The next day, Azusa was greeted the moment she
woke by her friends. They were all seated around her.
The bedside table was pulled up and there were five
cups of hot tea already poured.
"How are you feeling today, Azu-nyan?"
"Alright I suppose," she answered as she looked at
the I.V. in her arm, "I just wish I knew what was
going on." The memory of her dream last night was
still fresh as she looked around the hospital room.
"You'll remember in due time," Mio said, "just focus on
feeling better. That's why we're here."
They all sat back around the bed and began their tea.
If asked, Azusa would not be able to recall what the
five of them discussed during their visit. She would tell
you that she did not really care. They were together
and that was enough for her. She felt happy with her
friends around.
When their visit was through, they cleaned up their
mess and left quietly, promising to return the next day.
Only a second after the door closed, it opened again
and a different nurse from yesterday came in to check
on the girl who, until recently, kept her hair in
twin-tails. She had not bothered to tie them up.
"How are you feeling today?" the nurse asked.
She was an older woman. One could tell that she had
been a nurse for years and enjoyed comforting her
patients. Without too much thought, she went
through the well practiced routine of changing the
bags that held the intravenous solutions hanging from
the metal rack while trying to start a conversation
with her ward.
"Alright, I just feel really hungry."
"I know," she said, pushing the girl's bangs back and
placing her cool palm against her forehead, "but it will
be a little while before you can handle solid food."
Azusa frowned a little, "but I ate a shortbread biscuit
with my tea today."
"You did?" the nurse asked, a little concern in her
voice, "Who brought you food?"
"My friends. You must have seen them leaving when
you came in."
The nurse sighed, "I didn't, but tell them you can't
have any solids until you're a little better, alright?"
"Yes ma'am," she answered, disheartened.
The pout on the girl's face made the woman give a
half-smile, half-frown. After a short silence, the nurse
began again.
"Tell you what, you're allowed to have ice-chips, and I
know I can get some flavoured syrup. Do you like
shaved ice?"
The girl nodded with a smile.
"Well then, let me go see what I can do."
The nurse patted the smiling girl on the head
affectionately before leaving.
After the door closed, it almost immediately opened
again.
It was the first nurse who had come to see her the
day before when she had just woken up.
She came up to her bed and replaced the empty I.V.
bags.
"Are you doing alright?" she asked with little real
interest.
"I'm alright,"Azusa said, more distracted by the new
bags that now replaced the completely empty ones
the nurse was holding.
"You can't have any solids until the doctor approves,"
she began with a voice that was lacking in bedside
manner, "I can bring you some juice to drink though."
"I-I-I'm alright," she managed, "t-thank you though."
"Press the call button if you need anything."