Chapter 28: Chili pepper saga
Mellisa opened her eyes immediately she felt that feeling of an eye smoldering her. Her eyes fluttered open and meet with Rhoda's; a brightening smile creeps Rhoda's face and Mellisa abruptly stood up.
Her vision was blurry but she can still see the smiles plastered on Rhoda's face.
Rhoda took her in for an embrace to Mellisa's surprise. This is the warmest welcome she has received here, and to be frank it warmed her heart. The sincerity in the hug soften her heart, and she didn't realize she was crying until her tears dropped on her face and soaked Rhoda's apparel.
They broke the hug even though she didn't know why the hug at least it felt good and elevated her mood. Rhoda handed her another glass of warm water mixed in eucalyptus oil and she gladly accept, trying her best to take it down her throat even though she feels the pain.
She dropped the glass on the side table, trying to stretch her hand then but her eyes caught the white bandages muffled up around her like a wrapped shawarma.
She tranced her hands all over her body, her eyes already pumping from their sockets. Shocked and in disbelief.
She quickly turns to look at Rhoda confused, her brows pulled up and her eyes demand answers. Her eyes are already dead set to assimilate whatever she will give as an excuse.
When she fixed her gaze on Rhoda, she could see the confusion and sadness displayed in them; marring her expression and making her more curious. She watched as she fidgeted with the cup in her hand for a proper answer; and when she couldn't stand her delay decided to take the lead by asking herself.
Rhoda, what happened to me? Why does it look like I'm muffled up for ages, what happened? Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"You don't remember?" Rhoda asked
"Remembered what?" Her heart dropped and her lips stuttered in confusion.
"You don't remember eating those raw chili peppers?"
A voice interrupted them and the two quickly turned their eyes only to meet with a handsome young-looking man. His fluffy hair was tied in a neat bun and allowed some strands to fall freely as he walked. He has this plumy lips and a cat liked eyes with his pointed nose focusing on them as he walked.
He gently plonked himself on one of the chaise lounges, crossing his legs. He looks so handsome as he walked that Mellisa won't stop staring but that wasn't what she is after.
Safety first before admiration.
"I don't remember doing what? She faced him with that confused expression and the young soul smiled at her weirdest.
"Eating the chili peppers" he countered.
"And why should I eat chili peppers?... I mean nobody does that. And why will y'all watch me eating chili peppers? When I'm not mad
She blurted out.
"Well, we thought chili pepper is your best food." He lied to her.
"What? Mellisa fumed. She looked at Rhoda then at the young soul, then at Rhoda, and back again to him then she throw the most ridiculous question.
"And who are you?" She frowned, her hands and chin up waiting for an answer while looking like she will beat someone up if they dare mess with her.
"You also don't remember." Mellisa froze.
No! She doesn't. Come on man you haven't introduced yourself and you expected her to figure it out by herself. What is she? A superhero?
Now Mellisa knows he trying to mess with her, ain't no way he is expecting her to know his name. She tried to cross her arm but it hurts so she bring it down and place it on the bed while inquisitively staring at the young man.
Her face scowled up. Did she by any chance hit her head somewhere, she placed her hand on her head listening to the brawling sound of it.
Is he by any chance trying to mess with her? And why does he act like he told her his name and she can't remember?
She scratch her head while the young man watched in amusement.
'To hell with your name, she wanted to say but nibbled her tongue. Mell don't let the devil use you. You don't even know who he is and what he is up to.
"Call me Boyld" he chuckled at her sudden reaction to his name. She was acting like the name is some kind of weirdo.
"Boy," she widened her eyes and Boyld froze. He is never not running away from this name spoiling.
"Boyld....B.O.Y.L.D. Boyld" He repeated and spell it out to her hearing. He act like he was warning her never to play around with his name.
Mellisa understands, shaking his head in agreement.
"My name is....."
"Mellisa Keller, 23yrs old student nurse" Boyld cut her off quickly to Melissa's surprise.
He knows! How? Boyld snapped his finger mid-air, drawing Mellisa's attention back to her. Her heart pounded with joy at the same time confused about how he knows her. She was about to ask him how he get to know her name despise not telling him formerly while the door yanked open and a young man wearing a white Laboratory Coat came in, followed by two ladies all dressed in their white coats.
"Am I interrupting something? Darshin asked while removing and bringing out the medical apparatus to Mellisa's surprise.
"What could that possibly be? Boyld crosses his arm.
"Well, the young lady here looks confused." He smirks at Boyld, pulling the troller closer to her bedside.
The whole thing muddled her and at the same time looks crazy as the man that looked like a doctor took her hand with the two ladies standing beside him and from her understanding of her field, they are exactly what she called them; the nurse.
She was unwrapped, the bandages all laying down on the lab tray, all messed with her blood and some decayed skin. Her whole skin looks like a mess. She winced in pain as they clean her up with the methylated spirit. She hates that she undergoes all this pain for something she doesn't know about.
After they were done applying the poultice and finished dressing up her wound, the doctor makes her lie down while searching her vein and when he found it, he lightly hit her and asked her to clench her fist.
She understands all this but she was too weak to respond so she just lets him do his job. He brought out the sterile, pyrogen, hypertonic, single-dose container for the intravenous infusion.
Mellisa looked at the small container (100ml) of the glucose B.P(On an anhydrous base and smiled. A smile was full of mixed reactions. She just watched as everything was set and it start reading.
This is exactly what her body needs now, strength because she doesn't have any, to begin with. She yawned tirelessly and closed her eyes. Even though all this doesn't looks right and gives her that awkward feeling, she wanted to pinpoint what exactly it is but right now she doesn't have what it takes, at least she is alive; which she is grateful for.
She needs her strength back while still plotting her escape.
"That's all for today and Rhoda she needs to eat lots of veggies and some free buttered meat" He started sniffing around while walking towards the door" I can smell some grilled chicken" He joked and Rhoda chuckled.
The door swung open and a young man dressed in brown sweatpants and a hoodie covering his head showed up. He waved at her and went straight to the chaise sectional couch stretching his aching back.
"Hello to you too! blocky-head Samie"
"You owe me a lot Darshin, don't expect anything from me" he yawned.
"How many were laid last night? Darshin picked at him again.
"Nine plus Dasrhin to round it up"
"Shut the fuck up fool" he exits the room. He hates his guts.
Rhoda cupped Mellisa's cheek, smiling heartily at her.
"I will bring you food once your drip finishes okay." She nodded. Her heart not containing all the love she is receiving from Rhoda.
The door swung open and Ramsey popped in, his face wrinkled up in a grin to Mellisa's surprise.
Everything is like a dream to her and she is yet to assimilate all these sudden changes, even though she is going through the wringer she can't stop admiring the care she can remember being shown to her these few minutes
"What are you doing here? Samie demanded immediately after Ramsey entered and Ramsey waved him off immediately with a wrinkle on his face.
"What do you mean by that? you dickhead."
"I'm very sure you didn't come all the way here just to sprout rubbish right? Samie throws the chaise pillow at Ramsey and he dodges it, making the pillow go straight and hit Mellisa on the back and she groans.
"Ouch." She felt muddled by their childish actions.
"You two should not get Mell involved in your mess" Boyld leaned towards Mell's bed, taking the pillow and throwing back at them; a smile creeping on his face at Mellisa's shocked mood. Everything happening is like a fairytale to her.
"Mell is confused about why she ended be wrapped in muffled and can't remember anything." Boyld began and the men quickly stop with their struggle.
"Wait; you didn't remember anything," Samie asked and Mellisa gaped at his statement.
"What exactly are they insinuating?
"You know when I saw you stuffing yourself with that crazy chili peppers... Ramsey poked at her standing up and advancing towards her bed....."I thought it's your favorite food, you know everything for our favorite." He smirks and Boyld chuckled.
"Goshhhh.....Girl you scared the life outta me....you know I was just curious about why someone will choose chili peppers over chicken... Samie demonstrates with his hands while working towards her bed.
Mellisa froze. Are they joking with her confused mind; why this sudden tale of chili peppers? How can she eat chili peppers when she is not mad?
"I don't believe y'all." She childishly rolled her eyes and the men chuckled.
"Exactly; because I also didn't believe it when I saw you devouring that shit," Samie added.
Now Melissa is confused. Are they seriously implying that she ate chili peppers? For what exactly?
"But nobody eats chili peppers not even for fun." Worried brush her brows and she looked at Boyld
"But you did," Boyld replied her and her eyes widen with her head tilted.
"Only weirdos do that." Samie chipped in.
"I'm not a weirdo." She replied immediately.
"Relax girl. Even if you are, at least you aren't the only weirdo in this room." Then he turned and pointed to Ramsey. "That's your clan's leader."
"What! Are you crazy?" Ramsey kicked his butt and Boyld chuckled even Mellisa find herself chuckling at their humorous talks.
Then she realizes this is the first laughter from her after months, weeks, days; name them. She still, tried to suppress it but Boyld speak up when he noticed her awkwardness.
"Let it out. Don't snigger it, Mell." He urges her to her surprise. She wasn't expecting his comment but she have to at least laugh to relieve her stress, and the men... Gosh! they can't stop picking at each other; she really found them funny and she hopes they aren't tricking her into believing them.
Tired and perplexed, she really wants to sleep. So she stretched herself amidst pain, drawing the blanket over her body; she drift off to the Dreamland.
Worry not about tomorrow let tomorrow will worry about itself