The Man Next Door

Chapter 7: Pull Me Closer

Patrick was sitting outside of Vera's assigned room, slumped in a chair he was anxiously tapping his fingertips against the arm of the chair. This was taking longer than he thought. He was sitting on the opposite side of the room where he could just about see a segment of the room through the door pane.

"Hello," the kind doctor says as he steps out of the room with his papers, "you must be Mr. Miller."

"Uh, no I'm actually" Patrick mutters, standing up from his chair he swiftly brushed himself down, taking a look down at himself before up at the doctor.

"After testing for syncope or pre-near syncope," the doctor continued, "Mrs. Farmiga has tested negative for any possible disease."

"Oh, that's good," Patrick nods, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he peeks through the crack of Vera's door.

"This isn't the first time she's fainted or perhaps fallen unconscious correct?" the doctor says, pulling papers off of his clipboard, "so tell me what you know, has she been on any medication? does she have a family history of fainting?"

"No, I believe she's only fainted twice before this," Patrick informs, "the second time around I was there to help her gain consciousness."

"Do you think I'd be best if we put her on any medication? Perhaps see a psychiatrist because of what she's been seeing-,"

"Can I see her?" Patrick asks softly, taking the papers as the doctor hands them to him.

"Yes you can, but as a relative of Mrs. Farmiga you're required to answer these questions beforehand."

"I'm not her husband, or any type of family for that matter, I'm just a close friend," Patrick says, beginning to walk off after handing the papers back to the doctor, "her husband, Mr. Sebastian Miller, is being treated for alcohol-poisoning so maybe once he's himself he'll gladly tell you all about Vera's family or whatever it is that you need."

Before the doctor could stop him he stumbled passed the door, taking a pump of hand sanitizer before climbing further into the room, "Hey," he smiles in a whisper, noticing Vera eyes opening, already smiling back at him.

"Hey," Vera chuckles quietly, her eyes following him as he pulls a chair from the wall, taking a seat next to her.

"So how are you feeling?"

"Dizzy," Vera mumbles, pressing her wrist against her forehead, "did they put me on medication or something?"

"They've only tested your blood," Patrick smirks, gently turning her arm over, revealing a piece of cloth under a bandage, "and hooked you up to a machine due to dehydration."

"Oh," Vera laughs, running her finger over the plaster, "did I hit my head again? What happened?"

"I-I don't know," Patrick shrugs, upset that he couldn't pinpoint what exactly happened to her, "I found you on the floor passed out when Sebastian came to my house drunk, claiming that you fainted."

"Well, where is Sebastian? Is he alright?"

"He's being treated," Patrick nods, comfortingly running his hand over her arm, "he's got alcohol poisoning."

"Alcohol-poisoning?", Vera says in shock, shaking her head in disbelief and looking down as a wave of heat ran over her, "I don't believe it"

"Gosh, that marks still there," Patrick interrupts with a sigh, leaning in closer to get a better look at the side of her face, "does your face sting a bit?"

"What mark?" Vera questions, placing her cold hand on her face out of instinct.

"The big red mark on your face," Patrick clarifies, "it was already there when I found you unconscious, who knows who put it there."

"It doesn't hurt, I feel fine," Vera reassures as she looks into Patrick's eyes, which were clearly expressing concern and defeat.

"It isn't your fault, Patrick," Vera says in a mutter. Her throat felt like the Atacama Desert, causing her voice to come out sounding rough. Before letting her go on, Patrick hands her a glass of water, which sat on the stand next to her hospital bed. "Thanks," Vera softly chuckles, taking a sip of water before carefully handing it back to him, "You didn't know. How could you have known?"

"I-I probably could've forced you to stay for that cup of tea," Patrick jokes, happy to see Vera burst into a lively chuckle.

"Stop it," Vera says, failing to keep a serious tone with him, "it hurts when I laugh."

"It hurts when you laugh?" Patrick smiles, "Well then you must've busted a rib. Or whatever else might've broken your fall."

"Oh, so you're a doctor now?" Vera mocks, playfully punching his shoulder.

"Perhaps I am," Wilson says raising an eyebrow at her, causing her to let out another laugh.