HER LAUGHTER

THE DATE

POV YUE
Going to Dylan's house to celebrate the beginning of the new year ... I've been thinking about his offer for days.
It would certainly be better than staying here.  And I already know that I'd have fun ... With Dylan I always have fun.
But I can not.  He's too kind to me.  He can't always worry about my problems and my troubles.  He will end up getting tired of me.
And how could he handle me? It's easier here in the hospital, but at home?
"Good morning, Yue!"
Nurse Chya enters my room and lays my medicines on the cupboard with a bottle of water.
Before leaving, she hesitates for a moment and then comes back to my bed.
"Can I ask you something?"
I nod, surprised.
"You and Dr. Wang ... Well ... What is the relationship between you two?"
Oh.  What a question!
"We are friends" I reply.
"Just friends?"
"Yes, just friends".
"I see! So if I invited him for a date, it wouldn't bother you ... Right?"
I burst out laughing.
"Of course not!"  I exclaim.
She smiles at me and shakes my hands affectionately, then leaves.
You're lucky, Doctor Clown!

POV CAESAR
Me and Dylan join our two friends, Darren and Connor, in the hospital canteen.
They are doctors too ... Darren is a gynecologist, while Connor is a urologist.
"Hey! Today rice with chicken!"  Connor smiles enthusiastically.
As soon as we sit down at the table, Chya, a nurse from my department, approaches us.
"Good morning, doctors! Er ... Dylan, can I talk to you for a second?" she  asks to our friend.
He blushes and remains staring at her without words.  What a fool!
That girl has been buzzing around him for a long time!  What is him waiting for ?!
"If you intend to ask him for a date, just know that he willingly accepts! He has long wanted to ask you to go out with him, but he is a shy boy ..." I tell her.
Her face lights up with joy.
"What ?! Actually I ..."
Before Dylan can finish the sentence, Connor elbows him and shushes him.
"Wait for him tonight at Lilli's Restaurant ... At 9pm," Darren intervenes, with a big smile.
Chya nods and skips happily towards the exit.
"ARE YOU STUPID OR WHAT?!"  Dylan explodes, angry.
"My friend, you were standing there like a fool! You should thank us, now you have a date with the prettiest nurse in the hospital!"  Connor grins.
"But I didn't want a date!"  complains Dylan.
"Oh, please! It's a life you haven't been dating a girl," sighs Darren.
He doesn't answer and shakes his head indignantly.
"It's for the ballet dancer, isn't it?"  I ask him.
"What? The ballet dancer? Are you still visiting her every day in her room? How long has this story been going on?"  Connor looks at me first and then at Dylan, curious.
"For months now. I think our friend had a nice crush on her," I say, holding back a smile.
"That's not true! Aaaah, I'm leaving. You're stupid," Dylan mumbles, leaving us laughing.
"It has definitely a nice crush" comments Darren.

POV DYLAN
What kind of friends I have!
I don't want to go out with Chya ...
I want to go to Yue!  I want ... I just want her.  I look in the mirror and adjust my shirt.
Should I call her and tell her I can't go to our date?
No, it wouldn't be polite ...
Damn!
Ok ... But before I go to her, I want to go say hello to Yue.
When I left the hospital, she was busy doing the exercises with Caesar and I didn't want to disturb her.
I take the car keys and leave my apartment.
I only have an hour before it's 9pm ... I have to move!
I drive as fast as I can towards the hospital and once I arrive, I rush down the corridors until I reach Yue's room.
Inside there is Caesar ... She looks asleep.
My friend beckons me to be quiet.
"Today I had her do some really tough exercises, so she's very weak now. Don't wake her up, okay? She must rest. And don't forget your date!"  he tells me, in a whisper.
I nod and wait for him to leave the room, before sitting next to Yue's bed.
I take her hand and caress her slowly.
Her eyes open slightly.
"Dylan?"  she whispers, her voice weak.
"Yes, it's me ... How do you feel? Caesar told me he made you work a lot today" I smile at her.
"Tired" she answers.
She looks really weak ... She struggles to move and can't keep her eyes completely open.  I hate seeing her like this!  Was it really necessary to make her work so hard ?!
"I'll let you rest, ok? Sleep, my little dancer" I kiss her on the forehead and get up.
Her eyes are closed now, but her eyebrows remain frowned in an expression of pain ...
I still have forty minutes left ...
I look at her and my heart tightens.
Do I really want to leave her at a time like this?
No I don't want to.  I can not.
Ok, I'll stay here for a few more minutes and then I'll go.
I go back and sit beside her and gently stroke her face, until the fine lines on her forehead relax.
I love to admire her delicate features and long eyelashes ... She looks like a child ... And she's beautiful.

POV YUE
I wake up in the middle of the night and realize I am not alone.
Dylan is sleeping with his head resting on my bed and holding me by the hand.
That fool ... He must be really uncomfortable in that position!
With a little effort, I raise my other hand and try to touch his face to wake him up.
He immediately opens his eyes, alarmed.
"What's going on? Are you okay?"  he asks me immediately.
I nod and smile at him, moved by the worry I see in his eyes.
"Go home, you're uncomfortable," I tell him.
Even talking costs me a lot of effort.  Dr. Wu will pay me, I swear.
"I'm very comfortable, don't worry. You go back to sleep, it's still night" he whispers to me.
We look each other in the eyes for a few moments.
He can't even imagine how grateful I am for his friendship ... No one has ever taken such care of me as he is doing.
"Are you thirsty? Do you want to eat something?"  he asks me.
"Dylan?"
"Yup?"
"I want to wait for the new year with you".
His eyes light up like two small fireflies and his happy smile warms my heart.  Why?  Why does he care so much about me?  Why doesn't he stay away from all my messes?
"Thanks," he replies, gently embracing me.
The tiredness prevails again on my body ... Dylan realizes it and helps me to settle myself better in the bed, and then fixs my blankets.
"Sleep, okay?" he  tells me.
"You go home, though," I reply.
"I will leave as soon as you sleep, I promise."
I send him a small kiss from a distance and he opens his eyes wide.
"Ahyo, Shen Yue! Are you trying to seduce me ?!"  he laughs, bringing a hand to his chest in a melodramatic way.
"I've already seduced you," I wink.
"In your dreams" he grins.
Grateful.  I'm really grateful.

POV CAESAR
It's afternoon and I see Dylan coming from afar.  He must have just finished his shift with children.
He heads for Yue's room, but Chya stops him suddenly and ...
Damn it!  She just slapped him!
Dylan says something, lowering his head, but I can't hear him.
This morning I found him asleep in Yue's room ... Surely he didn't show up for his date with Chya last night ...
Ok my friend.  You deserved that slap.
Damn, that girl has strength in those hands!

Author's corner
Ciao!
Um ... I'm late for a meeting and I still find myself writing here, while I dry my hair ... Ouch!  Now I'm going, now I'm going!  😂
A big hug,
Lucrezia