AIDEN


    The pathetic sob sounds I made ceased when I felt her fingers move against my hand.


    1 quickly cleaned the tears on my face and raised my head. Her eyes were wide open as she stared back


    at me.


    For a second, I just stared too. Was she really awake or was I seeing what my eyes wanted to see?


    She blinked. I smiled. My hand tightened a bit tighter around her hand. It wasn''t a delusion. She really was awake.


    "Hey," I said, my voice hoarse.


    "The pen guy," she said in a raspy voice and a straight face.


    My smile widened, "You remember me."


    She nodded. "I loved the pen. I still do. It''s still at home. It''s my favorite pen."


    By this time I could feel my eyes starting to water."


    "I''m d." In the absence of nothing to say, I quickly added, "I can get you more if you want. How many do you want? A dozen? Two? A whole pack?"


    I ransacked my head as I tried to remember where I had gotten the one I handed her so that I''d get more for her.


    She smiled gently. "Even though you''re rude, you''re kind. But don''t worry. I don''t want to put you in too much trouble besides I don''t think my mom will easily let me off if I cart a pack of pens I collect from a stranger around the house."


    A stranger. I swallowed and forged my smile on.


    "I''m sure your mom wouldn''t mind."


    She shrugged. "If you''d take the brunt then so be it."


    I was honestly always impressed whenever she spoke, she knew a lot for her age.


    "It would be nothing."


    "Oh, it''s something. You haven''t seen my mom get mad."


    It warmed my heart that my child was a good conversationalist.


    "If it''s for you, I''d do anything."


    She frowned slightly at that. Then her eyes roamed my face and she asked, her brows slightly pulled down. "Why are you crying?"


    J touched my face. "Umm... I wasn''t crying."


    "You were crying when you raised your head. Your eyes are a bit swollen and your face is red."


    *th that Something on thomy eye


    Chche mured tich she didn''t even try to hide that she didn''t believe me one bit. But she said nothing she is gain


    How do you fo


    She managed another shrug. I feel pain all over. Sometimes, I can''t even tell where, everything just hurts.


    1


    1 squeezed her hand gently, my heart hurting for her. "You''ll be alright."


    know," she smiled. "My dad tells m be alright." Then she pouted and her gaze wandered to a spot on the wall. "I wonder why he isn''t here yet. He hasn''te to see me for a while now."


    My smile faltered the same time my heart fell an inch towards my stomach. She definitely was not talking about me.


    "That''s good," I managed.


    There was a crack on my heart when she started to slowly squirm her hand out of my grip. At first, I held on. I didn''t want to let go but when I glimpsed the oing panic in her eyes, I quickly pulled away. She sped her hands together before her and asked, "Where''s my mom?" her gaze slid to the door behind me.


    "Your mom''s fine. She just stepped out, she''ll be right back."


    "Okay," she said curtly.


    My heart felt heavy as I watched her fix her gaze on the ceiling. Did I scare her? Oh God. Why didn''t I let go of her hand the second she tried to retrieve it?


    "Why are you here?" She turned to me and asked suddenly, her gaze tinged with curiosity. "Do you like randomlying into hospital rooms to see kids or what?"


    And she ims I''m the rude one.


    "Amie! You''re awake."


    We both turned to see the door to see a nursee in with a clinical tray.


    "Hi, good morning," the nurse greeted me with a smile


    "Morning." I answered.


    "Hey Amie darling, how do you feel?"


    Amie smiled. "It still hurts, but I''m fine."Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    The nurse shook her head and smiled. "No. Amie, you''re not fine. If it hurts then you''re not fine." Amie shrugged again. Then she regarded the nurse for a while. "I guess you''re enjoying your stay here?" The nurse beamed. “I am on cloud nine everyday. I''m more d that I got posted to the kids'' section."


    "You love kids? You only told me you love taking care of people."


    "Yes. But I love taking care of kids more. They have more love to offer than adults." She turned up her nose, "Adults can be annoying even when sick. In high school, I fantasized about being a babysitter." "A babysitter?" Amie echoed.


    "Yep!" She shook her head, smiling. "Those were fun times but I quickly came to my senses because babysitting didn''t pay that much and I''ve got serious bills to settle."


    The nurse was a talker and Amie enjoyed listening. They randomly jumped from one topic to the other. But once in a while, I would catch the nurse nce in my direction. Each time she did, I saw the question in her eyes but she was too polite to ask so I saved her the stress.


    "Thank you for taking care of her," I said.


    "Oh my..." With a big smile on her face, she turned to Amie whose gaze was on me, her brows furrowed. You look just like your dad."


    I could literally feel the disapproval ooze off Amie as her frown depended. I felt like there was some kind of resentment in the way she looked at me. She was probably mad that I just tried to take up the role of someone important in her life.


    I did not me her. I was the meworthy one. What was I thinking introducing myself as her dad in her presence when she still had no idea who I really was? How can a rude stranger suddenly im to be her dad?


    Finally, she said sharply and silenced the rambling nurse. "He''s not my daddy."