Alexa's Point of View

I started walking towards the automatic entrance into the hospital. It was weird to be back in Chico after vowing to myself I'd never go back.

As I entered, the familiar hospital scent of antiseptics and cleaning agents filled my nose. I furrowed my eyes as the scent reminded me of visiting Delilah and even Kathy.

"Do you need help?" Asked a lady which interrupted me from my frequent dazes.

"Y-Yes," I stammered as I walked up to the lady at front desk.

"You're here as a visi-"

"Alexa?!" The lady at the front desk was cut off by a familiar voice.

I turned my head, "Haley," I said in my monotone voice.

"Oh my god," She said running up to me. "Alexa, you actually made it. For a second I thought-"

"It's for Hamzah," I said. "Of course I'd show."

"She's with me," Haley said looking at the front desk lady. "Patient in ICU room three hundred and sixteen."

"ID?" The lady asked politely.

"Oh yes, of course," I said rustling around my purse.

Finally, I pulled out my Texas-issued Driver's License and handed it to the lady. Soon enough, it was returned to me along with a pale red visitor sticker.

"Thank you," I weakly smiled as Haley nostalgiacly linked our arms and began walking towards Hamzah's hospital room.

"How.. have you been..?" Asked Haley as she swung me around the hall to sharply turn right.

"Okay," I shrugged as we walked down the hall.

"That's it? Just.. okay," She said obviously getting a little upset.

I stopped us dead in our tracks, "Yes. Just okay. I don't know why you're expecting me to go on a whole tangent about how much it sucked being apart from everyone. I needed to leave for many reasons that you and everyone else will never fully understand."

"You didn't have to leave without saying a word though? Are you kidding me? Aaron was crushed!" She angrily said.

"I'm sure he was," I retorted. "Just stop Haley. Now is not the time for bitching and complaining. I'm here for Hamzah so I'm going to Hamzah."

I said as I walked away and down the hall and continued the way to room three hundred and sixteen.

Finally arriving, I placed my hand on the cold metal handle and took a deep breath, preparing myself for whatever was behind the heavy wooden door. I turned the handle down and pushed the door open. The constant beeping sound filled my ears as it tracked Hamzah's heartbeat.

Lucky enough for me, the room was empty and Hamzah wasn't awake. I sat down next to him on the hard chair and took his hand in mine.

"You're gonna be okay Hamzah," I whispered.

"Holy shit," Said the voice that sent chills down my spine.

I internally told myself to keep looking down and not look up at him. But I couldn't help myself.

I looked up to instantly be engulfed in warmth by his chocolate brown eyes. His sandy curls sat so perfectly besides one another. His green scrubs stood out so nicely against his skin tone.

"Alexa," He said quietly.

I held my breathe as I stood up and brushed past him, rushing towards the exit. I peeled the visitor sticker off of my chest and quickly discarded it as I went outside, shaking.

I stood against a wall of the hospital and shuffled around in my bag searching for my Marlboro's. Finally feeling the box between my fingers I pulled it out of my bag. Ripping the box open, I pulled out a cigarette and shoved it between my lips. I grabbed my purple lighter from my pocket and lit my cigarette, inhaling deeply. I took several drags on my cigarette, trying to calm myself down when I noticed sometime standing near me through hindsight.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," I said peering over at him.

His hands were shoved in his pockets as he walked towards me. He grabbed the cigarette from my lips as he dropped it to the ground and stomped on it.

"Has anyone ever warned you about the dangers of smoking?" He smirked down at me.

I shook my head, "No. That's a doctors job, right? Not a nurse's."

He raised his eyebrows at me, "Actually, I'm an assistant nurse. Next year after I graduate I can be promoted."

"Interesting," I nodded.

"I missed you," He blurred out making my breathing stop.

"I-" I started but didn't quite know what to say.

"Do you want to come over my house?" He asked. "After you visit Hamzah of course. I think we have some catching up to do."

"Yeah," I nodded. "Sure I'll be there tonight."

"It's the bright blue house off of Oceanside," He said. "You'll know when you see it."

***

I took a deep breathe as I walked up the door. Aaron's Prius was in the driveway which was a dead giveaway that this house was his. It was quite big, I wasn't even surprised.

I lightly knocked on the door as I looked down at myself to make sure I didn't look stupid. The door swung on revealing Aaron. He looked much more relaxed than earlier, in plaid pajama pants and a basic shirt.

"Come in," He said as he stepped to the side and allowed a path for me to enter his home.

The atmosphere was warm. He grabbed my hand as he led me down the a hallway. Picture frames littered the walls though I couldn't make out what the pictures were since the corridor was barely dimly lit.

I heard light footsteps coming towards us from an opened bedroom from down the hall. The light was turned on from the bedroom and soft lullaby-like tunes erupted from behind the cracked open door.

"Daddy!" Exclaimed a little toddler as she cracked door busted wider.

Aaron bent towards the ground and scooped up the young girl, placing her on his hip. 

"Where mommy?" Asked the baby in broken baby language.

Aaron looked back at me. My eyes looked back at him, horrified.

"One minute," He said to me as he entered the room with the baby on his hip.

As he softly shut the door behind him, I turned at the heel and practically ran for the front door trying to be as quiet but also as quick as possible.