Chapter 238 - The Islet Mystery 54

Yanyan woke up to what he thought as a majestic place. The LED lights scattered on the white ceiling, the soft, white bed, and the thick, maroon curtains greeted his eyes. Wondering if he was still dreaming, he sat up abruptly and saw the intravenous line in his tiny arm. He suddenly got afraid, not knowing what was happening. He looked around, and then his eyes fell on Ryan and Shiela across the room. Ryan was at the edge of the sofa, his head hanged backward on the backrest while Shiela was lying down, her head on Ryan's lap. They were both asleep, and Yanyan wondered why they were all there.

A lady in a white scrub suit approached him with a smile. "Yanyan, good morning. How are you feeling now?"

Yanyan flinched at the sight of a stranger talking to him. He wondered what was going on and why this lady was showing him some kindness. "Yanyan, I am your nurse this morning, and I want to know if you are feeling better than last night or not?"

Yanyan could not understand what she meant by last night and this morning. What was happening? With a helpless look, he glanced at Ryan and Shiela, who were still sleeping soundly. 

The nurse seemed to have read his expression, so she helped him remember. "Last night, you were out on the shore and got stuck up behind the boulders due to the storm. Then, ma'am and sir there," the nurse paused as she turned her head towards the sleeping couple before she continued, "called for help, and we got you here. You had chills and high fever."

"What is a nurse?" Yanyan finally opened his mouth to speak, his eyes wide in bewilderment.

The nurse chuckled and replied, "A nurse is a part of a team who helps in taking care of sick people. And since you are sick, that's why you and I are here."

"Is the storm gone already?" Yanyan asked, looking around to find a window.

The nurse saw his eyes, and she walked to a corner across the foot of the bed and pulled the curtain to the sides, revealing a beautiful sea view outside. The sky was clear with white clouds sailing by above the sparkling, navy blue seawater. 

Yanyan scrambled to his feet, pulling the IV stand abruptly, causing it almost to fall down. The nurse gasped and ran to keep the stand steady, scaring Yanyan away. His eyes flew wide for a moment, then turned apologetic.

"I'm sorry, ma'am," his voice was quivering.

The nurse took a deep breath and smiled. "It's alright. Just be careful next time. You might pull this out," the nurse explained as she traced the tubing from the IV bottle and down to the catheter inserted at the back of his hand.

"Please take it out," he said, looking at the nurse with begging eyes.

"No, we give your medicine through this port," said the nurse as she touched the rubber cap of the medicine port.

"What will happen if I pull it out?" inquired Yanyan, his innocent expression and his being inquisitive amused the nurse.

"Blood will ooze from your vein!"

"How to stop the bleeding?" Yanyan stared at her, seemed too afraid to blink.

The nurse laughed softly, touched the bridge of his nose with her finger and asked, "Why do you ask?"

"Because I love what you do. Someday, I'll be going to treat sick people also."

"Before we completely pull out the cannula, we prepare an absorbent pad then press it against the site to apply pressure until the bleeding stops. As simple as that." The nurse smiled, appreciating his apparent desire to learn despite his young age.

"What if the bleeding won't stop?" 

"Just apply more and longer pressure. That's it."

Before Yanyan could reply, his eyes caught Ryan and Shiela walking towards him. He pursed his mouth and looked at them, waiting for what they were going to say.

Yanyan and the nurse did not notice that the sound of the almost falling IV stand woke Shiela and Ryan up. When they heard that Yanyan talked, they did not disturb him and listened instead to their conversation.

"Good morning, ma'am, sir," Yanyan moved his eyes up to glance at them, but his head was on the floor.

"Good morning, Yan. How are you?" Shiela and Ryan almost asked simultaneously, and they laughed when they heard themselves.

"Fine," he answered, still giving them a short peek by moving his eyes up but looked down again quickly.

"Yanyan, look at us. How do you feel now?"

Yanyan shook his head, and with a soft and shy voice, he replied, "I'm fine, ma'am, sir, but I am ashamed that I troubled you. I don't have money to pay for this place, but I will pay you with more shells."

This moved Ryan and Shiela's emotions, making them wonder how hard was Yanyan's situation to force him to become mature and talk this way.

"Yanyan, we have lots of money, so it's never a burden to us. We want you to get well as soon as possible. Do you understand?"

Yanyan nodded, but his expression turned sad.

"What is that look?" Shiela commented, lifted his chin up, and forced him to look at her.

Yanyan shook his head again, but his eyes glistened with unshed tears.

"Why? Are you not feeling well?" Shiela asked worriedly.

"No, it's mama and papa. I'm worried about them."

Ryan sat beside him before he answered, "Today, I'll go to Isla Uno and talk to your parents."

Yanyan looked at him, but his empty stares that followed told Ryan that something was bothering him.

"You don't want me to talk to your parents?"

Yanyan shook his head again, and after a few moments of hesitation, he answered, "We don't live in Isla Uno, and you can't talk to my parents."

The nurse, Shiela, and Ryan narrowed their eyes on him, analyzing what he meant.

"Then where do you live?" the nurse asked further while Ryan and Shiela understood that it was never a good idea to force him to tell.

Yanyan hurriedly slipped under the cover and pulled the sheet to cover his eyes. Ryan then looked at the nurse, telling her through his eyes to put away the subject.

"Okay, Yan. We'll go out for a while to buy food for you. We'll be back soon."

Yanyan did not move, but as soon as he heard the sound of the closing door, he pulled down the cover and glanced at the nurse.

"Why did you hide?"

"I don't want them to go to our house," answered Yanyan, placing a finger on top of his nose.

The nurse laughed and patted his head. "You're so naughty. What's your full name?"

"Yanyan."

"I know that's your nickname, and nicknames are not allowed in clinics."

"Really?" he asked, pulling his brows together as he stared at her.

"Yes. Didn't your teacher tell you that in every transaction, you should use your full name?"

To conceal the truth that he had never gone to any school, Yanyan lied. "Of course, she did."

"Then what's your full name so that I can write it here on the chart?"

"Give me the paper and let me write," he said, thinking that by writing his name, he could make his lies more believable.

Amused, the nurse handed the patient information sheet and scribbled his name in beautiful strokes.

Ryan Neil Yu, Jr...

Note: unedited...