I had had an operation on my heart, it wasn't too major but as with any open heart surgery I had to stay in, to make sure everything was okay. I had spent 3 days on ITU, and should still be there now, but I was moved to Keller. I'm guessing so my sister could keep an eye on me, but she hadn't been doing a lot of that in the last day and a half.
My older sister is Zosia March. She has had a few issues recently, but I feel like I don't exist around her anymore. I know I can't expect her to constantly run around me, she has other patients to see, but I have just had major surgery and she hasn't given me a second look, unless treating me as a patient. She is an amazing doctor, and I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize her career, but I really need my sister right now, not a doctor. She was always such a loving big sister, but she's changed. I wish she would just come and cuddle with me for five minutes.
I looked to the side of me and pulled a face. I was in the end bed, furthest away from the nurses station. I have to admit, I did like the fact that at night it was quiet, and there was no constant rustling and beeping like there was on ITU. But there's only so much you can tolerate before you start to go insane. I had to be careful, and I knew I had to be careful when I got up and moved around because I didn't want to put strain on my heart or the stitches but I refused to be in a wheelchair so I just had to do things very slowly.
One of the perks of your sister working in a hospital, is that you get access to the staff room. I exercised that perk a lot. That means peace and quiet, nice food (if I ever ate), access to plugs, a proper tv, comfy seats...a fridge which means chilled pop! Do I need to go on? I had my own pyjamas on, which made it more comfortable for me to walk around, although I still lived wrapping myself up in Zosia's dressing gown, because at night I could breathe in her smell and pretend she was hugging me.
I slumped down on the chair in the staff room and flicked through the channels. Nothing on apart from day time telly, which is always a bunch of rubbish. I picked up my phone which I had left on charge in the staff room. I had a message.
"Hope you are feeling better, if you fancy popping down today to see me I could do with a chat, love Marie-Claire"
I had nothing better to do, so I set off to go and visit Marie-Claire, or as the boys call her, "M-C".
I wandered onto AAU, it was unusually quiet. I knew it wouldn't be like this for long, it never is. I had come at a good time. Marie-Claire was Sat behind the desk, playing some game on Facebook.
"Hey dude!" I said, coming up behind her.
"Hello sweetheart, how are you doing?" She replied, turning to me. I loved her Irish accent, I could listen to it all day.
"I've just had my chest cut open, things pulled out and shoved back in and then stitched up with some wire and staples, so you how do you think I'm doing?" I retorted. I didn't like people fussing, she knew that I wasn't being deliberately rude.
"Ssh you, come here." She smiled, standing up and gently embracing me in a hug.
"Hugging our patients now are we?" Fletch said as he came up next to us, but on the other side of the desk.
"No, just the ones who deserve VIP treatment" Marie-Claire replied, keeping her arm around me.
I gently leaned against her, I'd been stood up for quite a while, but I wasn't at deaths door yet. She gently rubbed my shoulder in support. Fletch knew what we had in mind, because we didn't need to ask.
"Marie-Claire you're due a break. Take as long as you need." Fletch smiled. I smiled back. So did Marie-Claire.
"Oh, and be careful with Mr Self's daughter, if anything happens to her its your neck on the line" Fletch reminded her. As if she needed reminding. One of the downsides of my daddy being the CEO of the hospital is that everyone either treats me like a 5 year old who is going to get injured every 30 seconds or like radioactive material that's to dangerous to go anywhere near. To be perfectly honest with you, it's annoying. If I was going to grass on you to my dad for doing something wrong, I'd at least make it something decent, not knocking of a trolley or spilling a drink!
That's one thing that made me like Marie-Claire so much, the fact that she really couldn't care less who my dad is, and just treats me like a normal teenager.
I linked my arm into Marie-Claire's and slowly wandered down to the cafe. Almost as soon as we sat down at the table, Marie-Claire's phone rang. It was Zosia.
"Hey, have you seen my sister?" I heard Zosia say down the phone. She sounded surprisingly panicked for someone who showed no signs of caring whatsoever.
Marie-Claire raised her eyebrows at me from across the table. I looked away awkwardly.
"Woah, Zosh, calm down. She's here with me in the cafe, were getting some food, then ill escort her back up to Keller, she's okay, just bored." Marie-Claire replied, sounding slightly surprised.
"Okay, thank you." Zosia replied, sounding less panicked.
"Can you ask her not to wander off again please? I've had enough of having to send out a search party every time shefeels the need to stretch her legs." Zosia added.
"Ill pass on the message, we'll have a chat later? Feels like it's been ages since we had a proper chat." Marie-Claire replied.
"Thank you! Yes, ill see you in a bit then!" Zosia said, and hung up the phone.
I was sat there looking increasingly guilty, and the look on Marie-Claire's face wasn't making me feel any better.
"Care to explain what that was about madam?" Marie-Claire asked, referring to the fact I'd left without speaking to Zosia.
I frowned down at the table and said nothing.
"Hey, I'm not mad, I just want to know that everything is okay" She said placing her arms on the table and cupping my hands in hers.
"She doesn't care about me. She's made that one quite obvious." I said, not making eye contact with Marie-Claire.
"Zosia?" She asked.
I nodded.
"You know she loves you. She's just had some issues recently. I know it doesn't excuse anything, but I know she loves you. You don't see the way she talks about you when your not around." Marie-Claire told me.
I just raised my eyebrows and grunted.
"Mmm" I replied.
At that moment, Jac appeared at our table. She did my operation, and she's sleeping with my daddy whether she wants to admit it or not, so she might end up being my new step mum. I don't think she's quite ready to take the full force of a teenage daughter just yet, not to mention Zosia...
"Hey, how's the chest?" Jac asked me, she was always nice to me, even when I was mean to her, but deep down, I really did like her.
"Sore." I muttered.
"To be expected." Jac smiled back, I didn't return the smile, I just sighed.
"Are you okay?" She asked me.
"Fine." I replied distantly.
"I'm still getting used to teenage speak, but I'm pretty sure that translates as I'm not fine, go away." Jac said raising her eyebrows. I had to give her points for persistence.
"Mmmm" I muttered.
"Am I alright to join you?" Jac asked Marie-Claire.
"Yeah. Take a seat." Marie-Claire smiled.
I shuffled up and Jac sat herself down next to me.
"So what's up?" Jac asked again.
"Sister issues." I replied.
"I know all about that. Believe me." She replied.
I looked at her, that sounded more than the usual fighting.
"I miss my mum too..." I said, sadly.
"That I can emphasize with. Mine's a cow." Jac muttered.
I raised my eyebrows and smiled slightly. She did make me smile quite often.
"Can I please be moved onto Darwin?" I begged Jac.
"You know you can't pick and choose where you are." Jac replied.
"Daddy can pick and choose for me." I said. I'd won and she knew it.
"If Nurse Carter can take you up to Darwin, ill ring ahead and let them know you're coming." Jac sighed, giving into me.
"Oh, and Jac..." I started, emphasizing her name.
"you know you love me..." I trailed off, she knew what I wanted.
Jac looked at me strangely for a second before unclipping her ID tag from around her waist and handing it to me. Attached to it where the keys to her office.
"You leave any bodily fluids, blood or puke, ANYTHING in my office, those stitches are coming out without anaesthetic, do you hear me?" Jac said seriously, but handing over her keys.
"You're a legend! I love you Jac." I said wrapping my arms around her and hugging her. She smiled.
"Best be getting a move on then if you want that bed." Jac said, Marie-Claire agreed.
Marie-Claire walked me up to Darwin and explained to Dr. Afanga that I was having a bed. I let myself into Jac's office and Sat in her swivel chair at her desk. Marie-Claire said goodbye, she was going to fetch my stuff and then had to get back to work.