asset [h.s.]

twenty four // catch us if you can

Harry

Two days later, we're back in the hospital for Alicia to get her stitches taken out. I take a seat on one is the lumpy hospital chairs while both Alicia and the doctor sit on the bed, a different one from the other day, which I'm secretly pleased about seeing as the doctor is also a female, not the other annoying male one. Even Liam thought he seemed interested in Alicia when I quietly asked him about it, and by quietly asked, I might mean demanded to know what he thought about it because it was really pissing me off. 

"The cut is healing nicely," the doctor says after rummaging around in Alicia's hair for a while. "Which means it's ok to get the stitches removed, so let's get started."

"It doesn't hurt, right?" Alicia asks with a mildly worried expression, looking up at the doctor with her wide, bright brown eyes. "I mean, having the stitches in kind of hurt so...."

The doctor laughs lightly, shaking her head. "No, don't worry," She assures Alicia. "You'll feel a slight tugging sensation, but that's it really. It's a much faster process than putting them in."

Alicia nods, looking relieved. "Ok, good."

The doctor instructs Alicia to turn around so her back is facing her, which means that her face is directly in line with mine. Her eyes momentarily flash over to mine and I give her a kind of reassuring look, which she reciprocates with a small smile.

I watch her carefully as the doctor begins to take the stitches out, noticing how she winces when the doctor tugs a little too hard. Out of curiosity, I glance up to see what the doctor is doing, becoming a little interested as I watch her using scissors to simply clip each thread near the knot and then pulling them out, repeating the process until a fairly long and quite thick scar is revealed.

"There, all done," the doctor announces, leaning back and Alicia lets out a small breath as the doctor sets down the scissors and pulls her gloves off. "Now, remember not to touch it because the scar will still be quite tender for a while."

"Yeah, I've already figured that one out," Alicia tells her with a small laugh. "It's crazy how just touching a scar can send that much pain through you."

The doctor nods understandingly. "I know. If there's any increased pain coming from the injury, or you get a fever and chills or it swells up, remember to contact us again," she reminds Alicia, who nods in reply. "Aside from that, all you really need to do is keep it clean, you know, use water, pat it dry with a towel. It's on your head so I don't think any other protection is necessary, unless you attain head injuries a lot...."

Alicia shakes her head, a smile pulling at her lips. "Don't worry, I don't."

"That's good then," the doctor says, pulling herself up off the bed to stand to her full height, Alicia copying her actions and I also stand up from my seat on the rather uncomfortable chair. "Well, thank you for coming back, hopefully you won't have to again."

"Yes, hopefully," Alicia repeats with another small laugh. "Thank you again."

The doctor smiles and then gives the both of us a curt nod, turning around to deal with the supplies she just used. Alicia spins around to face me and I automatically scan her up and down as I always do to make sure she's alright.

"You ready to go?"

"Yeah. Let's go." 

I reach out for the door handle, pulling it open and holding the door for her, which she must find slightly surprising by the look she gives me as she walks past. "Wow, what a gentleman," she teases with a small smile.