major."

"We have most of your results in, but obviously the blood test will take a couple hours. How are you feeling in terms of food? A nurse should be here any minute now with your breakfast," he says, glancing at the watch on his wrist.

I had to fast for twelve hours before taking the blood test this morning, meaning the last time I ate was at eight o'clock last night. I can't go as far as to say that I am hungry, but I will probably finish my plate a little easier and a little faster than usual.

"It was a little weird missing breakfast considering I've been having it at the exact same time everyday for the past two weeks," I explain, to which Dr. Evans nods understandingly.

"As I said, the results will take a couple hours so after breakfast, you are free to do whatever you want for a while. I think Elijah is in the waiting room with his mother, so if you'd like me to let him in, I'd be more than happy to. After we check that the results are in and Mrs. Beckett and Mrs. and Mrs. Simone have signed all the paperwork, you can finally go home," he finishes with a wide smile.

I watch Dr. Evans as he steps closer to me and nods questioningly at an empty spot on my bed. I nod and he sits down on it, placing his clipboard to the side and taking off his white coat. I give him a curious look. "You're not speaking to Dr. Evans anymore. Right now, you're just speaking to Ezra," he explains. "So, Noah... how was your experience staying in this hospital for the past two weeks?"

"It wasn't too bad, the bed was comfy and the food was okay-"

"Noah. I'm not asking about how the bed was or how the food was. I'm asking about you," he says firmly, yet you can't miss the caring undertones in his voice.

I am silent for a moment, contemplating whether I should give him an honest answer or a bullshit one. Upon one final look at the kind and compassionate look in his eyes, I decide he deserves to know the truth.