His Conundrums

Chapter 2

Quite Something

"I don't know if you're lucky or you just really love danger," Nate, his doctor, said as soon as he woke up.

"Where is he?" he asked.

"The old man? He's unconscious, but he's okay."

He felt relieved. He doesn't seem to care, but he also doesn't want to know anyone died while he survived especially when he was with the old man when that incident happened.

"How are you feeling?" Nate asked.

"I'm a little dizzy, but I'm okay. Can I go home?" he asked, but his doctor protested.

"We need to monitor you for at least 24 hours. You have scratches, and you look pale. Did you skip your medicines?" He hates being interviewed like this, but what can he do? It's his doctor.

"No..." His doctor just stared at him, waiting for an honest answer. "...okay, I skipped this morning, but I took it this afternoon... 10 minutes late," he said while looking in the opposite direction where his doctor stands. His doctor sighed.

"I'm sorry, Nate. I know it's been a month, but I'm really trying my best to be okay," he explained.

"I know. Just take care of yourself." The room filled with silence, and it was comfortable to hear such complete silence when you're not alone.

"I'll get going. I still have patients." Nate excused himself, leaving Sirius alone in his room.

Sometimes silence can let you rest and have peace of mind, but that's not it in his case. Silence comes with terror. He keeps on thinking about what happened, why he was helpless and couldn't do anything, why it was out of his calculations. Why did his brain stops working and froze out that very moment? Why...

-0-0-0-

"Excuse me, can I ask? Where is Mr. Lauve's room, please? I'm his grandson."

Right after he heard the news about the explosion, he went straight to the hospital. He was worried that something might happen to the old man even though they're not really related. Sweat came rushing through his forehead, and he didn't even notice he was wearing a different pair of shoes.

"Your name please?" the nurse asked.

"Joe King," he said while slowly brushing his hair and simply wiping off his sweat. He lost his cool for a minute, and he's trying to regain some of it, at least some of it.

"Rm 316, sir," she replied.

"Thank you," he said and winked at her before he half-ran Mr. Lauve's room.

"He's cute." One of the nurses remarked, and they laughed.

He was waiting for the elevator and noticed the man beside him wearing a Ralph Lauren's short-sleeve polo shirt, a designer's limited edition cargo short, a pair of newly released Nike shoes, a golden watch with a gold plated bracelet, and a 14k gold necklace. This man is too extravagant to visit a hospital.

"I was going to visit my grandpa..." He acted out and started to cry. The man was surprised and looked at him.

"You know, he's the only family I have..." He's trying to check his pockets for a handkerchief but found none. The man handed over his, and he said his thanks.

"I hope he's okay. There's nothing in this world that I want aside from my grandpa's health." He blew his nose through the handkerchief and trying to wipe off his tears, but suddenly he began to hug the man. To his surprise, he uttered no words and just patted his back. When the elevator opened, it was jammed with people and can only fit one person.

"Can I go first?" he asked the man.

"Yeah, sure, I think your grandpa really needs you right now," he replied.

"You're such a good person, blessed you with His gifts." For the last time, he wiped his tears and went on the elevator.

"Poor man, he lost a lot," Joe said while tapping his pocket. Not only he had the stranger's handkerchief, but he also had his watch, bracelet, necklace, and his wallet.

"I really like his polo shirt, though," he mumbled.

The girl who was with her mom on the elevator stared at him, but he just smiled at her.

He went straight to Room 316 and heard a man talking. He suddenly opened the door.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"I'm Siri—" He didn't let the man finished his sentence.

"You're not a doctor, so why are you in his room?" Joe asked.

The man took a quick glimpse of him and scanned his face.

"You're not also related to this man, so why you're here? Who are you?" The man asked him back.

"I'm his grandson!" he almost yelled.

"Really?" Sirius asked.

"Of course," he said with such confidence.

"This man served almost 50 years in the military and has no family background, so why does he suddenly have a grandson whose age is in his late 20's? If you really are his grandson, does that mean Mr. Lauve had a child when he was twelve and already have a grandson at the age of 34, which means your father was 22 when you were born?"

Joe gulped in surprise. No one dared to ask or seems to notice something like this before.

"You're... quite something," he muttered.