The Gift

She quickly checked my vitals and central line site, then brought in my tray. It included a small plastic vase with a flower in it.

“Just for you,’ she says, then leaves.

I eat and then watch some TV before falling back asleep.

Stirring in my sleep, I roll over onto my stomach laying there for a second before I flop back over, worrying that I’ll pull my line. Besides the tape, it’s actually sutured to me. Tugging on it can hurt – bad.

I put my hand up to my shoulder to make sure the line isn’t tangled but can’t find it. The sleep clears enough that I finally remember that Anna disconnected it earlier.

I relax again and lay there when my stomach starts feeling funny.

Crap, really? After all this, I’m going to start my period in the middle of the night? And of course I’ll have to call the nurse for something. I hadn’t planned on this.

The feeling increases, but it’s not cramping. It finally dawns on me that it’s the pull of my gift, but it’s stronger than it’s ever been before. The feeling is just shy of hurting.

I sigh, contemplating whether or not to nap some and follow it later or get up now. Another wave of tightness comes over me and I decide to get up. Maybe if I take care of this quickly, this pseudo-pain will go away.

Once a month is plenty, I don’t feel the need to feel this way every few days or I’ll be permanently PMS’ing. Like I need more issues.

I get up, pulling on my slippers and decide to grab my beanie. Not knowing where this might take me, I figure my hair draw more attention than I wanted at – I take a look at the clock – 2 am.

Really? Can’t a sick girl get some rest?

I pull my beanie over my head, making sure it was low enough to hide as much as possible. With no IV tying me down, or making noise, I figure it might be easier to walk around and not draw too much attention to myself.

Heading out of my room, I follow the invisible string pulling me to my final destination. Unfortunately, it takes me towards the elevators and before that, the nurses’ station. I slow before the nurses’ station, figuring things would be slow and there would be a group gathered there.

Peeking around the corner, I saw only the clerk, who was doing something on a computer facing away from me. Picking up feet so my bear claws wouldn’t click, I walk quickly past trying to be quiet and not scuff my feet.

I get past the nurses’ station and arrive at the elevators, pushing the up button automatically. Hopefully, that’s the right way. The bell dings, echoing down the corridor, as the elevator arrives. It sounds like one of those old fashion counter bells at old hotels, except ten times louder in this quiet.

I scramble into the elevator before anyone can see me and my finger presses a button before I can even contemplate where I’m supposed to go. The doors close and I finally look at my destination. The eighth floor.

Because of the lateness, the elevator doesn’t stop, but goes directly to the eighth floor and once again dings as it comes to a stop, and the doors open. I hope that a group of people aren’t standing around, now all looking at the elevator to see who arrived at this late time.

My heart now beating faster, I peek out of the doors to see what I’m up against. Amazingly it’s a clear hall. I step out, my heart beating a little faster.

What do I say if I’m stopped? I hadn’t thought that far ahead. Crap. I should have. Guess I’ll have to fake my way through anything that comes up.

I decide to do what they do in my action books. Act like you own the place. Be confident and act with purpose and people don’t question you.

That works in books at least. With adults. Who are not patients in a hospital. Oh well, onward I tell myself before I chicken out.

Walking to the nurses’ station I pause to take a peek to see how many people are there. My pulse quickens but my heart falls. It looks like a nurse’s meeting or something. The whole floor much be there.

I pull back and try to pull myself together. Telling myself to just walk by, acting like I belong there, was the simplest thing to do.

Steeling myself, I walk out with determination. It falters about three steps out and guilt causes me to look over at the group of people who I’m sure are going to stop me and send me back downstairs.

What I see however causes me to stop. It’s as if all of them decided to play Red light – Green light and I was it. Everyone was stopped as if frozen in time.

I wasn’t sure if I had time to figure it out, so I decide to just go with it and continue down the hall where I was being led.

Two doors down from the nurses’ station, I heard the talking start back up behind me. I was glad I had decided not to delay.

Another three doors down, I was drawn into a room on the right. Room 810. I paused in the doorway and look in.