Will got out of bed and swayed a little to the door to see who it was.
He then took a look at the slightly open side where the string was.
- Meggie? - he asked amazed as he continued to rub his eyes with his fingers.
- I brought breakfast. - she said with a big smile on her lips.
Immediately Dr. Halstead opened the door and made her sit down.
He was happy, he was glad that someone had thought of him. This hadn't happened for a while.
The doctor went to the bathroom to wash his face and make himself presentable. He changed and after about ten minutes he went back to his friend in the kitchen.
- Here I am, sorry for the wait. Shall I make a coffee? - Will asked
- Yes, I gladly accept it .- she replied.
She considered it perfectly normal that the doctor still had to get dressed to go out. It still took time to start his shift. What was odd was that he seemed to have woken up the moment she arrived, but sometimes that too could be normal.
Halstead took the machine, adjusted it, put it on the stove and joined her friend again, sitting at the table with her.
Not long after, not hearing the coffee rise, looking at the coffee pot, he realized he hadn't turned on the gas.
- I'm sorry, I'm a little distracted. - he said in defense of himself.
- Do not worry. - she replied more and more bewildered, but hinting at a smile.
Once the coffee was ready, the two began to have breakfast.
The doctor gave the nurse a cup and then filled a full one for him, sweetening the contents.
- Will grab a croissant. Chocolate or cream? Which do you prefer? - said Maggie showing him the tray she had brought
The doctor paused for a moment to reflect and then said:
- No, thank you, but ... I don't have much appetite. Excuse me -
Observing the nurse's serious expression, he decided to force himself to eat something by taking only a small piece just to accept. It would have been hard, but it was okay to eat a little.
That was for him the third day he was fasting.
Slowly he tried to savor the croissant by drinking several sips of coffee to swallow it.
- Take some more .- Meggie told him.
- No, thank you, but I just can't. I can not do it.- the doctor explained sincerely. His stomach was closed.
- Will, what's happening to you? You are pale, you faint, you are dehydrated. - Lockwood asked worriedly
- Nothing, I'm fine. I'm just a little tired .- he answered diverting the question. He didn't feel like talking. He couldn't, he didn't even fully understand what was happening to him.
Meggie knew it was a lie, or at least she guessed it wasn't just that.
A short time later she got up from the table and began to put down the leftover croissants, arranging one in such a way as to convince Will to take it to work to be able to eat it later.
His friend looked so wasted in those days and then there was the matter of the low blood pressure he had.
There was some silence between the two before the nurse spoke again while she was still turned away.
Now was the right time for her to find out the truth.
- Will, talk to me. What is happening to you in this period? - she asked with her heart in her hand.
But that question got no answer.
Unable to understand why Halstead was not speaking to her, she turned around and it was at that moment that she realized that he had collapsed, he had dozed off and was sleeping soundly with his head resting on his arm which was bent with his elbow touching the table. How strange to fall asleep so out of the blue.
The nurse decided to let him rest a little longer, even if the position was not ideal she preferred not to wake him. If he had collapsed it meant he really needed him
Taking advantage of the fact that his friend was sleeping, she touched his forehead trying to understand if he had a fever. Then she checked his pulse in his left hand resting on the table. Everything was normal.
In the meantime she went to the doctor's room and fixed the bed a bit and taking the blanket that was on it, she placed it on his shoulders.
The room was a bit cold and the heating was off.
About an hour and a half passed and at 10:40 Maggie, since the doctor was supposed to start his shift at 11, half an hour earlier than her, decided to wake him up.
- Will, wake up it's time to go .- she called him.
The doctor slept too soundly to hear her.
- Will ... Will ... - Maggie repeated several times, shaking gently.
It was then that he opened his eyes. He was dazed, he hadn't realized he had dozed off.
- Maggie, I'm sorry, forgive me. You came to see me and I fell asleep. I didn't get a good rest last night, - Halstead said apologetically.
- You don't have to apologize, these things can happen. - Lockwood said, although what actually happened was not a normal thing. The woman then asked him - What is it that haunts you so much that it doesn't make you sleep? I'm worried about you. -
- You don't have to be, I'm fine. There is nothing wrong - he tried to reassure her
- No, you are not well! - Meggie said with a firm and determined voice - I see you Will, I'm not blind! you are down, you are sad, you are always tired. These days you have passed out multiple times, you are neglecting yourself and you have become dehydrated. You eat little, you fall asleep so out of the blue ...
Will said nothing more, he knew the nurse was right. He was letting go, but he had neither the strength nor to fight. There was nothing so important to him that it made him fight.
At Maggie's words, he remained silent and sighed while keeping a low stare.
All of a sudden reflecting on the fact that he should go to work, changing the subject, the doctor asked:
- What time is it? -
- 10:45 am - Maggie replied, still waiting for the answer to her question.
- Damn, it's late - the doctor said shakingly - I should have taken the subway an hour f
- Why the metro? - Maggie asked sneezing - Where is your car? -
- I s... I took it to the mechanic - lied the doctor who was initially going to tell the truth.
He had quickly changed his mind, there was no need to let everyone know that he had sold it. He preferred to keep to himself the economic problem he had had and which he had fortunately solved.