"Alan, what do you want? I'm very busy right now!"

"I'm sick and in the hospital, but there's no bed available. I want to ask if you have ways."

"I can't help if there are no beds. I'm not a doctor. Why are you being so delicate? What's wrong with you? Can't you just get an IV? I'm busy. Don't call me unless it's important."

"But..."

Before I could say anything else, she hung up. I remember her saying that she was in a critical phase of an experiment, so I figured she really was busy and didn't call again.

I slept in the hallway that night. But the next day, I saw Mona rushing into the hospital. I thought she was there to see me, but just as I was about to greet her, she walked right past me and into the room next to mine. I didn't disturb her. I just quietly followed her.

Jeff was in the room. He was sick too. I heard from the patient next to me that Jeff had been admitted urgently in the middle of the night. I must have missed him while I was going through the check-in process.

While I was suffering in the hallway, drowning in pain, Jeff was in the room next door, enjoying a quiet room and Mona's care. How absurd. And that room was probably arranged by Mona herself.