If I Were A Boy (camren)

Chapter Twenty-Eight

The doctor's haven't been coming in to check on me lately. It's mostly been various nurses who visit only to rearrange my bed sheets or get me something to eat or drink. I had started physical therapy a few weeks ago, and it's a real pain in my ass. Not only is the instructor older than life and has the most monotone voice, but the exercises seem useless. 

No, Lauren, he says, move your mouth in circles, Lauren. 

To top it all off, I've seen Camila out of her wheelchair and roaming around the hallways on walkers or some other contraption this hospital can magically pull out. Yet here I am, still being cooped up in my assigned room. She hasn't come to see me ever since Dinah brought her, and I think it's because she can now choose where she wants to go. Dinah, on the other hand, has stopped over a couple of times- twice for just a conversation and once when she was accidentally accredited to fix some things up in my area.

Only yesterday, I was moved from CCU which was a floor specified to patients with cardiac issues, to the ICU. That sent alarms off in my head because something was definitely not right. Escaping would be much more difficult now since I was being surveyed. 

"Hey," Dinah's voice entered the room. I didn't remove my stare from the facing wall, but I could still see the gentle smile she sent my way. "I'm guessing you still can't talk? That's okay, I'm perfectly fine with doing all the talking."

I glanced away from the surface to settle my eyes on the unexpected nurse who was approaching my bedside, only to place a tray of medicine on my end table. She sighed and turned back around, making her way towards the visiting armchair that was positioned in the corner of the room. 

"They're moving me to the MICU soon. It gives me the chill to know that I'm going to be working with people who have chronic diseases and serious illnesses. I might even have to wear a mask! Those paper things suffocate the life out of me," Dinah continued as she plopped herself down, "I'm guessing you've seen Mila?"

I shrugged with an added nodded. 

"It's insane. She's getting ready for her operation right now actually."

Dinah noticed my eyes bug out of my head immediately, "She'll be fine, Laur. Over the past few weeks the doctors wanted to see how well she could walk, believing she would need more work, but she showed them the complete opposite of what they expected and proved them wrong. The surgery is only to move her spine an inch or two because it's really out of place."

I buried my face into my outstretched hands and allowed the silent sobs to be released. Of course I didn't want to cry in front of Dinah, but this was too much. What if I had never found her? What if I did find her, but only a few seconds too late? I rubbed at my eyes lazily before I tilted my head to look at the owner of the comforting hand. 

"You want to go on a walk?" Dinah asked with a soothing tone. I shook my head and swept the thin cover  away from my legs. 

Dinah had carefully made sure my IV needle was still connected to my arm when she had wheeled the cart to my side. We had made our way down the buidling's hallways in complete silence, comfortable silence. The guiding nurse finally spoke up when we were passing the aroma filled food court.

"Have you eaten anything today?" Dinah questioned and let go of her grip on my hand lightly. I freed a deep breath that came out has a sigh, alerting my friend that I had not. She reached at my arm and rubbed it soothingly, "My treat. Stay right here, okay?"

It seemed like it was forever from the last time I had actually smiled, and Dinah seemed to take note of the grin that my lips twisted up into. She disappeared into the cramped crowd of people right when I decided to take in my surroundings of the main floor. There weren't many families or visitors around, but there was enough citizens to call it a busy hour. One specific male standing by the centered desk caught my eye and he made my left eyebrow raise suspiciously.