WHO:David Iwan and Bridget WHEN: Monday afternoon WHERE: a hospital ward in New Jersey (originally posted by David) WHAT: the one moment of happiness in an otherwise boring, introspective day.
Iwan stood at the window of his ward and looked out, watching the cars go along the road outside. He liked being able to see humanity moving around. It reminded him he wasn't alone in the world.
He clasped his hands together as he watched, then unclasped them, turning them over so he could see where his little finger of his left hand should be. It was long healed, so it couldn't have been caused by whatever made him get amnesia, but he was still curious about how he'd lost it. The doctor had said it was a clean, smooth cut, the edges neatly healed, so likely sliced off, not bitten, or- Well, the alternatives to having your finger cut off didn't really bear thinking about.
He got headaches less often and less severely now. He didn't know if he'd had migraines before, but they were something he had to deal with most days. He was told it was all part and parcel of having a head injury. That didn't make the pain any easier to live with.
Was anybody looking for him? He hoped so. He daydreamed that someone walking below would look up and see him at the window, and wave to him, recognising him and being overjoyed that he was okay. They probably couldn't find him, and he couldn't find them, considering he had nothing to go on but a soggy bus ticket to Philadelphia, and they could only just make that much out. Nothing had come up from that direction, though. There were no missing persons matching his description in that area.
Justin, the South African man who had been in the ward with him, had gone home the day before, and Iwan felt a little lonely. Justin had been easy to talk to, even through his halting English and mixed in Welsh. Justin talked and tried to get Iwan to talk back; not like Bridget, who rabbited on for ages, her broad smile filling her face as she told him about the animals she'd helped that week at her work, and the funny things they got up to. Iwan could sit and listen for hours to her talk (and he had, honestly.) She was the bright spot in his dull days.
David opened the window as far as it could go, which wasn't far, and shouted "Hello!" through the narrow gap, waving his arm to a couple walking through the carpark below him. One of them glanced up and, after a moment, gave him a small wave back, probably thinking he was deficient in some way.
Oh well. There were worse things. Iwan retrieved the iris Justin had left for him, and set it on the window sill in the sun. It did flower beautifully, in such vibrant colours.
"You are beautiful," he said to it in English, and smiled when it seemed to tremble and grow brighter as he watered it.
Bridget had been on her way into the hospital when she saw Iwan hanging out the window, waving at people. She frowned to herself when they didn't wave back with the same exuberance.
She entered the hospital and she made her way to Iwan's room. She knocked on the door and smiled widely at him. "Hello there!" she said brightly. "How are you feeling today?"
Iwan found himself smiling back, looking up from the flower to the woman who far outshone it.
"I'm okay. No headaches so far!" He moved away from the window and sat down in the chair next to his bed, gesturing that Bridget could take a seat anywhere she felt like it. "How are you?"
"Really wonderful, today!" Bridget said with a grin. "I might be adopting a new kitten, which always makes me happy. She lost her mother and they've been raising her at the shelter. She's adapted really well, but I can't think of a name for her."
Bridget took a seat and she plopped her purse into her lap. "I have some butterscotch! Would you like some?"
"Thank you!" Iwan took the sweet when it was offered. "I hope your kitten fits in with the rest of your menagerie. I think she'll be okay, how could she not, with you to look after her?"
He rubbed his hands together in his lap, idly running his thumb over the stump of his little finger as he sucked the butterscotch thoughtfully.
Bridget blushed and she pushed lightly against Iwan's shoulder. "Aww, thank you! You're very sweet, Iwan. How are you healing up? Have they said when you can leave the hospital yet?"
"It depends. They want to make sure the headaches are getting better before they let me go." Iwan shrugged. "Maybe another week or so. I'm not really in any hurry though. It's not so bad here." He slouched back in his chair, trying not to let his worry at the thought of what he'd do once that day came show through.
Bridget leaned forward, resting her hand on Iwan's knee. He looked troubled and Bridget didn't want him to keep it all inside. "Are you alright, Iwan? Is there something you want to talk about?"
Iwan sighed and rubbed his hand across his forehead. "I guess it's just, I have no money, no friends... I don't know what I'm going to do or where I should go. The nurse mentioned there are places that would help someone in my position. Do you think you could find out for me? If you have time, I don't want to be a burden on you."
"Oh, Iwan, that isn't a bother at all. That's what I'm here for. Of course I'll find out for you." The poor man. No one had come looking for him and she knew what it was like to feel alone. Her first few years in this country had been lonely ones.
"But Iwan, I wouldn't say you have no friends. You have me."
Iwan clasped her hand tightly and smiled, touched by her words. "Thank you so much. You're far too sweet to me. Bless you." He wasn't sure what prompted him to say that, considering he hadn't really thought about religion much, but it came out on its own and it felt right.
Bridget didn't take it in a religious way. "I am not too sweet to anyone, I am just sweet enough," she informed him with a wink. "And if all else fails, you can stay with me until you find a place. It wouldn't be a problem."
She didn't know what prompted her to say it, but once it was out there, she didn't feel like she wished she hadn't.
"Really? Are you sure? That would be-" Iwan paused, trying to find the words to express himself. "Very generous. Wonderful of you. I'm dying to meet all your pets anyway." He felt as if a great weight had lifted off him, and he relaxed, feeling visibly more cheerful.
"Of course I'm sure! There's plenty of room," or there was enough room for one person. And it was helping out someone who was alone like she had been. She wasn't afraid of him being a bad person. He made her feel so calm. They had known each other for a while now, and really she didn't mind. "We can watch movies from Wales and I think the dogs will love you. Just don't try to pet Mr Grumpyface."
Iwan laughed. "It's a deal. I'll not get in your way, I promise." He was trying to picture her house how it'd look, fitted around her personality, but he was just imagining a bright yellow room full of cushions and flowers and animals. He may have amnesia, but he was pretty sure houses didn't actually look like that.
"You couldn't get in my way, Iwan. I don't think that's possible. The animals might get in yours, but they're lovely. I think you'll get along. I hope you're not allergic! I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. You'll have to tell me what you like to eat and things like that."
Iwan held up his hands. "I really don't know what I like, or if I'm allergic! We shall have to experiment and find out! Except, when we have meat for dinner, I get kind of sick... I might have to be careful of meat. I feel fine if I don't eat that."
"Then we'll experiment," Bridget said with a warm smile. And we'll be careful of meat. And we'll make sure you're taken care of." No one should have no way to go. Bridget had always taken in strays. Just now, instead of a dog or a cat, it was a man. "I don't want you to worry. Everything will be alright."
"I believe it when you say it." Iwan held her gaze with a smile. There was a bit of a heavy pause, then he cleared his throat and looked away, blushing slightly. "Thank you for everything you've done for me," he added, not for the first time. He never wanted her to feel like he didn't appreciate it.
Bridget reached out to gently touch his cheek, just for a moment. "Iwan, it has been my pleasure." She didn't feel he needed to hear that it was her job. Somehow she felt like saying that would only upset him. "Do you want to go for a walk? Or I could beat you at cards again!"
Iwan ran a hand through his hair, his fingertips brushing over the scar on his temple for a moment.
"Did I ever tell you about the time I lost my finger to a card shark?" he asked, going to his bedside unit to get the cards out of the drawer. "I used to be quite the gambler, you know. You wouldn't think so looking at me now, would you?" He pulled his table over and started dealing out the cards. No headaches meant he could concentrate on card games, so he decided to take advantage of the fact.
Bridget grinned at him and she pulled her chair over to his little table. "If you were a gambler you weren't a very good one," she said with a wink. "You're going down, Iwan!"
"That's the thing, of course. They took my finger as payment when I ran out of cash. They're very violent, are card sharks. They can never stop playing cards, or they'll die."
Wiling the time away playing cards with Bridget was the perfect way to spend an afternoon. Glancing at the clock, Iwan found himself wishing time would go slower so he would have longer with her.
Bridget laughed merrily at Iwan's joke, even if it was silly. She liked silly. "Does it hurt?" she asked, conversationally as she dealt the cards. She had known pets with amputated limbs before, but never someone missing a finger. "Phantom pain?" She hoped he didn't mind talking about it.
Iwan glanced at his hand, then shrugged. "I haven't noticed it hurting. I guess I've forgotten that I had it. Sometimes it's a bit itchy, though?" He wriggled his fingers and then picked up his cards. "Do you have a two of clubs?"
Bridget reached out and she touched his hand for a moment. Part of her wanted to kiss it, but she wasn't sure that was appropriate. She did want to show him support, so her hand lingered and by the time she pulled away, she had flushed slightly pink. "Ahem. Hmm? Oh. Oh! No, no twos! Go fish!"
Iwan didn't want to presume, so he smiled a little to himself and pretended he didn't notice how soft her hands were. He picked up his card and had to remind himself what they were playing after staring at his card blankly for a moment.
"Well, you know what they say, 'Unlucky in cards...'"
Bridget cleared her throat again, but she managed to give him a genuine smile. "Do you have any queens?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. "And what exactly do they say, Iwan?"
"Well," Iwan said, giving a little sigh as he passed her a queen from his hand, "'Unlucky in cards, lucky in, um, love.' I think that's how the proverb goes. I could be wrong."
Bridget took the queen and she added it to her hand. "I suppose they do say that, don't they? My amazing Go Fish ability must be why I'm single then," she said with a laugh. "Any fives?"