Mikhail

19

I forced my eyes open to the view of a middle aged woman looking down on me. It was doctor Marina, and she was sitting beside me on a bed.

“Mikail, I'm glad you're awake.” She said. “How are you feeling?”

Montse rushed to stand beside her, sighing in relief. I smiled weakly at her.

“Not much better than before I passed out.” I groaned, realizing how slurry my voice sounded. “What's happening to me, doctor?”

“The wound on your thigh; it's infected. What were you thinking swimming in a lake with a wound like that?”

Montse covered her mouth, eyes wide. “This is all my fault. I shouldn't have pulled you into the lake.”

“Well, I can't blame you, Montserrat. Your man here is very handsome and manly and you just relished it in the lake. You must've been a bit rough, I guess. Oh good old days.”

She sighed, a dreamy look settling on her face as she sighed. It took Montserrat some seconds to catch unto her meaning. Her cheeks turned red immediately.

“No, doctor. It's not what you think.”

“Oh, it's fine.” Doctor Marina said, wiggling her eyebrows.

Montse turned even more crimson. Damn she looked so beautiful and innocent like that. I tried to chuckle.

“That,” The doctor began, returning her attention to me. “and you're not a pundit at stitching yourself up. That's why the stitches ripped.”

“Touché.”

“Montserrat, now that he's awake, could you please go prepare something for him to eat? His body needs all nutrition to help fight the infection quicker.”

Montse scurried out of the room quicker than anybody could say 'Jack'. Doctor Marina looked at me.

“I wanted to ask why you didn't go to the hospital instead, then I realized such things could be hard to explain, even if you were the good guy.”

“Actually, that's not the reason I wanted to be treated at home.” I breathed. “I just hate hospitals.”

She chuckled. “Figured out as much.”

“Thank you for agreeing to take time off your schedule to come, doctor.”

“You know you don't have to thank me. A year ago, you saved my daughter's life from those kidnappers. I meant what I said when I told you I owed you my life. I've been waiting for your call since. I'm glad I finally have the opportunity to do something for you, as small as it is.”

She placed a small hand on my larger one. “No doubt Montse is in love with you. She told me you got shot while trying to rescue...”

I must've given her a funny look because she paused and stared at me funny. “She hasn't told you how she feels?”

The only thing Montse had said after she'd seen me with Helena was that she'd caught feelings for me. She'd said nothing about love. Had she confessed to doctor Marina?

“I mean she didn't tell me that exactly, but I know a woman in love when I see one, young man. The way she looks at you, worries about you. She's in love."

I wanted to tell her that Montse was worried because she had a kind heart and cared about me. Hell, she'd been worried when a little bird had been beaten by the rain.

But I didn't particularly feel like I had enough energy to expend on talking.

“Anyways, I need to get going. The hospital is going to wonder why I'm still not in.” She said, rising from the bed.