Chapter 8 - The sister, Amelia

"-ident? President?" She wakes to her assistant shaking her. "Is something wrong?"

"Huh?" Marilyn looks down at her stinging palm and sees blood dripping from a cut formed by breaking the pen in her hands. "Oh." She looks up at her assistant. "I'm fine. Thank you, Zoe. No need to wor-" Her words slur as her vision goes black.

Suddenly, the world starts spinning and she hits the ground, blacking out.

....

She slowly opens her eyes to rays of sunlight hitting her eyelids.

'....Where...?' She holds her head as she looks around. She was currently sitting on a bed and the room was completely white. Due to the slight scent of antiseptic in the air, the IV stand next to the bed and the obvious all-white environment, she realizes that she is in a hospital room.

Just then the room door opens and Michael steps in. He gets a bit surprised when he sees her awake.

"You're awake! How are you feeling?" He asks, walking towards the chair next to the bed and placing the parcel in his hand on a table.

Marilyn places a hand on her temple and rubs it softly. "Why are you here?"

"Mr. McGrath told me that you fainted so I came to visit you." He smiles. "He said that the two of you were in the middle of an argument and that you wouldn't want to see him."

"Silly old man." She groaned.

"How are you feeling?" Michael asks.

"I'm fine. My head kinda hurts but otherwise, I'm good." Marilyn sits up slowly. "What'd the doctor say?"

"She said that there isn't any serious issue. You just fainted due to lack of energy. She guessed that you probably skipped a few meals." He looks at her a bit oddly. A faint trace of... discomfort? in his eyes.

"Ah..." Marilyn sighs. "I skipped breakfast today..."

"Just that?" He asks, in a questioning tone.

".... And dinner last night..." She adds sheepishly.

He sighs. "The doctor reminded me to force you to eat. She said that you should be in a bad mood and will most definitely skip another meal." He picks up the parcel he placed on the table. "I got some light food and a glucose drink for you. I don't know what you like so you're gonna have to make do."

Marilyn frowns. "The doctor said what?" Suddenly her eyes widened. "Which hospital are we in? BN First? Shit!" She covers her face with her palms.

Michael smiles, the discomfort disappearing. "The doctor told me that she'd break my legs if I made her darling little sister cry. And that she was leaving you to me..."

"That little-" Marilyn mumbles under her breath.

"Hi!" A loud, cheerful voice interrupts as a beautiful blonde woman in a doctor's coat walks in. "I heard someone cursing at me so I dropped by!"

"Amelia!" Marilyn scoffed. "What nonsense have you been telling him?"

"What? Was I wrong, though?" The doctor's green eyes narrowed as if offended. "You sounded so in love last night on the phone, but knowing you, you'd go back into that stupid little spiral of thoughts, push everyone away, and end up in the hospital again! How many times is this now? Do you think I like seeing you slowly become a permanent resident of the hospital?! Do you know how shocked I was when Eddie called saying you'd collapsed AGAIN! What's wrong with me wanting another person to keep track of you? You should be grateful I'm still letting you play your little game of 'Marilyn' and not dragging you back to your house under 24 hour supervision!"

Marilyn closes her eyes in pain. "Yes, I'm grateful. My head hurts so please stop shouting. I'll listen to your lecture when I'm a bit better."

Michael gasps. "Right. Have a light meal so you can take your meds. I heard you hit your head pretty hard."

"Mm." She nods and slips off the bed towards the bathroom. "There's a fresh set of toiletries in here, isn't there, Am?"

"Yes, yes. Go freshen up." Amelia answers, waving her hand, dismissal.