Sheila woke slowly, feeling that the hours of sleep had rejuvenated her body, as she no longer had the headache she had before.
For some reason, that sensation brought back memories, but... of what?
Sheila stretched lazily, enjoying the moment before deciding to get up.
Feeling much better, she got out of bed and headed to the bathroom.
Upon entering, she undressed and turned on the shower.
The hot water cascaded over her skin, relaxing the remaining muscles that were still tense.
Sheila closed her eyes, letting the steam and heat do their job.
After a good while under the shower, Sheila stepped out and wrapped herself in a fluffy towel. She brushed her teeth meticulously, enjoying the freshness of the toothpaste.
Then, she went to her suitcase to get some clothes, opting for a simple and comfortable outfit: tight jeans and a white cotton T-shirt.
Just as she was finishing getting ready, a loud noise, as if something heavy had fallen, startled her.
'Did something happen in the hallway?' Sheila wondered as she finished dressing.
Quickly, she grabbed her purse from the nightstand and left the room.
In the hallway, Sheila quickly noticed an elderly woman on the floor, and from her posture, she deduced that she had fallen.
"How are you?" Sheila asked as she approached the woman to help her.
The elderly woman moaned softly, her face pale and her breathing labored.
Sheila gently took her wrist, measuring her pulse and quickly assessing her condition.
Within seconds, she realized the woman was experiencing an acute crisis, possibly a heart attack or a severe hypertensive episode.
"You need immediate treatment," Sheila murmured as she opened her purse to take out a small case with golden needles.
"Ma'am, I'm going to help you. Please try to relax," Sheila explained in a calm and confident voice, trying to reassure the woman.
She quickly disinfected the necessary areas and began inserting the needles into specific points on the woman's body.
With precise and sure movements, Sheila applied acupuncture, seeking to stabilize the energy flow and relieve the pain. She inserted the needles in key points to ease the pain and improve circulation.
The woman began to breathe more easily, and Sheila could see the pain fading from her face.
Sheila continued working, using her knowledge to treat the woman's discomfort.
After a few minutes, the woman's breathing stabilized, and her face regained its color.
She seemed more at ease and relaxed, as if the pain had completely vanished.
"Do you feel better?" Sheila asked, observing the woman closely.
The woman nodded weakly, her eyes filled with gratitude.
"Yes, much better. Thank you so much, dear," she whispered with a trembling but relieved voice.
"Let me help you to your room."
Accepting the help, the woman entered her room with Sheila.
"Dear, what is your name?"
Sheila froze for a moment at that question because…
She had done everything instinctively!
From the moment the woman fell to when she sat her on the hotel bed, Sheila had acted automatically without thinking she might risk her identity by getting into trouble.
'Right, I can give her that name,' Sheila thought, recalling the name she had given Blortus.
"Treit."
"Treit?"
"Yes."
"Is it a foreign name?"
"Yes, something like that."
"Where are you from?"
"Almia."
"Almia…? Oh, that small country up north, right?"
"Yes, it's a small country compared to Vespera."
"Don't worry, dear. I didn't mean to offend," the woman said with a small laugh.
How many years had it been since her body felt this way?
Although the woman was aware of the existence of acupuncture, she did not expect it to fix all the aches her body had accumulated over the years.
She even felt younger!
"You're amazing. Did you learn all that there?"
"Yes," Sheila replied nervously, as the woman was extracting too much information!
"Ma'am."
"Yes?" the woman replied immediately.
"I recommend you see a specialist in internal medicine and cardiology as soon as possible," Sheila explained seriously.
"What I did was alleviate your symptoms and calm the pain, but you need a full diagnosis and proper treatment to ensure there are no more serious problems. Please don't ignore it."
"Are you saying the problem I have is related to my heart?"
Although Sheila was sure of her diagnosis, she didn't want to sound authoritative since she wasn't in her lab, so if something went wrong…
"It's a recommendation," Sheila responded.
"Perfect, really, thank you so much, dear. Can you give me your account number? I want to pay you for your time and treatment," the woman said with a smile.
"No, no. It's not necessary, ma'am."
"Treit," the woman said, looking intently at Sheila.
"Believe me, you've helped me more than you can imagine," the woman explained, but seeing Sheila's nervous face…
"But if you don't want to charge me, at least tell me something you want from me. Even if it doesn't seem like it…"
And before the woman could continue her speech, Sheila said:
"Please don't tell anyone about me."
The woman, hearing this request, fell silent at Sheila's confusing request.
"Just that?"
"Yes."
It was a strange request, but since it came from her savior…
"Okay, it's a deal," the woman said, to which Sheila immediately smiled.