I wake up not being able to open my eyes because of the sedatives they gave me. I feel around me and feel that what I am laying on is burning hot. I touch my skin and am surprised to find it freezing cold. What happened to me? I breath in and find that difficult. I breath out and sputter. Why can't I breath?! I touch my face to find that I am wearing a mask. I slowly adjust and let it breath for me. I listen and hear a woman trying to calm down Jack who was crying and screaming. I listen harder drowning out the sound of Jack crying and hear a man and woman crying and talking quietly. Who could that be? I try to open my eyes once again and find it impossible. I raise my arm and wave it trying to get someones attention. I hear shuffling of feet and something being unhooked. She helps me sit up and open my eyes. I see Felix and Marzia walking over. They were the ones crying for me? Why did they care about me so much? I open my mouth and try to talk but find my throat to dry to do anything.
"Alice are you okay?" Jack whimpers. I look around and start to come to my senses. I move the mask covering my mouth so that I can talk.
"Am I in the infirmary?" I ask. My voice sounds raspy and my throat feels like sandpaper is rubbing against it. He nods and gives me a sad smile.
"How long have I been in here?" I ask and clear my throat. Marzia holds up ten fingers and Felix holds up four.
"Fourteen days?!" I yell struggling to get out of bed. "I missed the performance?" I say getting teary eyed.
"They rescheduled it to whenever you recover." Jack says holding my hand. I lay back down but the nurse props me up. I ask for some food and water. She tells me that I am not allowed to have any.
"Why?" I ask startled. Felix gives me a mirror and sits me up. I take a look in the mirror and see that there is a hole in my chest. I start to cry knowing that it is all my fault.
"What happened?" I cry. Jack just shakes his head and hugs me. I cry into his shoulder for a while, take a couple deep breaths and face toward Marzia and Felix.
"Why do you want to adopt me?" I ask still shaking. They look surprised that I would ask such a forward question.
"Well we saw the children on the other side of the building and the other children on your side. When we got to you it had a spark. You're beautiful and resemble us a little. From what we can see your also as stubborn as me. If you want to go home with us we would be be happy. If not we understand..." Felix finally explained to me. I looked at Marzia and she nodded.
"How did you hear that I was in the infirmary?" I asked looking to Marzia.
"Two days after you arrived in here we called to see how you were doing. They said you had gone to the infirmary. We asked why and they said-they said that you-you..." Marzia started to cry at the memory. Felix comforted her.
"They told us that you had a fairly large atrial septal defect." Felix finished still comforting Marzia.
"Do you guys love me?" I ask quietly. They both nod wiping away tears. They come over and give me a hug. "I want to go with you! Please..." I cry. Someone loves me! Someone actually loves me!
"We just need you to recover then we will take you to your home." Marzia said. I nodded and looked at them. Their eyes were full of love. I have a Mamma and a Pappa! Felix came over and kissed my forehead before they left. As soon as they left Jack came over. I scooted over a little and he slid in dodging the wires. He starts to cry and we both just lay there crying. A nurse comes in and comforts us.
"I am so sorry Alice." He whimpers.
"It's not your fault Jack..." I say sitting up a little more.
"You're going to leave me here." He said after a long period of silence.
"I'm sorry Jack." I cuddle in closer to him.
"I love you Alice." He whispers putting his arm around me.
"I love you too..." I said as he got out of the bed and sat in a chair in the room. He was watching over me all this time and I'm just going to leave him. I am an idiot... A nurse comes over and gives me a shot that makes me sleepy.
"I love you Jack." I say before I go to sleep.
"I love you more." Is the response that he gave me... that was exactly what I needed to hear.