A Stitch In Time 3

She slowly regains consciousness, her eyelids fluttering open to reveal the sterile, fluorescent-lit hospital room. The antiseptic scent lingers in the air, a reminder of her proximity to illness. She sighs in relief, realizing she's safe and alive. The softness of the hospital bed cradled her weary body, offering a rare comfort in this unfamiliar place.

As she sits up, a sudden rush of panic seizes her. [He gave me the pills, he brought me here, he knows something's wrong with me!] Her head sinks into her palm, and she suppresses an inaudible groan, wrestling with her racing thoughts.

Her inner turmoil continues to play out, and she muses, "How could I forget my pills? He probably never wants to see me again." She groans again, tossing and turning in discomfort.

Regret courses through her. "It was a terrible idea to go on that blind date. Now this guy likely won't even want to take a second look at me."

Just as she's spiraling into self-doubt, the room is pierced by a throat-clearing sound. She freezes, turning her head slowly to the right. Her gaze locks onto him seated on the couch, directly facing her.

Her eyes widen in disbelief, questioning the reality of the situation. She lets out a silly, nervous scream, leaving him slightly bewildered.

Two nurses enter, and she hastily stops her outburst. "Is everything alright?" they inquire. In unison, they reply with hesitation, "Yes please," and the nurses exit.

They turn back to each other, their eyes locked, and a wave of embarrassment washes over her.

He decides to break the silence, understanding her actions as childish. "I was waiting for you to regain consciousness before anything else," he says, standing up, on the verge of walking out.

"Thank you…Tris," she stammers out. A smile graces her lips as she stares at him. He nods slowly with his eyes closed, and walks out, pondering how she discovered his name.

She falls back on the bed, grappling with her thoughts. "Why did he have to see it!.." she growls under her throat.

Tris encounters the doctor outside, offering a quick apology. "Aren't you…" and the doctor pauses to glance at the file in his hands. "Tris, yes… April's guardian. There's something you need to know about her condition."

April's mother appears out of nowhere, guided by one of the nurses. Tris discreetly moves aside, without a prompt, he feels the urge in him that she's April's mother.

"I guess you might be…" the Doctor begins, "I'm April's mother." She continues. Her mother praises Tris for bringing April to the hospital in time, emphasizing the gravity of her condition.

She confers shortly with the doctor, and he shares concerning news about April's inconsistent medication.

April's mother sighs heavily, her gaze falling on her daughter taking her dosage through the glass window. "Thank you, Doctor," she murmurs. "We just stabilized her condition… there's nothing more we can do now."

Gratitude washes over her as she thanks the doctor and Tris for their swift actions.

She enters and moves towards the bed, they share a tight, emotional hug. April inquired about how her mother was informed. Her mother mentions the call from Tris, explaining that he stayed with her throughout the night.

"We spent the night here?" April asks. "He insisted I visited in the morning," her mother replies.

However, April's mood shifts, and she covers her face with the bedsheet. Her mother firmly pulls it down, her face stern. "He was just helping!" she exclaims.

A nurse enters, placing a plate filled with various desserts near the bed. "We hope you get better soon," the nurse says before departing.

April's mother advises her to open up more and not dismiss potential relationships due to her condition. April begins to eat, her thoughts taking a positive turn.

Meanwhile, Tris follows the doctor to his office, and they converse for a while before stepping out. He leans against the door, his face witty. As he walks back towards April's room, he encounters his mother approaching. He rushes and embraces her tightly, almost on the verge of crying. She immediately pulls him aside for a private conversation.

"What's wrong?" she asks, concerned. "He says I could be cured after another surgery," he says, sobbing within. "Father could've been saved Mom, he wouldn't have died," he says, inaudibly, tears flowing down his face. His mother presses his face to her chest, slowly running her hand through his hair.

"Everything's going to be fine, okay?" She assures them with her hand still in his hair. They separate from their embrace, wiping away the tears.

She hands him her bag, and he hesitates for a moment before remembering he left without taking her bag.

"This is April's," he says. His mother smiles and encourages him to return the bag, hinting that it's also an opportunity to say goodbye.

He hums and walks to the door, his face a bit cheerful. He is granted entry and April's mother excuses herself, quickly taking her leave. "I came to return the bag," he says.

April, now sitting up, wears a warm smile as she leans forward to accept her bag. "Thanks for everything…Tris," she says with gratitude in her voice. The moment becomes a poignant pause as he stands still, seeming worried.

"What's wrong?" she asks as her smile fades. "I'll be going away for a while, after three days." His face dimmed.

"That's sudden," she responds. "I know… but I need to." He sighs, his heart heavy.

He suddenly breaks the sadness with a smile, "Hopefully we might get to hang out for a while before I go…" he says with a slightly faked smile.

"Maybe some other time, after I'm discharged," she replies, slightly beaming. "Yeah…yeah sure," he says. "I." as he pauses, "I hope you recover in time, April" he ends and immediately turns around. [That was geeky!] He thought as he exhaled.

"Tris," April calls. "You'll be back, right?" she asks, hopeful. Tris stops and turns his head sideways, his smile returning. "Yeah…I will," he assures her.

_Till I See You Again_

Next:Two Days With Euphoria.