Just a few more drops - Chapter 2
”Mate?”
The scruffy raccoon asks while reaching the mate out to you with one hand while holding the thermos with hot water on the other.
At this point you’re sure he is just messing with you, he cannot be THIS oblivious.
“I already told you a hundred times Dani, I hate mate. It feels like drinking grass in boiling water.”
Dani laughs your response off, getting the mate out of your face to approach it towards his. Soon the tip of the bombilla is covered by his lips, and after a quick taste of it, he replies with his usual playful and dopey tone.
”if you keep calling yerba “hot grass” in front of people you’ll get yourself killed sooner than later Anon”
Even though Dani was clearly joking there was some truth behind it. Mate is practically a national treasure, a popular and very traditional drink that makes part of our culture.
You don’t actually hate it, damn, you don't even mind it. The issue is that coffee exists.
and to you coffee tastes a million times better than Yerba. You were never very patriotic either way, so it makes sense you don't drink hot grass like everyone else.
Speaking of witch, you start to smell your coffee maker from the kitchen, waiting for you to take it out of the fire and delight yourself with a good old cup of pure joy.
Soon enough you get a full mug on your hands, and while you drink it you take the chance to take a look at your phone.
Ever since your last encounter with Lara you began to check your notifications more times than you liked to admit, like an escaped convict checking for cops at every turn.
It’s been almost 2 weeks since that night, and even though you are sure it won't be long until you get a message from her, it doesn't take away the fact that the anticipation is killing you.
After making sure your DMs were completely empty, you then proceeded to check your emails, which almost gave you the same anxiety as looking at your DMs.
For the past month or so you've been constantly job-hunting. You had run out of money for almost as long since you got kicked off a job that paid under the table, which meant no severance pay.
Lucky for you Dani, your roommate for almost 4 years now, promised to help you out as much as he could until you caught yourself a new gig.
You know by a fact that he, unlike you, was pretty wise and responsible with his expenses, and actually gave a shit about savings.
So he had more than enough saved up to sustain you for quite a while with no issues.
you felt awful about it though, you never liked being a bother to others, and now you’re leeching off the money he's been saving up ever since you met him.
It didn't matter how many times he told you it was fine, it still made you feel like a piece of shit. It wasn't fair to him, but that didn't stop him from helping you.
Sometimes you wished you were more like him.
You look inside your inbox just to be faced with what you feared. It was a desert, if a desert had only spam and scam emails.
Getting a job nowadays is almost a miracle. At least in the past they had the courtesy to straight up tell you to fuck off somewhere else.
That's also another reason you’ve been so anxious about getting a message from Lara. On one hand you wished you never had to do that ever again, on the other…
You really needed the money.
Frustrated, you pocket your phone away, ready to walk back to the living room with Dani, play some matches of Queen of Fighters, forget your worries for half an hour or so, and then go back into your room for the rest of the day, sending emails and scheduling possible interviews.
But just as you were ready to cross the doorway between the kitchen and the living room you felt a familiar rumble from inside the same pocket.
Like lightning paralyzing a cartoon character in place you kept completely still just under the door frame, hoping that if you didn't move another muscle, time would simply freeze in place with you.
Shortly after you feel another rumble.
“You HAVE to be shitting me”
After a few seconds you take a deep breath, reach out to your phone and take it out of your pocket with sweaty cold hands, and brace yourself for the notification that shows up as soon as the screen turns on.
”Guess who 8=D head?”
”Ready for another delivery?”
Damn it.
Well, there is no other way around it. You better get to it as soon as possible, otherwise the guilt will get to you and make things 10 times harder than it needs to be.
Swiftly you unlock your phone and start typing out to Lara while walking over to your room.
“I’ll do it today, just tell me the time and place. This time however I want to get paid as promised.”
You don't wait for a response, walking over to your desk you grab your wallet and keys.
Then, after making sure the door is closed and locked, you go over to your bed. Each step closer to it makes your heart feel heavier and heavier.
You lower yourself to reach under it, and after a few seconds of pushing other crap out of the way, you get to the very end, on the other side of the frame, where the wall is.
Resting on the floor against the wall there's an old briefcase. It originally belonged to your grandpa, but since no one in the family seemed to want it you took it with you when you moved out.
Ironically it wasnt of use to you either, until very recently.
You take the briefcase and place it on top of your bed, and after fidgeting with it for a bit, you get it to open.
Inside there is a complete uniform, a male nurse uniform, with a modified ID badge to have your photo and name.
You don’t like looking at it, and now you have to wear it.
Below the uniform is also an old and worn backpack, which you used to use in your high school days. You look inside it to verify everything you need is still there. Lockpicks, Clipboard, Notebook, a pair of sneakers and a black ski-mask.
Okay, it seems you have everything rea--
”Hey dude! You're there? I thought we were playing some matches before I had to go to work! Don’t tell me you’re chickening out!”
Chicken is a pretty good description of you right now, as you almost threw your backpack against the ceiling from the scare you got from Dani talking through your bedroom door.
You can't believe he of all people made you shit bricks for a second, the dude is as threatening as a piece of leftover pizza. It really just goes to show how unbelievably nervous and on edge you already are.
“Y-yeah, i'm chickening out! Sorry, just remembered i have a appointment and i need to go in a few minutes”
You hastily close the briefcase, make sure it's locked and take it from its handle before quickly going to your door and opening it.
Dani was just outside, resting on the door frame and looking at you with a smug smile that bittery reminded you of someone.
”I know where you're going dude. You don't fool little old me”
... What?!
You try suppressing your surprise and anxiety, you have to hide your hand as best as you can.
But it seems it's too late as Dani puts one hand on your shoulder and chuckles.
”You’re going to visit the looooovely Miss Iris, aren't you?”
The inner sign of relief you let out feels heavenly, you were about to have a total breakdown.
If Dani knew….
“Well, no point in hiding it any more. Yeah, i'm going to the hospital, i gotta make my bimonthly contribution”
Lying with a half-true is way easier and more convincing that denying it completely, besides at this point if you did deny it Dani would just bother you until you told the truth.
Not that you would, even if he had you at gunpoint. But having him interrogate you constantly would only make you more shaky than before.
So a half-true it is. You hoped it was enough.
”Look man, if you want to see her more often you can just message her. Doing this whole ordeal is just pointless. I know you’re shy and all but at this pace you’ll end up having your first date in 10 years”
Oh how you WISH this was about Iris.
“I'm not doing a “Ordeal” Dani. Iris is a friend, really, the fact she works there is only a coincidence.”
Dani seems to back away from the doorframe and the subject, but you feel he is not entirely convinced. Something about his expression tells you he’s worried.
”Well, you do you Anon. I'm just trying to look out for my bro, if you don't make a move someone else will.”
“Thanks Dani. But I'm good, a relationship is the least of my concerns right now.”
With that you begin walking to the main door, leaving Dani behind you as you open the main entrance door of the apartment.
”Keep telling yourself that dude. Don't forget to kiss her goodbye before you leave the hospital”
You let out a laugh as you close the apartment door behind you, not having the courage to look Daniel in the eyes as you leave.
---
”Oh, Anon! It’s so nice to see you, how have you been? Are you feeling okay?”
the gentle tone and easy smile the old cow receptionist gave you as she welcomed you from behind the counter was enough to calm your nerves for a while.
“Hello Miss Eufemia, I'm doing just fine thank you, no need to worry about me. I'm only passing by for the usual”
Resting one hand on her cheek and closing her eyes happily, the cow responded nonchalantly, as if she was talking with her little grandson.
”Ohhh you’re such a sweetpea. If only more people had your golden heart…”
You internally grimace to yourself, maybe talking with her was a bad idea. If the nerves won't kill you then surely the guilt will.
”Here’s the form Anon. I'm sure you’re already familiar with it at this point.”
Eufemia hands you a single page form on a clipboard and a pen. You don't need to read it to know it asks for your basic personal information and general agreement with the procedure.
”Just take a seat and wait for us to call your name. I’ll make sure that Iris attends you, i know how much you two like to see each other”
The sly cow gives you a knowing yet innocent wink, making your face flash red from pure embarrassment.
“S-sure thing… thanks Miss Eufemia”
You walk back to the large line of waiting chairs stuck to the wall and take a seat, the large corridor its on giving a clear view of the many rooms and intersections of the hospital.
Filling up the form was fairly easy, and it helped pass out the wait time.
But while you write down on it the familiar filling of a heavy weight in your heart and stomach slowly resurfaces.
As the seconds tick by, the sensation gets worse, and you begin doubting yourself all over again.
Are you really going through with this?
The answer comes to you as you remember the message you got from Lara the moment you got in your car on the way to the hospital.
”That's exactly what I wanted to hear, Good boy ♥.”
”Come see me at this joint, 3:00am. And don't worry, this time you'll get rewarded. If you deliver the same amount as last time I'll give you…”
”800 Stars”
You’re not sure for how long you’ll hate yourself for this but…
Yes, you’re going through with this. Even if the shame is killing you, that amount of money was enough to cover you for a solid 3 months.
And with that amount of time and money you can get a job, get your life together, repay Dani…
And never having to do this shit ever again.
”Anon?”
You look up in a sudden motion, taken completely out of your inner thoughts, the world around you gets into focus once more as your attention gets caught by the familiar yet kind voice.
Just a few steps away from you the slim and delicate figure of a hare in a nurse uniform looks patiently at your eyes with a smile that immediately brings comfort to your soul.
From her bronze colored fur glaring highlights form as the sunlight from the lobby’s window covers one of her sides.
You always wondered how much and how long she brushes her fur to make it look so smooth and shiny.
“Heya Iris…”
The words tumbles out of your mouth softly as if you were talking quietly in a library, almost like you were too tired to speak at all.
Truth is, even in these circumstances, seeing her brought you a ease few things in life could.
Her smile widens a bit in response with her eyes slightly squinting from it, making her expression just much more friendlier and joyful.
“If I were a betting gal I would say you sound glad to see me. You could’ve texted me if you just wanted to hang out you know…”
You roll your eyes as you get up from the chair.
“Dani told me same thing, it's impressive how you two share the exact same brain sometimes”
You quickly noticed the subtle frown that forms on Iris’s face even though her smile refused to go away. It was clear to you she wasn't actually upset, just slightly bothered that you…
”Compare me to that stoner again and I'll make sure the next needle hurts Mr.funny guy.”
She then takes the form from your hands in a quick and clean motion and leaves it on the counter with Eufemia without taking her eyes off you.
“Come on, Follow me.”
Raising your hands as if Iris was pointing a gun with the previous threat you begin walking just beside her. You’ve been so familiarized with these corridors you don't even need to follow her trail, you know exactly where she is taking you.
“Message received, no more comparisons”
Her smile swiftly turns playful, almost saucy, as she looks at you without turning her head.
The intense shine her violet eyes give is enough to trap your mind for a moment. Making you almost forget the true reason you’re here.
”Smart choice sugar.”
Its not long until you arrive at a door with a small metal plaque at the top with the numbers “48” engraved on it.
The door leads you both to a small yet pretty well equipped room, with a bright blue clinical chair at the center of it facing the door, like a throne waiting for you.
”Take a seat Anon, I’ll be right with you.”
Without another word Iris immediately begins prepping everything up, taking all the things she needed from several shelves and drawers of the main desk at the end of the room.
You approach the chair and before sitting down on it you leave your briefcase at one side, resting against the recliner.
Once seated you take a look around the small room with curiosity, but also, with familiarity, as everything you recall about the room seems to be completely intact.
Except one detail, the clothes hanger in the corner of the room is currently empty.
You sink more into the chair as a guilty conscience weighs down on you.
”Well, I won't bother you with the same old questions, that is IF you don't have anything important to say, change or remark.”
You turn to face Iris, who is already seated on a rolling stool just beside you, looking at you expectantly with her usual sweet expression while readjusting her medical gloves.
At her other side you notice a small medical rolling table and a hanger, on it the tools you already expected her to use wait in organized fashion.
“No, I don't. Healthy as always.”
The beautiful smile she responds with distracts you from her hands already taking out the blood pressure cuff.
“Sounds good to me!”
It doesn't take her long to check your pressure, temperature and hemoglobin levels. If anything it's like a small and short physical exam.
With every step of the way her hands move with caution and gentleness, but with a gracious and practiced form that does not drag the process.
Even wearing gloves you can feel the warmth of her padded hands the few times she touches you.
”Well, everything seems a-ok! It's surprising really…”
You tilt your head in confusion
“Why's that?”
You don't even get the chance to suspect something before Iris suddenly boops your nose with one finger, sticking out her tongue at you mockingly.
”Surprising how healthy you can be with that lifestyle you and Dani have!”
Of course, she always has to disarm you like that. You should be grateful really, she has no idea how helpful it is with maintaining your cool.
Oh yeah, you almost forgot the whole hell you’ll have to get through after this.
“Hey! The pothead is him, not me!”
Iris shrugs with a cheeky smile, she takes out a small cotton ball and wets it with Isopropyl alcohol before rubbing it thoroughly in your upper arm.
”You live with him, so you’re also a pothead by default. Anyway…”
After cleaning your arm you watch as Iris takes a blood transfusion needle, the end of it connected to an empty blood bag, and slowly approaches it to your arm.
”Are you ready for your Blood donation, Sugar?”
Her cherry voice is enough to make you smile, and for now, ignore the deal with Lara that weighs on your back so much.