Chapter 3
Chapter 3
“Mama!” Nicky exclaimed to his mother who was now at the door. Her wild black hair caressed her face as her distressed face quickly softened as she noticed her son awake and responsive. The dark-haired woman had rushed to see her son; there was no care in the world for appearances. Her whole world was vulnerable and without her. She took a step forward into the hospital room that kept her most precious creation and her eyes quickly shifted for a second to the person who was taking a seat next to her son now turned around. The quick relief she had gained swiftly came to pause. Everything came to a stop as she promptly realized who she was looking at.
Rio.
She felt a stop in her mind. There was no relaying of thoughts. Everything around her was confused. This isn’t real.
“Rio.” The name softly came out of her lips, still loud enough for Rio to hear.
“Agatha”. She felt stuck. A feeling that was beyond words. All Agatha knew is that she felt frozen. She was stagnant as she took in the face of a person she thought she would never see again. The start of a fever dream started as the walls suddenly felt closer than they were just a couple milliseconds ago.
“Nicky is okay”. Her mind slowly returned to focus, as if stepping back into reality after a brief departure. Agatha awoke from the paralysis in time she had just gone through, her body reacting more than her brain did at that moment. She started to walk towards Nicky's unoccupied side of the room to come in contact with his bed. Agatha hugged her son. Running her hands through his soft brown hair. Her head on top of his, deep inhaling as the relief was settling in more as every second went by. Her son was okay. Her world was safe.
In the last 12 hours Agatha had received the news about her son being in the hospital was filled with so much anxiety and worry. The guilt that was washing over her for not being there for her son. For not being able to protect him. All she wanted to do now was hold him and not let him go. Her running hands from his head of hair came down to his shoulders. She half sat on his bed next to him, never letting him go and continuing to hold him in an embrace. Nicky leaned into his mothers' warm embrace, a soft smile coming into frame.
“I’m going to go check on some paperwork really quick” Rio had been standing after realizing agatha was at the door She had watched this whole encounter and her own feelings couldn’t deal with the growing intensity she was feeling inside. “Im nicky's, sorry nicholas acting doctor at the moment. I’ll give you guys a moment. I’ll come back to update you soon”. Rio looked at nicky first, her gaze trying to avoid agatha's now eye contact.
Agatha's body had betrayed her by the overwhelming feelings of being with her son that she had glossy eyes. Agatha had been relieved and when she looked up at Rio, she gave her a small smile. “Okay”.
“Wait, I was gonna tell you about my dream!” Nicky had spoken out to Rio. His hand extended, reaching out as though he were trying to catch her from a non-existent cliff. Now Agatha had questions. Agatha only turned her head to nicky, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
“I'll be back buddy, just be with your mom okay. I know you missed her”.
Agatha looked up again at Rio, her head still turned to nicky. Nicky wrapped his arms around agatha again. Nodding to Rios request and closing his eyes to the embrace. The quick unspoken conversation between Agatha and Rio, who awkwardly pointed to the door, smiled, clasped her hands together and slipped out of the room as normally and awkwardly as she could. Agatha left to her thoughts and feelings now.
Rio slipped out of the room, her mind and heart on overtime. When she first saw Agatha at the door. Her heart had stopped for a second. One second. Followed by a rapid heartbeat she couldn’t control. Her throat felt tight, her chest felt tight. Her hands had begun to feel clammy and she felt hot. This was the most unexpected thing she would have ever thought to happen at work and she had seen a lot. Rio began walking to an unchosen designation. Her feet were walking for her. She launched herself into the nearest bathroom. Looked at herself in the mirror and she looked normal. Perhaps a little startled. Her heart kept beating. Rio slipped out of the bathroom and made her way down to the first floor. She needed air. Her hands finding her phone as she made her way outside, she dialed to the person she knew would understand what her mind was going through.
“Jen”.
“Rio. You didn’t show yesterday! What the-” Damn. Totally forgot about that. But this was not the time.
“Jen!”
“What?!” jens face through the screen looked confused and annoyed at the same time. She was the one that had been left hanging, so why was Rio yelling.
“I just saw Agatha”. “What?”
“I just saw Agatha”. Rios tone monotone, heart still beating. “She’s like here. Like here.”
Jens jaw opened, head turned and eyes just looking just how rios did not too long ago. “What do you mean?”
“I mean what I mean.”
“Shut up”. “No, I can’t”
“Wait. why is she at the hospital?!”
“Well her son is here”. Rio hit the side of her cheek with her tongue as she said that. There was a bitter feeling riling up as that came out of her mouth. “Her son?!” Jen sounded as dumbfounded as Rio felt when she realized that same connection.
“Yeah!”. “And he’s my patient”. Rio had glossy eyes. Not out of sadness, or anger. This was overwhelming. A person who was once the love of her life, her world, had just appeared in the most unwanted way possible. In an unhappy setting. With a son. A son she must've had with a man obviously. Her thoughts are running more now. Flashbacks that she thought she had forgotten about and left behind now rushing back. Rios cheeks are hit with what she realizes are tears now.
“Oh my. What the actual fuck.” Jens face and demeanor through the screen is as stagnant and in shock as she was. Rio feels her eyes sting and chest heaving and brings one hand to squeeze her eyes, eyebrows furrowed with the other hand still holding the phone.
“Rio you’re okay babe.” Jen tries to console her, even if she is as speechless as one would be. Rio starts laughing. Laughing and crying. Together. “So this is actually fucking insane”.
“No, it definitely is. Explain this please.” There wasn’t much that went on, but Rio managed to explain in grave detail what had occurred in the last 24 hours.
“Have you seen him? Is she even still with John?”
“I don’t know. I have literally only seen her son and now her.” Rio looked up. Let herself calm down as she took in the breeze hitting her now cold skin. She appreciated it, the fresh air calmed her down. “I gotta go, I’ve been out here a little longer than I anticipated”.
“Ugh, keep me updated!”
Rio stood from the bench she was sitting on and managed to make her way back into the hospital. She didn’t particularly miss the feeling of questions unanswered. Especially when they always came from the one person she loved and hated at the same time. She has a son? When did she have a son? Is this John's son? Oh my god, what if she’s still with him?
Granted she didn’t actually know much about John. He was agatha's “friend” back when she and Agatha were together. And then when they weren’t anymore, he wasn’t a friend after that. Rio had only seen his face a couple of times on agatha's phone 8 years ago and heard of him a bit. But never met him. The sudden memories jolted the feelings of uncertainty and triggered a nauseating feeling in her stomach. Rio wanted to throw up.
Rio made her way up to her previous location next to nickys room. She had come to “work” early for this? She only had a few appointments today and this sudden encounter definitely made up for the blank spaces in between, before literally, and after because now she wouldn't stop thinking about this for a while.
She stopped herself a couple of feet outside the room where a small help desk was settled. Trying to make a list of things she could touch, fumble through, and procrastinate before going into a room where her past and present were waiting for her to come back. Rio settled on starting with squeezing the bottle of hand sanitizer in front of her to her hands. Started to control herself with “just breathe” and “1,2,3s”. Her vent with Jen definitely made her feel better but damn, she still had to go back in there. Or maybe… just maybe she could quit and never come back, she could find another job, right?
“So you’re still awkward huh?”
She didn’t say that. She knew that voice. The light sly tone that came with it too. Damn it, should’ve quit ten seconds ago when she had the chance. Unwillingly, Rio turned around and faced Agatha for the second time today.
“Yeahhh”. She responded timidly and soft, awkwardly. Her own brown eyes now looking into the piercing blue eyes. Rio took in agatha's features in a closer proximity now than before. Rio took in agatha's glowing skin, her dark eyebrows on top of the big blue peaceful oceans below them. Her dark, soft looking hair outlining her face. Her heart was now beating harder and faster.
“Well don’t just stand there. Give me a hug”. Rio was barely able to process the statement, her body worked faster than her and mimicked agatha's arms going up and lunging forward to her embracing each other. She remembers this, the way her own body mends into agathas almost perfectly. The moment felt longer than it actually was. Rios body still holding some tension feeling agatha's arms and hands around her. Now she was conflicted on whether she should just let herself feel this moment or retreat. She took a long time to build up her walls again and this was like deja vu all over again. Agatha pulled back, finishing her embrace.
“Hi,” Rio started. There was really no turning back now right, might as well get off on the right foot. “How are you doing?”
“Now that my son is okay, good. Better”
“He’s a nice kid”
“Is that why you gave him so many jello packs”. Agatha joked and Rio's eyes widened and turned her head to that. Rio thought they had an unspoken agreement here. Pure betrayal that kid.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about” shrugging and making it very obviously known she felt caught.
“Don’t worry, he didn’t tell me anything. I just knew that there was no way they would give that many jello packets, especially in the morning?”
“And you assumed it was me? That's crazy”
“You’ve always had a knack for gifts. It wasn’t you? Or do you lie now?”
The fact that Agatha remembered little facts about her made her stomach churn.
“Fine. it was. But he said he had eaten breakfast already and plus he deserved it”. In a squeaky response to the accusation that was true. “He went through a lot”. At that she saw agatha's small smile falter, which made her feel bad now. “He’s going to be okay. He’s a strong kid, wonder where he got that from”. That seemed to reassure Agatha and make her laugh a little.
“Wonder who”.
“I’m gonna take a wild guess here and say you”. Although now she wondered about nicky's dad again. “How is he?” she continued to take her mind off that.
“He’s asleep again. So what’s this about a dream? He didn’t really tell me anything about it”
“Oh not sure yet, I had promised him he could tell me today, so I chose to come in early.”
“Thank you”.
“No, it's my job.”
“No I meant for the jello packets” agatha upped with the joke. “He seems pleased”
“Ah, I see. Well, no problem.” Rio continued. “He is going to have to stay here a little longer though I'm sorry. To evaluate and keep an eye on his head injuries. The rest of his body is in stable condition. Scratches here and there but I am more concerned about the extent of his head injury.”
“Okay thank you”. Agatha seemed still worried. “Are you his doctor?”
“Well I kinda self assigned, he was a trauma patient and I was the first to get to him. Sooo kind of. Plus you will have to fill the insurance information at some near point. Does he have a primary doctor already.”
“Well no, we’re moving back here barely. That’s why I wasn’t here. I was supposed to get some stuff in order, which I cut short obviously”.
“You’re moving. That’s cool”. Rio responded, how does she make herself feel cool?" Because Rio feels flushed and hot withAgatha now in the same area as her? “I was only involved with Nicky, who was the woman that came in with him? I kind of figured it was you. Well his mom. He said it was his aunt?” Which kind of made Rio freak, because she knew that Agatha was an only daughter, so that would only mean aunt from his dads side? Damn. please no.
“Ah yes. It’s Wanda. He calls her his aunt. It’s kind of easier than having to say “Mom's best friend that she’s known forever” type of thing you know?”
“I understand. You guys remained close then. How is she?”
“Broken leg, but she’s good, she will be. I feel bad, she said she was just taking care of the kids and a car came out of nowhere. Nickys says that the car swerved to avoid hitting some other kid and was very close to Wanda and Nicky just pushed her with his body.”
“Brave little man. I knew it”. Rio said as agatha finished the story of how this whole thing happened to be. “he deserves the jello”. A soft smile crept up on agatha's face with the fact that her son could've been more than seriously hurt.worry behind that expression. Rio didn’t know how to make her feel better really. “I uh.. I.. this is like crazy. To me”. Rio said.
“I just uh didn’t think i’d ever see you again”. Rio admitted, and she felt awkward admitting it.
“Yeah it is kind of crazy, uh me either though”. Agatha replied, and quickly added. “Not that I didn’t hope we wouldn’t run into each other”. Rio was stunned, Wait what?
Rio was able to process that statement rather quickly. The statement that had just came out of agatha's mouth was surprising given the flashbacks that were running through Rio's mind. Though the admission gave her an upper hand, this was what she needed, her confidence back in this interaction and she kind of thought for a second that agatha knew that. “Oh, so you missed me. Is that it?”. Rio tilted her head and pointed out to agatha, making it seem like a playful statement.
And at that reply. Agatha rolled her eyes. “Mm you’re not as annoying yet, so maybe. I will not give you the benefit of saying yes”.
“I think it’s a yes”. Agatha smiled, turned her head, arms crossed and a soft smile now. “We should catch up soon”.
“Yeah definitely, of course”. The response came out of Rio's mouth faster than she wanted it to. Which made Rio now fumble with her hands a little without any notice.
There was a quick second of silence as they both looked at each other, both smiling at each other's comments. Agatha's eyes always did something to her, even if she tried to avoid it. It was a feeling she hated many times before, she remembered how many years ago it only took a couple seconds of looking into her eyes to fall for her a hundred times more each time. It was inevitable, it was powerful, and it was scary. Rio felt a sting in her chest. Her heart specifically, and she wondered how Agatha felt in this exchange. Rio needed to not stare into agatha's eyes any longer, at least for now. “Let’s go check on nicky yeah”.
“Yeah”.
Rio made her way into nicky's room again. Agatha right behind her. She made her way next to nicky's bedside, grabbing the chart and revising the updated vitals that were done by the nurse while she was gone on her important and frantic phone call. “He’s doing good”. Rio said, cutting the silence. “But again, how I said he should still stay here for a bit until the head injury heals a little okay”.
“Yeah of course”. Agatha sat down on the chair between nicky's bedside and rios standing form. Before both of their thoughts or feelings could get to overthinking on what to do next, nicky stirred awake. “Rio”. nicky called out. Rio was actually impressed that this boy could remember her name out of everything that has happened. “Hey little man, you’re looking good”. Rio looked down at him and received a smile in return from him.
“You saved me”. Nicky looked up at Rio, little notice to his mom that sat only 2 feet next to him. “You saved yourself”. Rio replied.
“I’ve seen you before”. Now nicky seemed serious all whilst agatha's face looked as perplexed as rio felt. She made her way to halfway sit on nicky's bed, body facing in agatha's direction, focused fully on nicky. Agatha took no action to question Nicky, although she was genuinely confused as ever,she wanted to know what her son was meaning to say.
“Well you did see me yesterday”. Rio replied.
“I’ve seen you in my dreams before. You said hi to me the first time, but you never said your name. My dreams are random sometimes, so they don’t make sense sometimes”.
“Yeah that’s the thing with dreams, I hate when I can’t remember them all”. Rio wanted to say that’s crazy and there is no way, but he’s a kid so let him be she thought. Rio had figured he would think that his dream would have included his encounter at the hospital. Like him thinking he was there was in fact his dream- that’s what she thought.
“One time we were in a forest, it was night time, but I remember your face. You were holding a torch and even mom was there!” Nicky exclaimed happily but the horror and confusion that was scorching through Rio's body was unexplainable. Rio turned to agatha with a confused look and agatha gave her an equally confused look and shrugged her shoulders.
Rio did not know how to reply to this. Her in this boy's dreams who she has never met with agatha? The former love of her life. Yeah, speechless. “Well I uh.. Don’t know what to say to that. I'm honored to be in your dreams. Truly”. Nicky smiled in return. Pretty satisfied in being able to find the person who seems to always pop up in his dreams. Leaving Rio and Agatha in confusion without a care in the world for all he knew.
“So I already spoke to your mom, and you unfortunately do have to stay here a little longer okay? I'm sorry, I know this sucks”.
“It’s okay, extra jello?”
“Uh no”. Agatha intervened. Rio laughed at nicky's wide eyes converting into sad puppy dog eyes at agatha's intervention.
“I do now have to go check up on a couple appointments I have today guys. A nurse will come every couple hours to check on you and I will definitely try my best to sneak you in some “healthy” snacks as well okay?” Rio winked at Nicky and smiled , getting one in return. She turned to agatha now. “The nurse can provide a extra bed? If you’re planning to stay here or She'll get you details but I will definitely keep you updated okay”. Rio hesitated a bit before continuing. “I'm sure when they give you some information papers and medical reports my number should be on it. Just in case they mess up or something or they haven’t updated my new number. You never know”. Rio wrote down her number on a free paper and handed it to agatha. She smiled and Rio returned the smile to Agatha and Nicky as she walked out.
“Alright, te veo”.