Daniel’s POV

The whole world was dark and I could hear hushed voices around me. “I think he is coming out. Don’t worry, it’s like this every time as general anaesthesia wears out. It’s completely normal,” a soothing voice was heard.

I heard a whimper of a female voice. I knew the voice, I knew it. Just I couldn’t get a grip on all the fleeting thoughts.

What had happened?
Where was I?
My head felt like a boulder.

I tried to open my eyes and immediately the glare of lights blinded me. I squinted.

“I’m sorry,” the male voice responded again. “I’ll dim the lights.”

I peered through my lashes and slowly opened my eyes. I found myself looking at the stark white ceiling. A head came into focus. A man with a black beard was peering down at me.

“How are you feeling?”

“Fine,” I mumbled. My voice was groggy.

“What is your name?”

“D…Daniel. Daniel Waters.”

“So, Daniel where are you now?”

“Now…” I tilted my head lightly and found the examiner wearing a white apron with long sleeves. “Hospital I guess.”

“Correct…and how did you come here?”

“I had a headache and it was dark and there was…”

I gasped as all the memories came flooding back to me. I was with Phoebe and we were getting intimate and then my head had started throbbing and I had lost control of my body and if I had to be brought to the hospital, it was Phoebe for sure who had brought me. Where was she?

As my surroundings came into focus it was just my mom, the doctor and a dutiful nurse.

“Phoebe!” I cried. “Where is Phoebe?”
I looked around everywhere. Phoebe wouldn’t have left me alone. I had a bad feeling that she was forced to go away.

“Your son is fully conscious and oriented, Mrs Waters,” said the doctor. There was an amused expression in his face, “Already searching for your girlfriend, are you?”

That was for me.

I gave a dry smile. He would never know what Phoebe was for me.

The nurse disconnected the IV tubing and swiftly pushed the medications through the cannula.

“There you go. That will help with the pain,” she smiled sweetly.

“I’ll discharge you as soon as I can, young man,” the doctor said. “We need to keep you under observation for forty-eight hours first.”

“You can do anything as long as I know where Phoebe is and who sent her away,” I mumbled, stubborn as ever.

The doctor shook his head and left.

“Phoebe is the least of your concerns now,” my mother commented, sitting beside me.
I tried to raise my head but she pushed me back gently.

“Phoebe is always my top priority," I argued.

She glared at me, “Fine, Phoebe had a high fever and her mother took her away. I called them, they would be coming soon.”

“Why did she have a fever? I hope it isn’t due to the carcinoma and all.”

“You’re not to stress yourself over such things. You have just undergone a major tumour operation, fighting with death. This isn’t the time to think of some girl, how much ever she may mean to you.”

“For heaven’s sake, Mom, if you can’t accept a girl in my life, say it,” my head throbbed again and I tried to cool my temper.

“I am just wondering what kind of a girl likes my son. Unpredictable, short-tempered and with a history like that. Did you even tell her everything about yourself?”

“A love based on secrets doesn’t have a strong ground,” I said fiercely. “And Phoebe isn’t what you think she is. Grappling with her own life, fighting her incurable EB, she is stronger and bolder than most other girls. She helps me keep in control…”

“Her incurable what?” she interrupted.

I went on to tell her everything about Phoebe, her disease and how I met her. It felt so good to be sharing my secrets with mom. I had never spoken to her that intimately since my return from the therapy sessions. We used to maintain our distance. She had given up her son as a lost cause and I had never dreamt of getting our earlier relationship back. I had simply concluded that my mom didn’t love me anymore.

Getting the whole burden of my unique love story off my chest felt like a great relief. She was wide-eyed by the time I finished.

“I never thought I had a son who could care so much for another. I’m happy with your choice as long as you’re happy with it,” she squeezed my arm.

“Thanks, Mom.”

She hugged me tightly and I put both hands around her. I had to struggle with the IV line to do so. Nevertheless, I patted her and comforted her, assuring that everything would be fine. She pulled back abruptly rubbing her moist eyes.

“Daniel!” a voice rang out and my world seemed to be flooded with a halo of happiness immediately.

“Daniel, are you okay?” the voice trembled with joy and anticipation.

“Phoebe, first tell me if you’re okay,” I said, as she cautiously moved towards me as if afraid that I’d disappear any moment.

“That’s just the Daniel kind of thing to say at this moment,” she suppressed a sob. “I missed you. I was so afraid…I…”

And came the tears in a rush. I could feel her crumbling before my eyes. Those at least were tears of joy and relief and yet each drop was a stab to my heart, reminding me of how much I mattered to her.

My mother left my hand and stood up, looking at Phoebe with a mixture of awe and sympathy. She hobbled up to me and wrapped me in a hug.

“Easy there, girl. Your skin is still so fragile.”

“Shush!” she put a finger to my lips.

I deliberately kissed it. She drew back her hands, colour flooding her cheeks.

“First tell me I look the same and not like a Frankenstein monster. How many stitches are up there on my head? I’m afraid to even look at what they had done with my carefully styled hair.”

“Yeah, about the hair which looked like a crow’s nest even after your careful styling, you look as enticing as ever and totally edible,” she said, kissing my cheeks. “As for the stitches, there’s only one I guess and it doesn’t seem so bad, though it’s still covered in rolls of bandages.”

“By the way, where had you been? You smell of incense and you’re wearing a frock,” I asked suddenly.

“The church!”

I stopped my jaws from hitting the floor and carefully made my face into a mask of neutrality, “Any special reason?”

“I went to contemplate my life and pray for you.”

I was struggling to keep a straight face. I wanted to drown her in kisses at that moment, "Any use?”

“I feel more focused, relaxed and you’re back to me,” said she is a ‘matter of fact’ way.

I took her hands and kissed them as was my habit.

Our parents at the door were certainly oblivious to the scene that was unfolding in the room.