100 Amarylliss Wish (1/2)
Year 2033, August
14:30 P.M
Goz Beida, Chad, Africa
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Few days have pa.s.sed without any word from Alicia.
Agatha tried to contact her and even considered to go to Sweden. However, Gheele didn't want her to go. He told us that the enemies might've done something on their part.
Though, at that point, we needed confirmation. Trying to gain information and Inquiring about Amathelia from Alicia would've to be put on hold right then.
”Where in the world is she?”
I found myself saying that out loud.
”Ava?” called Amaryllis.
”Ah, sorry. Just s.p.a.cing out,” I quickly replied.
Both Hope and I visited Amaryllis in the hospital that evening. She was doing quite well when we arrived. However, the stump on the right side of her hips made me shudder.
Looking at it from time to time reminded me of that Alicia. Slowly, anger welled up inside me.
Realizing it might consume me, I took a few deep breaths.
Glancing left and right, Amaryllis's room appeared fairly plain to me. It was expected of course, but her room was small. From the looks of it, five adults could barely fit inside.
The white walls and furniture felt strange to me. It was just too clean, but then again, it was a hospital.
'I need to remind myself that,' I thought.
A thunder boomed outside of the hospital and I grimaced. Rain started to pour down heavily and the three of us there looked at the darkened sky. Water droplets trickled down the rectangular gla.s.s window, as lightning flashed far up in the dark clouds.
Amaryllis's white blanket shuffled a bit when she fidgeted at it. I looked at her up and down, taking a mental note of her oversized pale green s.h.i.+rt and pants.
”Isn't it too bright?” Hope asked her, pointing at the white fluorescent light at the ceiling.
She shook her head. ”Not really.” Her delicate fingers twirled a strand of her long, straight dark hair. ”So . . . How's Master Gheele doing?”
I shrugged. ”He's fine.” My eyes caught sight of Hope pulling a wooden chair to his side. He sat on it and gestured for me to take the other one.
I did so, but my chair b.u.mped into his since we sat so close to each other.
Hope looked at me with his mouth gaping. ”Ava?”
”Is it wrong?”
He shook his head slowly. ”Not at all. It's just . . . You've been acting weird these days.”
”I'm not acting Hope.” My hand grabbed his right hand. ”I really, really, really love you!”
His eyes widened. ”Well, this has gotten overboard . . . I mean, you're like a daughter to me.”
”What?!” I said that out loud. Immediately, my hand covered my mouth and I glanced at the door.
After a few moments, I looked back at Hope with a pout. ”As I said, you're not my Papa anymore.”
He smiled. ”Still, I can't help but see you that way Ava.”
”You two seem close,” commented Amaryllis. She giggled after that, and I narrowed my eyes at her.
She cleared her throat. ”Sorry about that Ava. It's just . . . Something has changed about you.” She smiled at Hope. ”I a.s.sume you're the reason she's so cheerful right now.”
”Haha. Maybe. Ava's a weird little girl after all,” he said.
”Wh-” I squeezed his hand. ”Who are you calling you weird?” My eyes glanced at Amaryllis.
”How long have you two known each other?” she asked Hope.
”Eh, about two years now I think . . . Anyway, I don't see any wheelchair around here. How do you move up and about?”
”I use those crutches over there. Takes some time to get used to it, but it's manageable.”
Hope put his hand at his chin. ”Probably need to have a wheelchair. This hospital is quite big after all. Then again, you must have asked help from the nurses time to time right?”
She nodded.
Hope rubbed his blond hair and sighed. ”I just wish the doctors actually make use of prosthetic limbs. It's a common thing these days for a patient like you to get one immediately. You don't have to use those crutches anymore if that happened.”
She laughed and smiled at him. ”You're a really nice guy. No wonder Ava is happy around you. Any lucky girl in your heart?”
”Nah.” He waved his hand. ”Don't really need one. Ava is like a daughter to me anyways.”
I hugged him when he said that. ”Hope only needs me in his life. Hmph.”
She held herself from laughing again and coughed.
Then, an idea struck me. I moved away from Hope and whispered to myself. ”Aegis . . . You can heal her wound, right?”