Week 11, Monday Afternoon: A Hospital Visit

There was something nice about the recovery wing of the hospital. There was a relaxed air, a pleasant clean but not too medical smell, and even a few people visiting. Sosie liked it here. It reminded her of a lab.

Keng's room was private, small, and nice. There was a wide window offering a view of the outdoors--such as they were--a few pieces of furniture and the bed even looked more comfortable. Sosie was pleased by this, but moreso by the fact that Keng had a new arm and two new legs. Their pink skin looked tender and new compared to the tanned and healing flesh on his face, but they were whole, moving, and vital. Keng's bandages were removed from his body to reveal unhappy but healed and painless skin. He was awake and alert when she entered. Sosie smiled at him. "Hello Keng, just stopping by for a few minutes to say hello."

She dropped her vase of red synthflowers on the bureau and checked his chart. She smiled more at it. "Your chart is great, and you look great!" She grinned wider, looking at him. "Do you need anything? Do you know what's happening? I see you have some therapy scheduled to help you improve your speaking ability."

Keng strained with effort and managed to fold his arms. He was supporting his new arm with his old one, and it looked very uncomfortable, but the old store owner refused to give up his favourite pose.

"I know what happen! Agents ruin shop! Agents make shop new and bad. Old feel of shop gone! My Dear must manage now. How Dear be without me! Pah! Agents!" replied Keng. He spoke easily, if not with the correct grammar or pronunciation in some places. "And me speak fine!"

"Your wife is turning more business than ever." Sosie laughed a little, though her face did darken a bit at the mention of agents good and bad. She took a second to swallow and sit down. "Besides, have you even seen the new shop? It looks like the old one, but with less fragile furniture. The only thing different is that the food is better without you." Sosie was teasing, gentle. She took a seat by the side of the bed. "It's good to hear you talk, though... Do you want or need me to bring anything, get anything for you while I'm here?"

Keng took the teasing as well as could be expected for the old man; personally and as a great insult. "New chair! New table! Old better!" he spat out. Keng attempted to point a new finger at Sosie as he spoke, to make his point more strongly. It took a lot of effort, but he was able to wave a fist at the agent, even if he couldn't quite get his fingers to work as he wanted first time.

He thought about Sosie's question for a few moments and then lowered his head and calmed down. He looked more thoughtful than upset. "Head of agent who make Dear so sad. Bring head on stick."

Sosie touched Keng's leg with a hand reassuringly. She was careful to keep her movements slow and gentle, comforting rather than patronizing. Her eyes were bright. "Don't worry, we're working on that. He won't be able to hide for too much longer. I can't promise a stick, though. Would a bag do?" She smiled a little more. His grasp on language really was improving.

Keng's face remained stern and serious as he replied. "Yes. Bag do." he said with a nod. It was impossible to tell if he was serious or not. "Thank you. Take care of Dear. Make sure Dear safe."

Sosie nodded, standing up. "I'm going to see her tomorrow. I'll make sure she's okay. The store has been fortified like crazy, and even your apartment has upgrades and new features. And many of us keep an eye out for her there, Ida is across the street.. ..We'll keep her safe." She gave his leg another little squeeze, and then reached over and grabbed the large button remote from the end table. "If you're bored, What's In That Box is on now. And.. well, like 400 other game shows, if the fancy took you. I'll see you later, Keng."

With that Sosie left, feeling a little more heartened than she did before.