“If I die, I won’t blame you, I promise,” Amelia said earnestly.
Dipender flinched and he stared at her for a long moment before walking over to her and kneeling down so they were eye-level.
“Don’t say that. Don’t even think like that, you can fight –”
“I heard you talking to the nurse earlier,” Amelia said taking the oxygen mask off her face, “and I just want you to know that I don’t blame, just don’t lie to me.”
Dipender blinked a few times, swallowing the lump that was forming in his throat, he told himself that crying in front of patients was wrong especially children who looked at him with eyes aged beyond their years.
“I’m going to call your parents. I’m going to make sure they are here.” He promised taking her hand and he saw her try and hide a wince as the monitor beeped, Dipender let go immediately.
“You don’t always have to be so strong, it’s okay to tell me when it hurts,” He said, annoyed at himself for letting his voice break, angry at the world for wanting to even try and take this little girl’s life and powerless in his need to save her.
“It hurts all the time, so I have to be strong all the time.” Amelia said her voice modulated her gaze unwavering.
Dipender felt the moisture build in his eyes as he held her gaze. He carefully put the oxygen mask back on her face.
“It’s okay, it really is,” she said reaching forward and patting him on the arm lightly, as if he needed reassuring, as if the action didn’t cost her everything.
He didn’t even want to imagine the level of pain she would have endured to become that resilient.
“I’m going to call them, I’m going to…” he trailed off as she shrugged as though it didn’t matter to her.
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