Part 38 Dentist Woes!
Some medicines taken will make the mouth dry and have ulcers, based on my real experience. Listened to Cyndi Lauper's old song Time After time.. and wish I can go back to innocence. Of bantering moments with his pals :)
The woman did not sound like Rene'rei. Was it a girlfriend? I wanted to tease him about it. Talking in the background, then rustle of the phone. "Yo Ilkar, is that a new girl? I'm Phoe!"
He laughed. "Ah a lot of imagination. No! She's a senior nurse. Now I take showers on my own and someone will wait outside for me. Sorry did you wait long?"
"Yea. But I don't mind, tests my patience. Is the bathroom good? Plenty of soap and shampoo?"
He detailed the weird smelling shampoo. "I like using my own one, the towels are scratchy too. So did you hear from them, sometimes they tell visitors if I can go home? No one answered me. Guess I'm too soft." He breathed on his end of the phone.
"Sorry don't know, Sir. Haha. We can't wait to see you. When would be a good time? Best not to disturb resting time eh?" I pictured him lying down and the cheer in his charismatic smile. Only an elf can smile and the sunshine will beam on us, and they really are gifted, because some have sad pasts. Despite that fact, they are still able to transcend that! I usually called my godbrother everyday, for a couple of hours. Ilkar enjoyed my voice. Sometimes it was not convenient for us to visit, either it was too late or he had therapy.
He did not speak for quite long. I asked hello anxiously. "Still here. Er, don't worry. I'm resting all the time. Who will be coming?" He sounded pained, as if he wheezed.
"Likely Kruz and his guyfriends. And me, if you're not bored by me. What's wrong, Ilkar?"
"Nothing. Not at all. I'm fine. Watched some videos, before I slept…. Miss outside life, the animals are freer. I really want to go home and stop medicines. Not nice to take them. I suspect they won't answer me because bad news. And I probably look awful but they tell me I'm healthy and cute. Nonsense."
I nodded, though he couldn't see me. "Ahhh. But it Is true, you Are cute. Always will be. They want to make you happy. Never mind. Why do you mind?"
Now he seemed to be smiling, his tone perked up. "Because it's so silly. I don't get a mirror, Reslin. I can't comb my hair. Oh yes will you mind buying some toothbrushes? The doctor said I need to brush my teeth, they are going to check."
"Sure of course. I didn't think elves need to care about dental hygiene."
Ilkar blew out his breath. "Then you'd all faint from the stench (I guffawed! ) Hm, isn't that right? I didn't want to delay discharge, but the other day someone made me open my mouth and he checked. He said I seem to have a cavity. Um, behind the right side hurts. Got ulcers." He did not sound complaining and whiny but factual.
"Ouch. Drink more water. Ulcers take a week at most. Which parts?" Aw, poor elf had not told us.
"More than that. Yea I do. Chewing hurts, Is it called tooth-doctor?" He chuckled and repeated, "Yes dentist. Stop laughing, English is not my first language. I don't even eat spicy. Sorry."
"It's ok, I'm willing to listen, Ilkar. Oh didn't they give this aloe vera gel? It helps. Edible too." He said fine and that he'd rather not speak anymore so I talked about our life. When Mira came into our room she also talked. Actually she was tickled and laughed quite a lot. I smiled.
When I went to the utilities store, all the toothbrushes were in packs of five or ten. So I sent a text- 5 or 10 in packet, which one u pref? I take pink! Lol While waiting, I picked up my roommates' shopping as well. Three of us took turns to shop, on our school accounts.
Our guardians will pay if students cannot afford the basic amenities.
A beep: dun have 1 only? Then 5, take cheap. Thx! Coming later?
Ok. I scrolled to my organizer, I had classes until 5pm. I tapped: dismiss in evening, can we come at dinner? Boys too. So pink ok?
His reply was a sad face and anything but pink. np. I paid for the pack of toothbrushes, there were pink ones together with the assortment. I'm sure Ilks will love the green one!
After class, Samuel a new friend of Kruz in their technical- designing class and my sworn brother rendevous with me. The maximum visitors was four. Hallien said he'd like to come too. For a surprise, Sam went in first. Ilkar shook his hand, standing up from his bed. When the boy nodded and glanced at the door it was our cue. The patient almost exclaimed, his cheeks flushed when he beamed. His hair had been combed.
"Don't be too excited, lie down," we said, when he embraced us. He took a seat on the side.
I took out the toothbrushes and pointed at the pink one. Ilkar chuckled and opened to take out a blue one. "You're so naughty. Oh Kruz will you come with me to the bathroom? I want to brush. Thank you." They went into the nearby bathroom.
On the bedside table laid the elf's cellphone and some comics. It's surreal the Fae can use tech competently. I remembered he had added np- short form for no problem.
Samuel grinned, opening one of the big bags they had brought. I gasped.
Awesome! A miniature horse carriage with black and white horses! The green paint for the carriage was still fresh. I whispered, "How long did you take for this guys?"
"Eh only like… 2 days? We made another paint layer just now."
Kruz spoke softly and Ilkar listened, his arm around him for support. "Hello again. Eh what's this?" Our elf stopped to wear a sweater before coming back to bed and wheeled it happily on the blankets. "I'm a child again?" He asked wryly.
"Nah we just want to make a toy. Never too old to collect, adults have this hobby, sir." The boys said. Ilkar said he was joking. I felt a pang when I noticed the veins on the top of his hands and he shivered slightly.
"Is it too cold?" I asked, checking for a remote control.
"I just bathed today and caught a cold, Reslin. It's all right, can't adjust it. I like this gift. Hey, how much did that cost?" He turned to me.
"No need, it's on offer."
He scowled. "I want to pay you back. How much? Receipt?" Ilkar sounded like an accountant. Kruz adjusted some of the containers on the table in front of the bed. There was a sliding table for the patient to eat, and that was the other table for flowers. Today there were containers of stuff. I produced it from my wallet.
"Should be enough." Ilkar reached for the bedside desk and got his wallet.
The items were some convenience foods, organic corn chips, baked products etc. "You may have them, my mouth hurts." He inclined his head to the fruits pile. "Lots of fruits, feel free to take some. Can help me to slice one later?" I think they didn't allow him to do any cutting or he'd be hurt.
Ilkar dozed, while I talked to the guys, his hand firmly gripping mine. Then we ate some snacks and fruits, Sam keeping a lookout for watchful stern nurses. When he roused, I smiled and patted his hand. "Hello. Glad you didn't go yet guys. Seen the Precious Desires cake box? Junos bought them, they're all small and cute." We shared the cakes and Kruz asked Ilkar to take from the plate they had cut some fruit. He made no complaints about how his ulcers hurt at all and continued his cheerful concern for us.
In about 2 months, Ilkar was allowed to go home at last! He was so ecstatic. "Happy to be in my own room and house! Yay!" He was saying over the phone. Some colleagues had done the discharge forms and procedure. I had wanted to go but he said I should focus on school. Rebbie refused to go back to Midgard until he saw that his brother was receiving excellent care. He would be at home to massage Ilkar's sore points. It was a heart tugger on the strings, for Ilkar had admitted they didn't always get along well.
Hal and company popped over for chores, not that there was much to do in a pristine elvish home. That's my pov of course! "I assure him he can go now. But he's stubborn." Ilkar whispered to me, when I sat beside him.
Rebbie stared his ears twitching and he seemed to argue a bit.
My other girl friends were sad but their opinion was, "If you need to go home, we understand. We'll be missing you much though." Ginger's eyes were red.
Ilkar offered her a box of tissue. "No I won't be not yet. I'm too weak for inter-realm travel…. Are you all right? Come now, I'm not going to vanish forever why this reaction?" We resumed doing our homework again and he began to coach us.
Ilkar had not read up the textbooks for this period, so he wanted this rest time to be productive too. He needed time to get in touch with the material again.
"Hal how long more to rest? I don't want to forget everything." Hal was sweeping the floor while some of us kids had come over for science homework. Hal was also going to show some new healing techniques to two little mages. I watched enviously. Since the worktable was occupied with things, they had arranged for us to sit here first.
"You have to calm down, Julatsan. Any agitation will make you ill again. But you still need to catch up with material isn't it?"
They sounded so comical I didn't want to sleep anymore, and listened up. "I'm always in a good mood, only angry when justified you know. Like when you call me to take medicines though they suck. Awful." Ilkar griped.
Hal patted his shoulder, watching and approving how one of his students was making a mana shape. I think for some sessions they cut themselves, which must be painful. Ilkar made a face. The childish side!
Hal shrugged. "But I don't always."
Ilkar muttered some elvish in a rude tone. Sandra the girl mage smiled. "What's that mean sir?" I asked why did he talk in foreign movie mode?
"Half the time I don't understand either. An insult I bet. He can't talk modern dialect. Ow!" Hal yelped when Ilkar used something to poke him. While absently adjusting the decos on the table which we had adhered some ribbons and obtained a new tablecloth for the table, he said, "I did try to speak fluently. I said, Took too much meds, don't want to overdose. It's kind of your fault or I wouldn't be getting all the side effects. "
"Aww I am sorry. Can you forgive us? We should have tested for allergies before the injections. Most of us had to be quarantined at home then." He clasped his hands and bowed.
Ilkar nodded, dreamy. "Get up don't bow." I didn't think he was that petulant and a grudge-bearer. Ilkar poured fresh cups of herbal tea. It was the only thing they allowed him to do, the rest were too strenuous. In our phonecalls Ilkar said he wanted to be back to normal quite soon. Not just reading up, but chores.
"Am I cute when I speak like that, Sandra?" He beamed endearingly.
"Absolutely, sir! Hallien is goodlooking for a blond elf." She signalled thumbs up. They chuckled, this time nobody turned pink.
"Is the cloth nice? This won't be too easily stained with dark color," I said. The boy student sniffed his tea.
"Ah yes. Really, I don't require all these as well and this vase, hope it doesn't break. It's the thought that counts. I'm happy." Ilkar gestured to the colored streamers from the walls and ceilings. The vase had a bunch of wild flowers. Everyone had chipped in, and I bought the teapots and cups set that we were using. Elf doesn't know it's my contribution and I'd prefer it that way, he'd want to pay me back. Junos knew he liked warm drinks but never had a proper teapot. The kettle was too heavy to lift. At this moment, the dark haired elf remarked how lovely the design on the set was.
"Oh it's mostly blue. Hmm I think I know who bought this." He raised a brow. I bent to my science book. Hallien suggested a small party to celebrate the pass of the epidemic, so Ilkar forgot about it.
"Let me think about it, my house is fine. But too small for many people. Maybe got to have part of it outside. Reslin, are you alright? Lying down already." He glanced at me and stood near me.
"Um. Heat is sleepy."
"I'll turn on the aircon then. Come on, to the private room." He shepherded us with both arms to the study. The boy wanted to go to his bedroom's direction. "Not that way, Gerald. That's my sleeping place. One, two three it's fine you all sit down first." The table was cleared of stuff and the beep of the remote confirmed it was on. Hallien came in glancing at the mini board on the wall. That was new, since I had last come in. Hal put a shush signal and drew a smiley on it.
The study was quite spacious and soon the air was cool and we didn't feel groggy anymore. Ilkar stepped in, chewing something. "Better? Reslin when is the deadline? Need help?" He had changed into a sleeveless tunic and watched me. He guided me through a question.
Sandra patted him on the back. "Yes? What is it, eh that's funny. I didn't have it drawn." Ilkar began to rub it off. We said aww but it was cute. So elf doodled a clouded smiley instead.
When the rest went home, I waited impatiently for some private time with godbrother. We had formalized our relationship by some registering forms procedure! I loved that! Ilkar had been thrilled to inform Rebbie I am their new sister. Since he did not take a nap, now he was tired and lay on the couch.