The night came and went in a flash. After crashing on my bed, I slept all the way till noon to relieve my Christmas fatigue. As a consequence, I got out from my queen-sized mattress a sore mess. For my body to react this negatively to one night off… I must be getting old.
Christmas was usually a fun day for me and the day after was a period of rest and recovery. However, this year, I didn't have that luxury.
"Time to visit her..." I groaned while rubbing off my lethargy.
Before I'd left the hospital, the nurse informed me that there was a high likelihood for my neighbour to awaken this morning. Naturally, the hospital staff would explain everything to her, but it was still good for me to make an appearance. After all, I was the one that brought her there.
I still had some paella leftover, so I had that for breakfast. No, since it was noon, it should be lunch. Either way, I ate quickly before leaving my house for the hospital. Since I wasn't in a rush, I could enjoy the smooth trip over.
Yesterday, I called a cab, and the driver moved at what seemed like the speed of sound. But today, I went at a leisurely pace using public transport. And for the first time ever… I felt the weight of the pandemic.
The train stations were empty. Other than the operators and the cleaners, there was hardly anyone there. The restaurants that I'd passed had been gated up. The bustling shopping centres that used to see thousands of visitors per day… were now as silent as a church.
Ever since I began working at home, I'd never taken a train or bus once. Everything I needed was at my fingertips, after all. So even though I'd heard how disastrous the pandemic was on the news, I wasn't able to translate it into any tangible information. But after seeing how empty everything was…
"What a disaster..." I muttered out loud thoughtlessly. Though, it didn't matter as there wasn't anyone on the same train cabin to hear my words.
Once again, I was reminded of how fortunate I was. I had a well-paying job that allowed me to work from home while others were trying to make ends meet. Some were even thrown into hospitals, not knowing what their fates were going to be.
"I hope this stupid pandemic will be over soon..." I sighed before finally alighting at my stop.
The hospital was a few blocks away from the train station, so I could walk the remaining distance. The streets were empty, and the lack of cars really made the city feel like a ghost town. If not for my neighbour, I wouldn't even be walking on this wretched pavement. So unconsciously, my feet moved at a quicker pace.
Eventually, I reached the hospital, where I registered at the reception. I'd signed Althea into the ward, but I was too tired to remember which bed she was assigned to. In the end, I had to wait at the counter while the receptionist searched the database.
Wait… Should I have brought a gift?
I looked around, and there were a few visitors around. Some brought balloons, others brought flowers. The point is, all of them came bearing gifts. And yet, here I was, empty-handed.
Whatever, I'll just get a healthy snack from the department store.
My neighbour collapsed from her lack of nutrition, so it was logical to get her something that could add to her overly thin body. In the end, I picked up some greek yoghurt with mixed berries and a bag of nuts before heading up to her ward.
I asked the hospital, and apparently, they separated patients who had contracted the virus to a different hospital wing, so there was little chance that I would meet any of the infected. That was a massive burden off my shoulders. Still, the hospital was quite strict in the rules for visitors.
Everyone had to wear masks and sanitise their hands before and after touching the lift buttons. Additionally, I wasn't supposed to stand too close to the patient, or anyone in fact. So I had to meander my way through the nurses and visitors before I could reach her ward.
There were four beds in the room where my neighbour was assigned, and she was on bed thirty-four—the corner bed nearest to the window. Since the curtains were drawn for all four beds, I wasn't able to see any of the patients, including my neighbour.
"Ms Kong? Are you awake?" I tapped on the curtains once before calling out her name.
"Yes… I am..." A soft and lethargic voice echoed out from the other side.
"May I come in?"
"Yes," the girl replied once again.
Getting her approval, I gently pulled the curtains aside and unveiled myself to the girl lying down on the bed. She was in standard hospital pyjamas, and an IV bag was connected to her thin left arm. Perhaps it was the sunlight from the window, but her skin illuminated brightly, far better than the complexion she had last night.
Althea's emerald eyes widened slightly after seeing who her visitor was. She was startled for sure. But she wasn't showing any sign of nervousness or retreat that I was accustomed to.
Instead, Althea was the one that initiated the conversation: "Hi, please come in."
I took a step into the curtains and drew it back. I placed my plastic bag on the table, right next to the box of tissues, before moving to the corner of her bed.
"How are you feeling?"
"Better," Althea replied kindly. "The doctor said that I can be discharged tomorrow if I want to."
"That's good..."
"..."
An awkward silence soon ensued. It felt odd not hearing my neighbour stutter or looking away in fear. No, now that I think about it, her previous action was the weird one. It seemed like after saving her, this little girl was now behaving like normal.
"Ermmm, I've heard from the doctor, nurses and… my mother. That you were the one that brought me to the hospital after I'd collapsed, right?"
"Ah, yes."
"Thank you, Mister. If not for you, I would have been left in the cold..."
"No, it's nothing really. If I had collapsed outside your door, you would have probably done the same thing."
"Yeah..."
"..."
The awkward silence came back. Well, that was to be expected. Other than the fact that we were neighbours, the two of us were nothing alike. If not for her little incident, we would probably never share a proper conversation.
"Anyway, I brought a recovery gift for you." I went to the white plastic bag and took out the yoghurt and bag of nuts.
"Oh, you shouldn't have..."
"No, it's nothing much. Here's yoghurt with some mixed berries. It's high in proteins and calcium, good for strengthening your body. And here's a bag of cashew and macadamia nuts. They're high in healthy fats and carbohydrates. It's a healthy way to recover your lost nutrients, Ms Kong."
"Ah, thank you… And you can just call me Althea."
Althea shyly received my gift with both hands.
"Haha, then I will. You can just call me Desir as well." I chuckled as I watched Althea examine the food items that she'd just received. "Well, these are much better than the instant noodles that you'd bought last time." I joked in good fun.
"That's… Yeah, I'm sorry..."
"What are you sorry for?"
"I… didn't heed your advice, and I caused you trouble..."
The pale young girl dropped her head in remorse. My facial muscles relaxed after seeing that scene. It was as if I could see invisible dog ears drooping down from her head.
"Haha, it's fine! Next time, just eat better meals. I'm sure your mother has reminded you over the phone."
"Yeah..." Althea mumbled while flashing a bitter smile. "It's just… It's hard to get meals now that all the restaurants are closed. And the open ones only serve fried food and expensive meals. The best meals I can get are the supermarket packed bentos, and even they are quite limited."
"Hold on… Althea, don't you cook at home?"
"T-That… no..."
The girl shyly admitted while hiding her face in a blanket. "I'd never been good at cooking, so I'd always gotten my meals outside. Other than instant noodles, I basically never cook at home. So once the pandemic hit, I was forced to live off my supply of instant noodles."
That explains it. If Althea had only eaten instant noodles and cheap supermarket bentos, it was only a matter of time before she'd collapsed.
"Wow, it's a miracle that you've survived until now with that diet."
"I-Is it?"
"Yeah, university student or not, you shouldn't only rely on instant noodles. It's extremely high in sodium and extremely unhealthy for you. Once or twice a week is fine, but if your diet is solely that..."
"I see..."
Althea once again dropped her head and reflected on her actions. At that moment, she looked like a helpless little animal that had no idea of what danger was. No, if I leave her be, this little girl won't be able to get her diet in order.
"Hah, how about this? Why don't I prepare your meals in the future?"
"W-What?!" Althea exclaimed with a soft screech. "I can't let you go through all that trouble!"
"It's no trouble at all," I replied calmly. "I'm cooking my own meals every day anyway. For me, it's just adding another portion. While for you, it's a matter of life and death."
"Life and death… Aren't you exaggerating?"
"Hey, don't underestimate the power of good nutrition. If you're not eating well, your immune system will become weak to viruses. Especially during this pandemic. What would happen if you contract the disease with your entire body weakened?"
"..."
"Think about it; this time you were lucky I was around. However, what would happen if you collapsed in your home and no one was there to rush you to the hospital?"
"That..."
Althea was stunned speechless by my logic.
"If you're worried about my cooking, I have complete faith that I can make meals that are both delicious and healthy."
"I'm not that worried about that..."
"Besides, I'm sure your mother told you that she requested me to look out for you. Just think of it like that. Or maybe I should tell her that her precious little daughter wasn't being cooperative?"
"Okay! Okay! I get it!" Althea waved her arms in embarrassment in order for me to shut up. She fidgeted in place like an adorable squirrel before finally relenting: "Then, I'll be counting on you."
"Haha, now that's the spirit."
And thus, an arrangement was made between my beautiful next-door neighbour and me.
An arrangement… that would change both our lives forever.