The first thing I felt when I woke up was a feeling of moisture.
Gazing down, the familiar white sheets, wrinkled hands, bloated bear belly and the metallic square frame of the bed's foot board greeted my vision. I squinted my eyes a little.
' Fuck, why is it so bright?' I thought grouchily, still half asleep.
The ward I was in didn't have much but it was clean and good looking. Apart from the bed, the only other noticeable features of the room were a small table and a 4 by 3 foot window to my left as well as a built in toilet toward my right. At present, the glorious rays of the sun were flamboyantly parading through the transparent glass planes and brazenly swaggering in my face.
That was all the incentive I needed to pull myself off the bed.
" You sure sweated a lot. Was it hot last night." Sounded a monotonous voice in my ear.
Irritably, I faced in the direction of the voice, retorts and complaints already about to jump out of my throat. A young lady was standing next to the window, her back bent as she reached out to grab the bed sheets. Her almond coloured hair was tied back in a neat braid whilst leaving a cut in the front which spread out into two side-bangs that somewhat obscured her black eyes from view when looking from the side.
She was dressed in a white dress which hem reached to her knees and white shoes, a crimson cross was emblazoned proudly on her right bosom along with a name tag sewn on which read the words: " KIRA"
" For a nurse you're terrible to old folks." I grumbled disgruntedly
" And I know that was perfunctory. You basically sounded like a robot."
" It's special service just for you. There are actually some people out there who would pay to be treated like this you know?" She replied shamelessly.
looking in my direction, her eyes exaggeratedly wide as she mouthed a word that I promptly raised a hand to swat away.
I snorted. " Well sorry, I just happen to be a generation early for that."
" Well, I can't do anything about that." Kira said as she looked up at me with a smile that looked more like a smirk. " But I guess you can't do anything about me either huh, geezer."
I had to grudgingly admit that she was right.
" Was it really that hot last night? I'm pretty sure I rained though." Kira repeated, a tinge more genuine this time as she stripped the bedding off the mattress and proceeded to fold it, revealing a glaringly obvious dark brown patch of moisture that made sure to distinguish itself from the rest of the mattress's beige body.
"Must be my years getting to me HAHAHAHA."
The room was silent, other than the ruffling of sheets from Kira finishing her work.
" Get it? Get to me? Like heat? Getting to you?"
Kira peaked up slightly, the sheets half folded in her hands with a single eyebrow raised in question as if asking what kind of logic brought me to make that connection.
" You must be going senile."
My spirit fell.
" Regardless, breakfast is ready. I will bring it in soon. Do you need any help changing?" Kira asked.
" No, no. I'm fine. I'm not that old yet."
I waved my hands dismissively as if shooing a fly and shuffled my feet to the toilet and closed the door. The lights installed gave off a warm white, almost yellowish or orange colour which illuminated the small restroom well enough despite the odd colour choice.
I pressed my arms against the sink and let the tap run, periodically scooping up water from the steady current and forcefully splashing it on my face, trying to shake off the morning grogginess.
Eventually, I lost track of time. I knew that I had a strange dream the night before but I couldn't remember much of it. Even when I tried to forcefully recall it, not many details surfaced from the murky waters of my memory.
A chill ran down my spine as I looked up to my reflection in the mirror.
It was the same feeling of dread would always rise up from my gut, spreading thoughout my body as if being carried through my veins.
I splashed the cold water on my face several more times, wishing that the water might just somehow carry all these unpleasant memories and feelings away with it and vanish into the drains.
A light rattle coming from outside the door caught my attention.
" Should probably wrap up."
I reached out and grabbed a towel from the hanger fixed on the wall and dabbed it lightly, soaking up the water left on my face before reaching up to fix my wet hair
'Hair' in which case being the few loose grey strands that were still stubbornly left hanging on to my balding head.
Wincing at the thought, I left the bathroom.
Breakfast in the hospital was rather simple. A slice of bread, an apple and soup but I had gotten used to it after the who years of staying in the ward due to a heart condition that still plagued me to this day.
' It will probably be the end of me though. No helping it if it is.' I thought idly as I munched on a piece of bread.
' It's kind of stale.' I thought as I shot an accusing glance at Kira who had her back turned towards me and was busying herself with opening the ward door after a knock earlier.
I chuckled.
' At least here's something to look forward to.'I thought.
The thick sheet of wood slid clear from view and disappeared into the space in the wall and an adorable gremlin whose smile was as bright as the sun and with beautiful blond hair to match bounded into the room and flew in my direction like a fuzzy cannonball of energy and cuteness.
" Grandpa!!!"
The energetic cannonball flew into my arms and grabbed tightly on to my neck.
So many things could have gone wrong at that moment. Maybe my back could have given out with a pop , or perhaps she could have crashed into my lap instead and send the breakfast platter sitting comfortably on it flying, costing me my morning meal as well as making a mess and a scolding from Kira for being a shitty useless geezer.
But alas, the things we do for love.
I grinned from ear to ear and returned my darling granddaughter's nuzzle before setting her down next to me on the left side of the bed and faced towards the door to greet my other visitors.
A man and woman stood at the doorway. The latter had a distressed look on her face, like she wanted badly to let something out but was constipated while the former who stood behind her, or rather, towered behind her had a bright smile on his face which matched his radiant sun-like hair colour.
I had to chuckle to myself and beckoned them forward.
" Yo pops! How're you doing?" The man waved.
" What do you know, I'm still alive!" I and we shared a laugh.
As my laughter died away, I followed up.
"Has my daughter been treating you well?"
" No she's terrible. I regret my life everyd-"
A swift elbow to the ribs was enough to make the blond giant stop in his tracks and legitimately regret life.
The woman stood a whole head and a half under than man but clearly wore the pants in this relationship. With her arms akimbo, she looked disapprovingly at her husband before turning to me.
" I'm so sorry dad, I had a meeting early in the morning so I couldn't make it earlier like I promised ." She bent down to grasp my hands, her brow knotted.
" I'll-I'll make it up to you! I promise to come around more often! Promise!"
" Really? That's good to hear." My smile couldn't seem to leave my face as I gazed fondly at the woman my daughter had become.
It almost seemed like yesterday when she was that obnoxious toddler who would endlessly disturb my sleep, or who would bawl her eyes out whenever I said no to any of her requests.
That spoiled child had grown up well.
" Though I'd appreciate it if you brought me out for a meal sometime." I chuckled without much humour, eyeing the food with distaste."
" Hahaha I'll make sure to do so. But the food is tailored to your health. It's good for you."
" God, you're becoming more and more like your mother every time I see you."
" I know right! " Chimed in another voice.
" Hmm? I didn't quite get that bae, what did you say?"
" I know right! "
" Hmm?"
" I-"
" Hmmm?"
" Right, nothing."
' God, she's just like her mother. I'm actually having second thoughts about whether I raised her right.' I thought silently as the giant man shriveled like a leaf and his witty retorts died in his throat.
There was only one card that would be effective.
I turned to my darling granddaughter and asked in the sweetest voice my old voice box could still muster.
" Ash, do you think mommy is scary? She's a real meanie right? " I leaned in quickly as if to hear her response but instead quickly muttered under my breath.
" Let's have some fun ok with your mommy okay? Grandpa will buy you sweets later. Shhhhhh."
Wasn't bribery to be a bit underhanded for a wise sage like myself, and to a child no less?
At the mention of the sweet goods, Ash's face lit up like a bulb had just been switched on inside her and she nodded her head vigorously much to her mother's dismay.
Her father was quick to catch on and without hesitation, unleashed the barrage of complaints long held behind the dam, to which Ash, driven by my promise of sweets seconded equally without hesitation, again much to her mother's dismay.
Now you shall know the wrath of us abused husbands!
Eventually, time flew by my daughter and her family left. They each still had their own lives after all and I wouldn't want to keep them for too long.The sound of laughter that sounded in the room a few moments ago still resounded in my ears, keeping me company, driving the loneliness away.
Night fell and the darkness surrounded me once more. The city lights shone slightly through the little window in my room, meshing together in a blend of colours to shine through my window into my room, culminating in a ghostly ray of translucent light that kept total blindness at bay.
The beeping sounds of the holster monitor sounded my side steadily and slowly, a constant, monotonous and tuneless lullaby lulling me to sleep.
I yawned and pulled the covers over my person, closing my eyes.
' Hopefully…not another one of those stupid..dreams….'
My consciousness faded and darkness enveloped my vision.
And outside, the beeping stopped.