Waking

              The world is so different now. I pretend to sleep so it won’t disturb him. I know he’s been sitting next to my bed from this morning. He hasn’t tried to awake me. I don’t know if I should start now. The room has been so quiet since I have already awake. I haven’t try anything. I am still comfort with all things of nothing and dark. But now, I can sense lights around me. Somehow I could sense shadows pass around my bed. It must be him. Later, he touched my left hand and it is like a pinch bite on my skin.

              “Uh...”

              “Olive?”

He caught my movement. I guess it is time to finally awake. I haven’t done any move. But, the reaction of pain actually moved my hand and my eyelids. “Alright, are you awake?”  a simmering voice came closer to my face, “Are you feeling dizzy?”

              “A little bit..” I can sense his breathing, and smell his skin.

              “It is normal, do not worry. Take your time.” I could sense the cold of room now more with my skin and the man’s warm body. It is all because that pinch. I get to wake up. I opened my eyes and the first thing I saw very clear was his face. He smiled at me, “Do you see me?”

              “I...I do.” All this time I’ve been talking with the man without seeing his face. I always stayed in the dark and he encouraged me to come to the light. I smiled, “I can see you, Mr Humphrey.”

              “We finally see each other.” He gave the laugh gesture with all his nerves were moving. He actually bit laughed, “Oddly, I was afraid if you would disappoint by how I look.”

              “Why would I?”  

              “Wel...I don’t know, either,” He seemed struggled with something he wants to hide from me.

              “Do you...disappoint with me?” I asked.

              “Oh.. of course not. It is just...you are really pretty, Olive.”

              “Thank you, Mr Humphrey.”

              “I mean it.”

              “I do really appreciate it, Mr Humphrey.”

              He stood up and walked to near door. He opened it and shouted to call a nurse. A nurse came to him on that door and they spoke. They came inside. “Olive, Nurse May will assist you from now.”

              “Hello, Olive. How do you feel, now?”

              “I think I am alright.”

              “Good. I will help you for now on to feel better with your body and exercise with all your nerves.”

              “Thank you, Nurse May.”

              “Welcome back, Olive,” said Mr Humphrey. He is about to go, again. I wonder what should I do to hold him.

              “Oh...Olive,” He said. I hold his hand. Then his gesture came back to near my face, “I will be back, soon.”

              “Where do you go?”

              “I’ll just be here and around. If something happens, I will straight back here. Don’t worry. Nurse May will take care of you. She’s my good friend.”

              “It is true, Olive. Don’t worry. I have been Doctor Humphrey’s physician for seven years. You must have known. Isn’t she, Doctor?” She asked.

              “Yes. Of course, she knew.” He smiled, “But, I know it is new environment for you, Olive. But, this is just the same. You know Nurse May, don’t you?” He never slide my hand away. He waits for me to let go. “Trust me, Olive.” He said.

              So, I let go. “Just call me, May, if you need anything.”

              “Alright, Doctor.” She said. Then, Mr Humphrey left by that door. That’s the way out from this room. Now, it is just nobody on that door.

              “Olive?” Nurse May called. I back to see her. I never thought she is actually big and fat. She smiled, “Would you like to get up from bed?”

              “I...I do.”

              “This will be your first time to see yourself. I am going to assist you to move your body and reach to the mirror, here. Is it fine?”

              “Oh..yes.” She wants me to get up and just walk bit to the left side of the bed, stand up in front of the mirror. Nurse May is walking to the left side of bed.

              “You can start by let your feet down from bed, Olive.” She said. My eyes look to them. This pair of feet. I can move those tiny fingers. Then, I actually just easy slip those two get down from the bed. And, somehow my back followed them so I just sit on the side of the bed. It was really fast as I already face to face with Nurse May who stands right in front of me.

              “Great, Olive.” She said. Then, something bothers me as if there were more person in this room. I just realized it was from the mirror. Our reflections, me and Nurse May’s back.  “Yes, can you see yourself in the mirror?” Nurse May already turned and our faces are in it.

              “Is...that me?”

              “It is you, Olive.”

              I have a blonde brown short hair. I can see the whole tiny of my body compares to Nurse May. I decided to get off from bed. My feet touch the cold floor. But, now, I am standing in front of the mirror.

              “So this is me... This is Olive.”

              “What do you feel, Olive?” She asked.

              “....happy?” I look at Nurse May’s reflection, “I am happy.” She smiled. And I look myself, too, smiling.