It was the next morning, and Tavia awoken early and got straight to exercising in the hospital. She began walking slowly again, holding onto the rails at each side of her. She had struggled multiple times, and she was quite slow, but each time she fell she got right back up. The nurses tried to help her, but she refused their help as she wanted to be able to walk again – and she knew she could do it on her own.

Patrick stood there, admiring her persistence. He knew his sister better than anyone else, and she was the ambitious type. He knew that she would get all better within days and she’ll be able to move back in with him. He glanced at his watch.

“Tavia, do you need a break? You’ve been on this for quite a while now.” Tavia shook her head, and continued to walk straight ahead.

“Okay, well I’m going to work now. Selena said she’s going to come visit you later today after she gets off work.” Tavia nodded in response, still very focused.

Patrick left the room, still watching her through the glass door. He bumped into Bosco by accident. “Sorry” They said in unison.

Bosco turned to the sound of Bobby’s voice heard through the room.

“Excellent job Tavia. Today is your first day, yet you are doing so well already! I think you should take a break and we’ll do this again tomorrow morning” Bobby said.

He noticed Bosco standing at the door and frowned, thinking that he wasn’t doing his work.
Bosco watched Tavia as she made her way across the hall. He didn’t know why, but there was something about her that attracted him. She was in fact beautiful, yet very simple and pure. He noticed Bobby watching him and quickly ran off to work.

Bosco passed down the hallway past Leila’s room. Inside Leila’s room Sammul was by Leila’s side, holding onto her hand as she was sleeping soundly like an angel. His expression saddened as his eyes searched her fragile pale face; he could tell she was hurting. Although she had short hair, he could easily see strands of her hair around her pillow, some even on the bed. Lightly touching her face with his fingers, her eyes suddenly flickered open. She looked around before her eyes landed on Sammul, and with that a smile immediately parted between her lips. She tried to sit upright, with the help of Sammul.

“Sammul.” Her voice was weak.

“How are you feeling?” He asked.

“A lot better.” She lies.

“Hey. I brought you the novel you wanted to read.” Sammul said, reaching for his bag.

“Thank you…” Leila whispered. She looked out the window and sighed.

“What’s the matter?” He asked, turning towards the window.

“It’s such a nice day. Do you think I could go out today for just a little bit?” She pleaded.

Sammul frowned. “I’m sorry Leila. Dr. Au-Yeung said you aren’t quite ready to go outside again. Not today, anyway.”

Leila felt tears well up her eyes.

“Sammul…Am I even going to get any better? The symptoms are showing…and even though I say that I’m better – I’m not! It has been six months Sammul. I don’t know how much longer I have left…Or how much more I can take. ” She burst out crying, unable to hold back any longer.

Sammul felt his heart drop, as he was unable to do anything to protect his girlfriend or even assure her that everything will be okay.

“Leila. Listen to me.” He said, pulling her hands off her face. She looked up at him with saddened eyes.

“We’ll fight this together. No matter what happens – I’ll always love you.” He said, kissing her on the forehead.

---

That late afternoon, Selena visited Tavia in the hospital. They decided to go for a stroll outside of the hospital, in the beautiful garden where the spring flowers were blossoming. Because Tavia was having difficulty walking, Selena held onto her arm to keep her balanced as they walked over to a bench at a corner.

“It’s very nice out today.” Selena smiles, admiring the sky.

Tavia nodded, as she sat down on the bench. Selena sat beside her and turned towards her.

Hesitating, she asked, “How are you really feeling, Tavia?”

Looking into Selena’s eyes, Tavia could tell she was really concerned and she truly cared about her.

“I’m feeling very lost.” Tavia admitted. “Patrick…He seems like a very good brother. I must’ve been really close with him. Yet, when I look at him – I feel nothing. He’s just a stranger to my eyes…”

Selena nodded, understandingly. “Maybe you don’t feel it now, but you will definitely do later on…whether or not you remember. Ever since I met your brother a few years back, he was always so sweet and protective towards you. While you were in coma, he was there for you everyday – I believe he was there for you every step of the way ever since you were young.”

Tavia listened, attentively. She noticed Selena smiled every time she mentioned Patrick.

“What is he like? Does he have a girlfriend?” Tavia asked.

Selena laughed. “Patrick’s a pretty serious guy when I first met him. He doesn’t seem like he likes to joke much. But whenever he was around you, he would always tease you – and you would always smack him for teasing you. He is just a little more reserved around others, especially those he doesn’t know much. Over the years we have become closer. And I could see that not only is he a caring brother, but a person who knows how to be serious and funny, but also someone who has been through a lot…” Selena pauses.

“As for his girlfriend – I never heard of him having one. All I know is that you’re the only girl he ever really cares about.” Selena laughs, her eyes sparkling.

Tavia stares at Selena as she speaks, bewildered. She is suddenly very grateful to have a brother like him. And she couldn’t help but ask Selena, “Do you like him, Selena?”

Selena’s smile disappeared as she heard this. He cheeks start to blush as she looked away onto the ground. Tavia smiled knowingly at her reaction.

“Patrick’s life is quite simple. He’s always working, and if he’s not working, he’s taking care of you. He doesn’t have many friends, and even though I’m his closest friend, he only thinks of me as his younger sister.”

“I’m sure he feels more about you then you would know. I think you should confess your true feelings to him. You never know. You’re a great girl, and I think you guys would be great together.” Tavia advises.

Selena smiled at Tavia’s comment. Her phone started to ring. She picked it up and frowned. “Tavia, I’m sorry. But I have to go; I forgot my file at the office. I’ll tell you our story next time!”

Selena left, leaving Tavia sitting on the bench, absorbing all that Selena told her about. She knew that even though she may have lost her parents and her memory, and even two years of her life – she has her brother and her best friend. She will just have to start her life all over again. Maybe it would be for the better.

---

Bosco was extremely exhausted. He was volunteering for the full day, and for the past couple of hours he has done all that he had thought of – putting away files, treating patients which included taking them for a stroll outside, feeding them, and taking them to the activity room and entertaining them. He was an assistant to many nurses and even some doctor’s and he felt that he had done very well and had worked nonstop the entire day – yet Bobby was no where in sight to see him do all this. He was hoping he would have proven to Bobby he was capable of handling greater issues within the past two days and to get rehired again, rather than volunteer.

“Bosco!” Steven Ma called him from across the hallway.

Bosco hurried over to Steven. “You have done very well today. I know you are a very intelligent boy, and I’ll make sure Bobby knows about this.” Steven says, winking.

Bosco gleamed. “Now, go have your break! You must be exhausted and starving.” Steven stated, waving Bosco away.

Bosco headed over to the cafeteria downstairs and brought himself a tuna sandwich and a cold drink. He noticed a couple of the nurses and volunteers he met throughout his two days at the hospital. The girls all waved at him, giggling, including the receptionist. Bosco smiled back. Usually, he would head over to the girls and flirt with them, but now under Bobby’s surveillance he felt that he should behave himself.

Rather than sit at one of the tables and feeling uncomfortable from the stares given from the girls, he decided to eat his lunch quietly outside. He decided to stroll over to the nearest bench to find a mother and her child happily playing on the bench. Smiling to himself, he walked to the bench further down the garden. He noticed the pretty, young patient he had seen yesterday in the exercise room with Bobby. She sat at the bench alone, glancing at the mother and the little boy.

Walking over to her, Bosco sat beside her on the bench. She was deep in thought, staring into space, but after a few minutes she noticed Bosco beside her. They exchanged smiles, and he started to eat his lunch.

Sneaking a glance at her, he cleared his throat, “Hey. I’m Bosco.” He extended his hand.

Tavia looked up at him and smiled. “I’m Tavia.” She shook his hand.

They sat there, silent for a while, before she continued, “Are you a volunteer here?” She noticed his volunteer uniform.

Bosco chuckled, “Well yes…For now anyway.” Tavia turned her head slightly, her expression questioning.

“Dr. Au-Yeung, he’s my step-dad. Soon I’ll be working here alongside him.” Bosco explains.

“Wow, you’re going to be doctor? You are quite young and handsome for a doctor!” Tavia complimented him, giggling.

Surprised, Bosco blushed. “Yeah.”
Noticing this, Tavia giggled, and Bosco burst out laughing. “You were just joking, weren’t you?”

“Nah. It’s the truth.” She smiled innocently, glancing at the sky.

“Well, I’ll be a doctor in two years time, after medical school.”

“That’s great.”

Silence filled the air, and suddenly Bosco was very curious. He wasn’t sure whether or not he should ask her, considering that they just met, but he wanted to know, and he wasn’t sure why.

“So…May I ask why you’re here?” Bosco whispered, afraid this may offend her.

“I was in a coma for two years.” Tavia simply stated. Bosco’s eyes widened as he heard this. He leaned in, waiting for her to continue.

“I woke up two days ago. I guess you can say that’s a miracle – because to me it was. I’m not really sure what happened, because I forgot everything. But from what I heard, I was in a car accident. I was feeling really upset for I don’t remember anything…whether it was the happy or sad memories, because I thought that no matter what, I want to keep all my memories for they were what made me who I am today. But I guess some things are out of my control, and now I’ll just have to be patient and see.” Tavia paused, smiling at Bosco’s reaction.

“So I discovered that I have two very important people in my life right now, my brother and my best friend. And I think that’s all I really need, people who love me for me, and since I have a chance to live life all over again – why not be optimistic and move on?”

Bosco nodded, surprised by how brave Tavia is. “If only all the patients were to think that way as well. You’re very brave.”

Tavia shook her head. “I guess that really depends what they’ve been through. Not everyone is the same. Everyone is fighting their own battle – I think we are all brave, every single one of us. But of course, life’s what you make it.”

Bosco smiled. Somehow, talking to Tavia is very reassuring. All his troubles seem to fade away. And it seems that he is looking at life at a new light, as he felt that he really does have everything in life – his family, the looks, the money, the reputation, and even the smarts. Yet something seems to be missing in his life. He glanced at Tavia, who grinned in return. She looked so angelic, Bosco thought unable to look away.

---

Feedback on the BOTA moment? :)