u n r e a l • b o o k t w o ✓

fifteen

↞ FIFTEEN ↠

T H E E N A was silent for quite some time. Could what her uncle just told her be true? This Ezra man and his lucid dreams. Could those dreams maybe just have been memories that had already happened in a parallel universe somewhere? Is that why she felt as if maybe, she had already met him? She was beginning to realize that maybe she was right.

"Thomas Campbell? Mr. Schultz is awake now."

Theena and Thomas's heads both snapped in the direction of a nurse holding onto a clipboard. Thomas looked over at Theena. She gave him a small smile.

"Go. I can wait."

"Come join me when you're ready." He patted her leg and lifted up, leaving Theena alone with her thoughts.

About eight minutes later she was still in the same spot, thoughts interrupted by a young hysterical girl running in to the waiting room and pushing the doors—that lead to all of the hallways that lead to different hospital rooms—open. A woman ran in after her and a teenage boy was right behind. Theena raised a brow in confusion but pretended that didn't just happen. It seemed that no one else had cared.

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T H E nurse pressed a hand against my forehead and then placed her forefingers against a pulse in my neck. The feeling of a cold touch against my made me shiver. Thomas was standing across the room, watching the whole ordeal. I had recently woken up, and I was feeling quite drowsy.

"He's breathing normally." She turned and adjusted some cords. "His vitals are up and his pulse is at a steady rate."

"Good, Thank you Nurse Rhodes," Dr. Woodson nodded thoughtfully and then turned to Thomas. "So, Dr. Campbell, I see that Mr. Schultz here is one of your therapy clients and he fainted while in your office? Have you contacted any of his relatives and made them aware of this?"

"Yes, I've contacted his sister."

I cringed. I didn't want to worry Eliza, not again.

"Good. Well, I ran a scan, took some blood tests. Luckily it was just dehydration, nothing too serious. It looks to be that his health insurance had already covered the hospital bill. Since Mr. Schultz is an adult he can leave when he'd like once he signs some papers."

"Alright."

Dr. Woodsen scratched at his grey beard. "Be careful next time Mr. Schultz," he said before leaving.

A door was shut slowly. My mind was blank. I tried speaking, but my voice sounded hoarse

"You gave me quite the scare boy."

I looked at the floor and rasped out, "She's real."

It wasn't a question, we both knew it.

Thomas cleared his throat and turned to sit in the chair behind him. "She is."

"H−how?"

"When I first hypnotized you I was shocked at what you were telling me. I tried to ignore it the next few sessions as you kept recalling memories. I knew I couldn't for long. The truth is, she's my niece," was his explanation.

"I−I understand," I admitted. "I understand why you tried to keep that away from me. I guess... I guess I would be a bit creeped out too if it were my niece."

She's real though. She's real and she was right under my nose. Fate or not, I still wasn't going to do anything. I wasn't going to force myself into her life. I didn't even know if she was the same Theena from my dreams. It was all too much.

"You're a good young boy Ezra. If my niece and you were to ever be together I would give you my blessing, but right now? I know it would pain you to hear this because I know how lost you've been, but I just need for you and her to not happen right now."

I didn't say anything.

"I'm not in any place to say why Ezra, but please understand, I'm coming from a good place."

It was silent now. That was until the hospital room door pushed open and in came a very hysterically crying young girl. Ronnie.

"Ronnie I told you, Uncle Ez just fainted. He's not dead!" Eliza seethed,
rushing in behind along with Blake.

She looked so tired, so stressed and I knew that she wasn't feeling well. Guilt began to eat at my brain.

"Uncle Ezzie, you're alive!" My little niece ran up to my bedside and tugged at my fingers with her tiny hands.

Blake came forward with a slight frown on his face. "You scared us you dick."

"Language!" Eliza shouted standing near him.

She tucked her hands in her pockets and leaned her head to the side.

"He's right though. When your therapist called me all I heard was the word hospital. I thought it was Noah all over again." Nervously, she began toying with her wrist.

I knew that any type of hospital situation reminded her of when her husband, Noah, died from a brain hemorrhage due to a rough car accident a month after Ronnie was born. The guilt got worse for me.

"That therapist would happen to be me," Thomas motioned towards himself awkwardly and stood up.

Eliza slapped her forehead lightly. "Wow, I'm sorry, I didn't even see you there. Uh," she walked closer to him and held out a hand. "I'm Eliza, and thank you. A lot. For getting him here, even thought it wasn't anything too major."

Thomas smiled down at her and shook back, placing his other hand over hers. Eliza let go and turned around, appearing flustered. Blake and I stared at one another with disgust. Suddenly I felt sick. Eliza came back over to me.

I made a sour face before reaching for her hand. "You know that this is nothing like Noah."

"I would have shaken you until you came back alive if that was the case," Blake spoke up jokingly, but I knew he was in fact serious because he had tried to do the same to his dad.

Ronnie flicked his arm and stomped her foot.

"What are you guys talking about!"

"Ice cream," I excitedly shouted.

"Really?! Ah, yes! Mommy, can we get some when Uncle Ezra gets out?!"

It was so easy for this little girl to get distracted. Eliza gave me a look and turned back to Ronnie.

"Maybe."

I smiled and looked over at Thomas. He was back in the chair, watching the scene before him with an amused face.

"You've got quite the family."

Eliza smiled and whispered, "My only family."