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Sydney had no idea how long she sat there. People walked by, quickly rushing to their family members, or friend's room. Doctors rushed around, saving lives. Sydney watched in a half daze, every once in a while crying again. She knew Vaughn was right. And the look on his face hurt more than a bullet to the arm. Sydney had leaned her head against the wall when she felt someone sit down next to her.
"I've always disliked this part of the hospital." The person said. "Go up three floors to the maternity ward, and there is all that life going on. It's happy up there. But every time I have to visit the ICU, it's depressing." Sydney looked over at the woman, and smiled politely. The last thing she wanted right then was someone to cheer her up. "I've just never come down here when it hasn't been a family member."
Sydney was astonished. This woman obviously knew what she was talking about. "How many times have you been down here?"
"Four. My mother had her third stroke a couple days ago, and my father was in a fatal car accident a couple years ago. He was in a coma for several months before we decided to just let him go. It looks like my mom won't pull through either. But I'm ok with it. After her last stroke, she has been begging that by some miracle God would make her independent again. The only way for that is for her to be an angel."
"Wow."
"You look pretty torn up; who do you know that's down here?"
Sydney smiled at the woman's kindness. "Samantha is my, no, she's… it's complicated."
"Ah. Life partner?"
"No!" Sydney quickly corrected. "No. Samantha is basically someone I know."
"Was it your fault she's here? Because I can pretty much guarantee that it's not your fault."
"No. I just had a horrible fight with my boyfriend."
"I've had those in my day too."
Sydney couldn't understand why, but she felt herself opening up to this strange woman. "He thinks that I don't believe that he trusts me. The thing is, I know he trusts me."
"Did you tell him so?"
"Not yet. He sort of stormed off."
"I haven't talked to you for very long, but what it sounds like, is that this thing between you and your boyfriend is just due to the stress of the ICU. Over the past couple of years, I have spent many months sitting on this bench, watching people go by. I have seen my fair share of perfectly healthy couples just fall apart when they're down here. It's like there is something in the air that just causes all sorts of tension. Get out of this ward; walk around for a little bit. If you see your boyfriend, tell him what you just told me." She advised. "I'm sure that everything will patch itself up. You obviously love him."
Sydney blinked twice. She hadn't told Vaughn that she loved him yet. She had barely admitted it to herself. "I obviously love him?"
"You can always tell a woman in love." The woman winked at Sydney.
"Thank you." Sydney stood up, ready to take the strange advice. But a voice stopped her before she had a chance to take a step.
"Sydney!" Vaughn called out.
"Vaughn." Sydney breathed a sigh of relief, and raced to his arms. "I was just going to go looking for you."
"I am so sorry. I don't know what it is. It's something in the air."
Sydney looked into his green eyes. "That's what she said."
"Who?"
Sydney spun around; ready to introduce her new strange friend to her boyfriend, but the woman was gone. "Never mind. I am so sorry too. It was just hard seeing Samantha lying there like that. I don't know what I was thinking."
"We'll keep our professional opinions to ourselves."
"Deal." Sydney smiled, as Vaughn took her hand. "Michael, I love you." She said.
"I love you too Syd." From around the corner, Sydney's mysterious friend watched the two interact. She smiled at her job well done.
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