Chapter 17: Garber's POV

Garber’s POV

According to the hospital, it took three injections in the emergency ward to get me breathing and a couple of scans to reassure my mom that I was out of harm’s way.

“He is doing alright, ma’am. He is just getting some rest to recover from the overstimulation,” the doctor, I assumed, tried to explain to my mom why I had my eyes closed for the third time after being awake for only five minutes at intervals.

“Then why did he faint again? Are you doctors quacks? What have you done to my precious son?!”

Precious?

My mom was being hysterical once more, and I just wished I could pass out or fall asleep again to shun the noise, but that had proved too difficult for the past couple of minutes since I’d been awake.

“Doctor Ryan, he’s awake! He’s awake!” A feminine voice shouted from beside me, and I just felt at that moment that I had been betrayed.

Yes, it was betrayal to rat me out to my mom just because she acted like she would die if I didn’t wake up.

Reluctantly, I opened my eyes and stared blankly ahead as I endured the assault from my mom.

“Oh, my baby,” she ran to my side and hugged me around the waist, pushing the drip injection further into the back of my hand, making me let out a yelp of pain before she was eventually peeled off me.

Not only was my arm now bleeding from the injection assault, but a couple of other bandaged wounds had also been opened from the severity of her hug.

“Why are his clothes all red? What have you all done to my baby?”

I was in pain, and she was running towards me for another hug when I noticed the doctor signal to the now anxious nurse to restrain her.

“I’m sorry, ma’am, but the patient needs to undergo some tests.”

My mom was caught unawares, and fortunately for me, she complied subconsciously, so she didn’t start shouting to hug her dear son again until she was escorted safely out of my room.

“I deeply apologize for the noise. I believe you must be experiencing a severe headache right now?” he asked as he flashed a tiny light in my eyes.

“Nothing I can’t handle,” I grumbled as I squinted in response to the sudden brightness.

In truth, my head was banging, but I wasn’t about to start whining over a headache.

It was just a little worse than a hangover, nothing life-threatening.

In fact, I felt a lot better than before.

The nurse proceeded to change the drip on command from the doctor.

It hurt. My hand felt heavy and ached a lot, so to distract myself from the pain, I started a conversation.

“I want to be discharged.”

My announcement seemed to have caught the nurse by surprise as her hand shook, making me wince in pain.

She apologized and looked up at the doctor, who turned to me after scolding her.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Garber, but you can’t be discharged anytime soon.”

Interested, I cocked my eyebrows and propped myself up with the help of my elbow.

“Oh, really? I have just a few scratches, and I feel as hearty as a horse, so why do you want to hold me in this hospital ward, Dr…” I paused to read his name off his tag and watched as he gulped and tried to maintain his stance, “Anthony?”

I was genuinely curious to know if there was something wrong with me, but I masked it with intimidation because God forbid someone from school knows that I’m hospitalized.

And then Luis finds out. Wouldn’t he think I got hospitalized because of him?

“That’s not the case, Mr. Garber, and we will not be confining you because as soon as you’re done with this drip, we will run a few more tests to confirm that you’re really good. Then you can walk around in the garden for some fresh air.”

“I have that and more at home. Do I really need to stay in this place for how long…”

“At most two days before a psychologist can be assigned to you,” he said, and I shot up at him but still managed to keep my cool as I asked, “Psychologist?”

“Yes, we also explained this to your guardian already, and she’s signed the form and even brought you a change of clothes while you were unconscious and…”

He was zoned out.

Everything the doctors and nurses said and did was zoned out because I had no plan to stay in this place for another two hours, let alone two days.

“We’ll take our leave now, but a nurse will be on standby for you, so you can just press this button,” he motioned to a red button by the side of my bed.

I nodded as I watched him turn around to leave before asking, “Wait!”

They all paused.

“What floor am I on, Dr. Anthony?” I asked.

“You all can leave,” he motioned for the other doctor and nurses as they excused themselves before turning around to face me.

“Because of the situation surrounding your admission, we had to let you use the VIP ward on the ground floor. Forgive us, for it’s not as grand as the ones on the upper floors, but all your needs will be attended to,” he said, and I just nodded before looking at the other side where the window sat.

Perfect. I wouldn’t have any trouble getting out of this place then.

A small smile played on my lips as my heart started racing in anticipation of the excitement I was about to get myself into.