enemy to doctor - the hating game

33 - recovery

I wake up three hours later. This time in the other room.
Bigger bed, less sterile smell, nicer interior- overall just way more enjoyable and less like a hospital room.
The first thing I notice is that I'm alone. Josh is nowhere to be seen and I realize that it's pretty much the first time I've been without him in days.
It feels weird and somehow unreal to be alone again. But a certain part of me enjoys it.
I've always liked living alone, no shared spaces, no messes except for my own to clean up after. It's not like I'm an unsocial person, I love going out and being under people but I also love sitting on my couch with a big cup of caramel flavored coffee with oat milk and pumpkin spice syrup, reading one of my thousand fantasy books.
I miss my books. And my apartment. I miss the creaking of the wooden floor in my bed room and the way I have to push my weight into my bathroom door because of the lock that has been broken for three years. I miss my bed and and my soft pillows and most importantly I miss the scent of my apartment, created by all my scented candles that you can find at least 5 of in each room.
I sigh and start to push myself up onto my elbows. That's when I realize that the IV from my left arm has been removed and a big bandage is taped over my crook. My other IV on the right hand is still there but the pain has decreased to a dull ache and there is currently now tube connected to the cannula. Neither are any stickers taped across my chest or an oximeter clamped onto my finger.
Relief floods through my as I realize that it must mean that my health allows me to be left unmonitored. My head and throat are hurting and I still feel like I was run over but it's all endurable and I manage to sit up further. That's when I notice the tray with food on the side table and I happily slide myself to the edge, grab a pillow and then carefully place the tray on it.
For the next twenty minutes I fill my empty stomach with soup, pasta, salad, a piece of chocolate cake and a little bowl with fruit salad. It tastes amazing and I happily lay back onto the bed. While doing so I realize something black and shiny on the little table.
My eyes widen as I grab my phone and immediately am being greeted with at least a hundred text messages from the past few days.
The first one I see though is from Josh.

Hi Luce. Please let me know as soon as you woke up and ate. And btw, don't worry I let the most important people know about the situation. You don't need to reply to all of the text messages and calls.

I hesitate but then type a message.

I've been up for 20 minutes. Just finished eating.

I hit send and start replying to all text messages nevertheless.
People pleaser.
And it's not even that many just...
39 messages from my mum, 9 from my dad, 3 from my boss, 108 from Rosie, and a few singular ones from colleagues and friends. 
I immediately send a message to my mum, dad, boss and Rosie who have apparently all been informed about everything by Josh already.
Then I go to Instagram and just scroll. It gives me some sense of normality that I've missed ever since waking up in Josh's apartment.
I look through mails and realize that even if being off from work for 4 days, the world doesn't change. I missed a few meetings, yes, but the protocols have already been sent to me and I'm once again thankful for my working space and the people I surround myself with everyday there.
Suddenly somebody knocks on the door and before I can even answer, it is being carefully opened and Josh steps inside.
He's wearing the scrubs kind of pants with a black hoodie. A stethoscope hangs around his neck and in his hand he holds a little bottle.

"Hey" I say and smile as he slowly starts walking over, then sits down on the side of the bed.
His dark brown hair is ruffled and he seems a little pale, noticeable rings underneath his dark blue eyes. He looks like he is in desperate need of some relaxation and sleep. Or a drink.
His jaw is covered in a light stubble, indicating that he has not shaved in a few days. It suits him.
As soon as he is seated beside me, he leans down and kisses my forehead.