The nurse must be thinking I'm still embarrassed, thus I remain silent. But I have already calmed down upon seeing her gender. And the only thing that would have troubled me, rumors about Liz at her workplace, seems unlikely to happen, or to bother her.
Still, the woman is quite talkative, or she is talking so much to uplift our spirits and distract us from any gloom. Yeah, normally, most would have been even more shaken than Liz and I in our situation. Actually, if anything, the situation has not shaken us, only the fear from losing each other. We can be said to be strong, strong enough compared to most people.
Liz shakes her head with a smile:
"Max, I don't know if you have met her before. You don't really like to visit me here unless you have to. This is nurse Lina. Don't mind her teasing. Moreover, she came by earlier while you were asleep."
That last sentence makes me freeze. It makes me really feel what is called embarrassment this time, as the mortification comes back even stronger. I fight against a warm blush climbing up my cheeks, and tucking my dry-straw yellow hair behind my ear, I resume moving as if I heard nothing.
From the corner of my eyes, I see Nurse Lina smile and turn to Liz.
"Actually, I envy you too, Dr Lockdream. I will never be able to have a figure as good as yours. I have finished growing already. I just hope the kids I will have will not have to go hungry because my breasts are not adequate."
The sigh the nurse lets out prickles me. It is like a pike at my insecurities. Though it is not like I can't accept myself, that doesn't mean I will say no to future improvements.
I exhale and console myself. Unlike her, I still have room for growth. I just have to eat well, sleep well, exercise well, and… well, get massaged well. I will stay small forever. Evolution is the trend of the world, not stagnation.
I nod at myself inwardly while Liz smiles at the teasing:
"Is that so? I can help you get bigger if you want, nurse Lina. I assure you it will not take long to see the results, just a few nights of treatment naked in bed."
Nurse Lina remains unfazed, but she waves her hand with a laugh:
"Please, no. Spare me. I don't want anyone to bury me as soon as rumors start flying. We all know the number of suitors lining up to wait for you to choose them. Alright, let me check your vitals."
Liz simply smiles. Even though she is a doctor herself, and more qualified, she let nurse Lina check the monitor for the data. After a reading, under my expectant gaze, the latter turns to look at Liz.
"Everything is alright. I heard that the operation had no complications. Are you feeling any pain in the area where you have been cut? Any discomfort or something else?"
"Indeed. I'm lucky nothing happened."
"Hehe. It is mostly because you are in good health overall. And no mistake occurred during the intervention."
"Right. When I get better, I will remember to thank doctor Martin again."
Nurse Lina nods and waits for the answers now that they are done with the casual talk. And Liz finally says what I also want to hear:
"I feel a little bit of pain around the operated area, and also the other sides where I have been hit. Besides that, there is no major discomfort. I just feel a small blockade in my stomach. I have yet to let out any gas."
I exhale, while nurse Lina nods.
"Alright. We will just wait for that last one. Do you need something for the pain?"
Liz calmly shakes her head:
"No."
Nurse Lina frowns a little instead of simply taking notes like earlier. She looks deeply at Liz and presses her:
"Really? On the pain scale, how high is the one you are feeling?"
I look at Liz too. She has taken a bullet, two actually, and has also been kicked more than a few times, to the point of having the inside of her stomach tear up and making her spit out blood. I can't imagine how painful that must have been, especially after she had been under the knife after that.
She thinks for a moment, then nods as if now certain of her answer:
"I would say about 3?"
"3?"
"Hm. The previous drugs are still working. I would rather not take too much."
Nurse Lina thinks for a moment, then nods. And I also say nothing, because drugs for the pain can cause patients to be addicted, and they can also dull the mind, among other problems. I clench my fist slightly, then relax. I can only promise myself to later take care of Liz well.
"Apart from the stomach, there is no trouble elsewhere?"
"No, just a bit of headache. Nothing major."
"I understand. So, I don't need to call for doctor Martin. I will change your IV drip in half an hour. If you need anything else, you can let me know."
It is only now that I notice that Liz doesn't have an oxygen mask on her face anymore. Well, I noticed before, but I didn't think about it, just like when we barely pay attention to the good things around us, unlike the bad that can bring fear, depression and a whole slew of negative emotions impossible to ignore.
I digress. Anyway, I suddenly have a thought and I look at Liz with apprehension.
"Sis, you said nurse Lina came before, did the doctor come too?"
"He came, but don't worry. I covered myself first, and only let you regain your toy when he left."
I don't even manage to exhale in relief. My head buzzes from embarrassment as my blood rushes to my head. How can she speak like that? She is basically treating me like a child. She did nothing like that when she had been moaning those times we rolled in bed to comfort each other and fight back the loneliness from our parents' absence.
Now, after enjoying it, she is making it seem as if her nipples did not harden from my suckling, or as if she does not feel good lactating and feeding me.
"Humph."
"Haha, so cute."
I take a breath to avoid glaring at nurse Lina, but only out of good manners. I grit my teeth at the two women without any shame or any sense of restraints, making them laugh further before nurse Lina leaves.