Chapter 12: Flaming white-hot

Chapter 12: Flaming white-hot (Wattpad)

Part I:

I must be entirely losing my mind, Tristan thought for the hundredth time as he took a bite from the cookie in his hand. I must be losing my mind.

Tristan was back in his home. He should be catching up on his sleep, but instead, he was sitting in front of the fire in his bathrobe and eating the cookies he bought from the store earlier. But he can’t taste anything. It was like chewing cardboard.

I must be losing my mind. I don’t believe this – I’ve just had the most bizarre hallucination ever.

Hallucination?

But it seemed too real. He remembered the feel of the old man’s fingers against his shoulder when he tapped him. He remembered checking his watch. H remembered the advice.

Something green…

He resisted the urge to look for the jewelry box his mother had left him. If he found any accessory with an emerald on it, he may just have a heart attack on the spot.

Funny, how things had unravelled since he met Reeya. It all started from that, and then the rest followed, like dominoes.

He just couldn’t pinpoint if the “miracles” were a good thing or not. But looking back now, it’s seems like the former. For the time being, that is.

Archangel Raphael…

“I didn’t meet an angel of any kind,” Tristan said under his breath, “I’m just stressed.”

With that denial in mind, he wrapped up his midnight snack, brushed his teeth, and went to his bedroom. When he slept, his dreams were full of angels and emeralds of every shade possible.

7 hours later

Meetings had never really bothered Tristan, but early ones in particular was another story.

“The casualty rate went up about 14% more than last year and our custom engineers are insisting new adjustments to our fifth floor…”

Tristan stifled a yawn as the manager droned on and on. Brian O’Neill was a good man and quite close to him, but the fact that his voice sounds close to boring and the room being air-conditioned made him really sleepy.

“The tiles on the floor, the bathroom lavatory, the west wing windows…”

His eyelids were getting heavier by the passing seconds, and it was only a matter of willpower for him to look like he was even listening. I promise never to stay up late ever again, he told himself.

“…about everything else unsettled on the next meeting, which will be one Monday. Same time.”

Same time. Of course, Tristan groaned inside his head, that’s really encouraging. 

Brian clapped his hands together once and looked at everybody with his leonine face, “All right everyone, you’re free to go.” The sound of everyone rising from their seats and the low murmurs gave Tristan the energy to give up his sleep and get up. He just got out of the door and got three steps back towards his office when a voice behind him said, 

“Hey, rainbow.”

He didn’t even turn his head around to know who is was, and just slowed his pace until the person caught up and was on his side. Gabriel smiled, “Let me guess, no sleep?”

“Got two hours. Maybe less.” He shrugged, “I dunno. I wasn’t counting.”

“There, there. It’s okay. It’s the downs of life that puts us to test. But before you see Miss Hamilton, you better take a nap.”

“I’m planning on that.” he yawned and stopped to his right; to the door with a plaque on the side that read,

Devon, Tristan Louis, G.

Human behavior/Mental states and processes 

In-training

The last line was a bit of a bummer – how he wanted to have his license already – but all in all, he always thought that the sign made him sound a whole lot more impressive than he actually was.

“See you.”

“Thanks, Gab.” His friend proceeded all the way down the hall, to where his own office was. Tristan guessed that Gabriel’s probably getting to work almost immediately, but as he unlocked his door and saw his couch, all other thoughts flew from his mind.

He was extremely tired. His limbs were aching, as well as his legs and his eyes. All he managed to do was to set his wristwatch on alarm mode before he crashed to sleep.

An hour later

He was confused. She never smiled at him before, and yet here she was, holding out her hand to him with the most beautiful smile he ever saw.

But he was still baffled. And why was she fading? He didn’t want her to go away, not yet. 

“Tristan. Tristan, wake up!”

He groaned and opened one eye. In a state of pure incoherency, he only registered that the face hovering above him was the nurse, Nika.

Not Reeya.

“She’s been asking for you!” Nika squealed in delight. He didn’t her hear properly, still trying to remember what the hell was happening.

“What time is it?” he asked in a hoarse voice, sitting up on the couch.

Damn, that was a perfect dream.

“Doctor, didn’t you hear me?” she asked, her voice full of restrained excitement. Tristan’s brow creased.

“I was confused for a second, I’m sorry, I just woke up from this crazy dream – ”

“Reeya talked to me!” the nurse interrupted with the energy of a five-year old.

Surprise took Tristan’s breath away, but as soon as it wore off, another emotion took its place, and it shook him to no end.

Jealousy.

He never imagined that Reeya would talk to someone else, only to him. She was under his particular care, and never saw much of the other dotors.

Why does she have to talk to her? he thought wildly, Reeya is my patient.

And then he realized what he was thinking.

He wanted to repeatedly smash his head to his own desk right then.

“What did she say?” he asked Nika. He would deal with the other problem later.

“She asked me where you are!” she almost shouted, but Tristan didn’t mind. He was undone. He felt numb.

“She…what?” he said feebly.

Nika was flustered; she didn’t seem to know where to put herself and just settled to kneeling in front of the couch. “I went in the room to give her breakfast and you told me she can eat fine by herself, so I put the tray on her lap, but I didn’t leave – I wanted to be sure. She was just…just looking at me the entire time and then suddenly, she said, ‘Nika, where’s Tristan?’ I really can’t believe it!” she exclaimed, “I didn’t even think she knew my name. This is fantastic!”

Tristan was staring at his carpet, mouth open in absolute shock.

“Are you sure?” he leaned toward her, “Completely sure that’s what she said?”

“Absolutely!” she nodded her head, “I was completely surprised at first, but then somehow, I responded that you were just resting. She didn’t talk to me after that.” Nika stared at nothing in particular, as if she’s on another dimension.

“I’m going to see her.” Tristan bolted to his feet and straightened his coat. He saw Nika standing up as well and she smiled at him, “You’re making miraculous progress with her. It’s unbelievable.” She shook her head slightly at her last words and Tristan chuckled. 

“I had help.”

Together, they went out of the office and Nika went back to her duties. Meanwhile, the young doctor raced through the halls and in no time, his hand was already poised on the doorknob of room 572.

He peered inside the room and his gaze immediately met hers. Her head was tilted to the side and she was craning her head to see him. Her eyes weren’t blank, thoughtful, or impatient this time. They were slightly anxious.

For a few moments, Tristan just drank in the sight of her, his overwhelming emotions bubbling up in his chest before he let himself inside and closed the door behind him. 

An awkward silence followed where they just stared at each other and Tristan bit his lower lip before saying, “So, uhm. You finished your breakfast?” he ended the sentenced on an upbeat tone and managed to gather his wits. He grabbed the stool with one hand and sat on it as Reeya faced him, legs crossed.

“Yes. Where were you?” She sounded like wind chimes. Tristan didn’t expect that she’d really answer. He just asked the question to fill in the silence, but the surprise was in all ways, welcome.

“I, uhh,” he chuckled slightly, “I slept inside my office. I didn’t think you would…mind, really. I’m sorry.” A brief pause followed the apology before she replied, “It’s okay. Nika let you something.” She nodded slightly to the table on his left, where he found a bottle of water. He smiled and took it in his hands, playing with it as he tried to battle his nervousness away.

“Do you want me to read to you?”

“I’ve read it before, you know.”

Tristan’s eyes widened slowly. He felt dumbfounded. And then embarrassment started to seep in and he felt his color rise.

“What – you – ” he stammered, “Why didn’t you tell me? I was boring you all along and just…oh, God.” He groaned and stared at the floor was a defeated, flattened look. 

Then he heard her laugh.

Tristan’s head snapped up so fast that he cricked his neck, but he hardly noticed. Reeya was pursing her lips, trying to hide her amusement. Her face was suddenly more alive, more vibrant. She said, 

“You didn’t ask.”

She smiled, and he noticed her teeth were surprisingly well-kept and neat. When their eyes met, it was one of the few times in his life that he felt at complete loss for words.

Part II:

Somehow, people take the simplest and purest things for granted. How often have we thanked for the opportunity to see our friends, or even have friends? When do we even express gratitude to be able to talk to someone?

Tristan was talking leisurely. He couldn’t recall when he had been utterly relaxed in a conversation as he was experiencing now. He didn’t have to think about what he said next – anything random was totally welcome.

Reeya responds sometimes. Sometimes not. But what had Tristan raptured the most was her silent smiles now and then. He knew something’s going to give, but inside the walls of this room, the world outside seems light years away. He didn’t want to ponder some things right now. Not yet.

“Well, that’s all, really. I’m not an exciting person.”

“But you don’t judge a person if they’re exciting. That’s rude.”

Tristan grinned at her response. The seconds passed, and soon, the silence was getting rather awkward. Tristan didn’t trust himself to hope too much and he was right in doing that – he knew she wasn’t completely healed yet. When he was talking earlier, he saw her slip back to catatonic behavior for a moment, but she came back to him. She always came back.

All Tristan wanted was for her to never go back to feeling nothing, to be devoid of all emotion. He wanted her to feel again, to be permanently healed.

“Reeya?”

No response. Her eyes were like deep wells that went on and on.

Tristan’s heart started pounding. His pupils widening in panic, he unconsciously leaned forward, his features full of sadness and frustration. Not now. Not so soon. 

“Reeya, can you hear me?” But again, there was nothing.

His heart ached. So soon. He just had her several minutes ago? She finally started responding, started smiling and talking – why did it have to end?

Why now?

Tristan took a deep breath and tried to quell the sudden urge to curse. That had been too short. Why not hours? Why not a damned whole day, for God’s sake?

He thought of talking to her again, to try and make her come back, but he as crushed as the stony silence mocked him from the four corners of the room.