One and Only

The nurses stared at each other for a moment before shuffling out of the room, leaving deafening silence as everything sunk in. The nurses seemed to teeter over the edge while talking to Noah, but she couldn't understand why.

This hospital was one of the best in the city, so shouldn't it come with the best service along with great views and excellent architecture? 

Alice paused waiting for Noah to let go of her, but he didn't. He continued to stare over at his grandfather's form before finally getting into action and going to his side, dragging over the stool in the corner next to the bed in turn dragging her along with each motion. It got to the point where he was just sitting down with her still standing. 

She had no idea what to think since she was still processing everything that she had just witnessed. It was odd as to why the nurses were acting that way, but it was also as if Noah had dealt with their reactions multiple times already.

It shouldn't be that way which left a suspicious feeling crawling into Alice's throat that she wasn't able to voice. 

Alice had made the nurses leave, leaving them alone with his grandfather. It was clear that he wasn't able to breathe without having the tubes there to help him do so.

Living without being able to experience it was a bitter and dire life, yet Noah sat next to his grandfather wanting nothing more than having the person he loved most by his side. 

She couldn't tell him that it was wrong. Life was a brittle thread like that. She continued to stand next to Noah as he leaned his arms into the bed staring at his grandfather.

What a sad and normal routine it was. It was long before it started to turn dark with the window overseeing the entire city emitting a small glow from the lights that twinkled. 

The room was dark as well with only the lamp on the bedside turning on, amber. Her legs were getting tired, and she eventually leaned her body onto Noah's shoulder, lost in her thoughts.

There were so many things that she could do during this time, but there was nothing else that she wanted to do. Maybe that thought was what scared her most since it was a new change for her. 

He opened his body toward her, taking her into his arms. She welcomed the change due to the much-needed break. Alice sat in his lap despite there being a chair at the desk that was lonely and in need of usage.

Noah's body was warm, and she turned back to press the back of her hand to his forehead to check if it was his normal temperature since he normally ran cold. 

His forehead felt normal in her eyes, and she sat back into his legs to get into a more comfortable position. His arms wrapped around her. That was the new position for the next hour that slowly crawled by.

The clock on the nearby wall ticked by with every second, something that would have annoyed her regularly, yet it was a metronome in her head keeping her in line. 

Noah placed his chin down on her shoulder, and she stared back at him wondering what he was up to now. She tried to angle her body to face his, but his grasp wasn't letting her do so. She let out an exasperated breath. "Let me breathe for once, Noah." 

He tightened his grasp around her still stubborn in his ways. Noah didn't bother to apologize, but it wasn't like she was waiting for one. 

"How long do you normally stay here?" Alice asked. 

'I'm here until dark on the days that I don't work," he finally answered. 

"You're definitely here longer than that." 

"That's true," he admitted. "I don't have anywhere else to go. When I'm not here, I'm working." 

"He's your only companion," she whispered. 

His arms tightened around her. "Yes. My one and only." 

"How long has he been here?" 

"It's been four years," he said. "I was debating on where to transfer him since he couldn't live on his own anymore. About two years ago, he became bedridden. On lucky days, he's able to take a walk around the park here in the hospital. But those days are very rare." 

"When's the last time he was like that?" 

"Since the summer." Alice frowned. It has been over eight months then. That must have been a heartbreaking process to see his own grandfather deteriorate over time. "But he has been awake lately, yes?" 

"This week, we were able to talk a bit," Noah said. "His condition hasn't been too well lately." 

"And you then got that call at school," Alice said. 

Noah gave her a grim smile. "Yes. After my last exam."