Chapter 20: Visiting

Willow entered the Guild Master’s office and saw Sarah hard at work on a stack of papers.

She looked absolutely miserable. Her eyes were baggy and her clothes were several days old.

Willow cleared her throat to draw her attention. “You asked for me?”

Sarah looked up with a bright grin on her face. “Hey Will! Glad you could make it! I wanted to talk to you about something important. You’re going to see Matt at the hospital again after this, right?”

Willow raised her eyebrow. “This is about Matt?”

“Yeah. How’s he doing? Is his leg healing fine? He’s been there for a week now.” Sarah may have been smiling, but she was too tired to keep the worry out of her voice.

“Don’t worry,” Willow assured her. “He’s making excellent progress. Without any unforeseen complications he’ll be back home by next weekend.”

Sarah sighed in relief, slumping back in her chair.

“Is there anything else?” Willow asked, preparing to leave.

Sarah let out a small gasp and sat back up. Her eyes slid to the other person in the room, Lori. He was sitting in a chair off to the side, staring coldly at her.

“Um… wait! Is Matt lonely? He’s gotta be lonely, right?” Sarah frantically asked. “Or… books? Food? Has he asked about anything? I want you to tell me all about how your visits go, take as much time as you want!”

Willow rolled her eyes. She could see what this was.

“…Master, if you want to check up on Matt, you can go do it yourself,” she sighed.

Sarah’s good mood snapped like a twig.

“Don’t you think I don’t want to?!” She wailed. “I can’t! I have to stay here and write all these stupid reports!”

She was practically bawling.

“Master, you were the one who said it was important that all the guilds were made aware about the urgency of the situation,” Lori reminded her. “You can go see Matt when you’re done.”

“Then what the heck’s this requisition form doing here, huh?!” She demanded, slapping the paper she was filling out. “Or that last one about job compensation earnings?!”

“Just because there was an emergency that doesn’t absolve you from fulfilling your obligations as Guild Master,” Lori calmly rebuffed her objection. “Maybe if you filled them out as you got them they wouldn’t have stacked up like this.”

“This is mutiny! Aren’t I the Guild Master around here?!”

“Yes. You are. Now stop wasting time complaining and do your job.”

“You slave driver! Demon!”

“And if you even think about using that Naturia of yours to sneak out again I’ll lock you into a restraining collar and throw away the key.”

It was right about when Sarah began comparing Lori to a totalitarian despot that Willow decided it was time to leave.

She walked out of Sarah’s office and her bad mood immediately took a turn for the worse.

“Hey Willow! Heading out to see Matt again?” Nick asked, coming up to her. Every time she saw that smile of his it pissed her off. But she held her temper.

“What do you want, Nick?” She asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

“If you’re heading to the mainland to check up on Matt, I wanted to come along!” Nick replied.

Her eye twitched. “Do you seriously expect me to believe that you’re concerned enough about Matt that you’d go pay him a visit in the hospital? You’ve had, what, two conversations with him?”

“How cold, we’re in the same guild. Of course I’m concerned about him. But specifically, I’m just an escort.” Nick cleared his throat and gestured across the common room.

Emi was crouched behind the couch, peeking out over the cushions. She ducked down.

Willow sighed and rubbed her temples. “Emi, if you want to come pay Matt a visit you don’t need to use him as an excuse.”

There was no way Emi could do that! It was all her fault in the first place that Matt was in the hospital, going to see him as just a regular guest? All by herself?!

No, no, it was better to make it seem like she was going with some other Guardians. She’d even gotten Chloe to agree to come… kind of.

“…We going yet?” Chloe yawned, sitting up and rubbing her eyes.

“See? We’re all gonna go together as one happy guild!” Nick grinned. “Serena was gonna come too, but she’s… taking care of someone else right now.”

He winked. “Let’s give those two some privacy, sound good?”

Willow rolled her eyes and shoved her way past him. “Oh, please. Like that would ever happen. Although at least Ryan’s got a better shot at her than you.”

Nick watched her go and turned to the other girls. “…She said we could tag along!”

With all the tension in the air, Emi could only meekly nod.

…

“But man, in spite of what happened to his leg, Matt really is lucky, you know?” Nick laughed. “Getting you to take care of him? You’re practically like his personal nurse! …Hey, I know a gal who’s got a uniform if you’re intere-hoooof!”

A well-placed elbow to the solar plexus shut Nick right up. It had been an HOUR of this.

“That’s… great bedside manner…” Nick curled up in front of the hospital door, the wind knocked out of him.

“Um…”

Nick glanced up to see a worried Emi.

“Why do you… keep bothering her like that?” Emi asked. Willow was such a nice person usually, but whenever Nick was around she seemed so mean. And usually it was because Nick said something crude or insensitive.

“Aww, you’re worried about me?” Nick laughed, picking himself up off the ground. “Nah, that’s okay. But your concern is appreciated.”

“It’s just… Willow’s really nice, so if you’re nice to her, then… she’d be friendlier, I guess,” Emi mumbled. She wasn’t sure what she was doing butting her nose in like this. But she would do anything to keep from going into that hospital room.

“Ah, but then I wouldn’t have so much fun!” Nick smiled, patting her on the head. “Don’t worry your little feathered head about it, missy. Our relationship is complicated. Just like yours and Matt’s.”

Emi blushed. “C-Complicated? It’s… wait, feathered?”

Her embarrassment quickly turned to pale-faced terror as she realized the meaning of his words.

Nick leaned in and whispered conspiratorially. “You don’t want anyone else to know, right?”

He held his hands together and made a flapping motion like a bird.

Her jaw dropped.

“Th-That’s…”

“Don’t worry. Your secret’s safe with me.” Nick gave her a wink and patted her again, walking inside.

Emi’s head exploded in shock. How did he know?!

Willow had already gone ahead, so Nick sauntered up to check in. “Emi,” he called over his shoulder, “you can head up ahead of us. I’m gonna work things out up here.”

Emi blanched. “B-By myself?!” The whole point of coming with the others is because she was too ashamed to see Matt by herself after what she’d done! …Or failed to do, more accurately.

“…You came here to apologize, right? Don’t you think that works a little better if you two get some private time?” Nick’s eyes seemed to pierce right through her. Emi shamefully nodded. That had been what she wanted, but she’d felt too guilty to ask.

She was lucky she was feeling “high” right now. She was in peak condition, meaning her self-confidence was doing better than usual. In fact, she was actually kind of excited that she would get to-

She nearly had to slap herself to come back to her senses. This was important!

“Thank you, Nick!” She headed towards the room wing.

“And I might be a while,” Nick called after her, “so feel free to sing him a lullaby if you think it’ll help him feel better!”

Emi froze in disbelief. He knew… and he still made a joke like that?! Emi couldn’t believe she’d actually felt grateful to that jerk for helping her work up the courage to see Matt! Willow was right, he was just a… a meanie!

She huffed and stomped down the hall.

Nick stopped laughing the second Emi left the waiting room, handing the clipboard back to the receptionist.

“What was that about?” She asked, confused.

“Ah, complicated stuff, don’t worry,” Nick said, glancing at her nametag. “So, …Rebecca, what time do you get off tonight?”

He flashed the blonde his most charming grin.

The receptionist giggled and rolled her eyes. “Please. You’ve got enough of a reputation here for me to know that’s not your best.”

“…So if I tried my A-list material, I might have a shot?”

Rebecca’s only response was a snort and a bemused shake of her head. Nick sighed in mock disappointment.

“Well, just business then. If you wouldn’t mind pointing the way to the narcolepsy ward, I have a patient in need.” Nick jutted his thumb at the forgotten Chloe, snoring away in a chair.

“Ah, another victim of your terrible pickup lines?” Rebecca dryly asked.

Nick chuckled. “You know, if you keep teasing me like this I’m gonna think maybe you actually are interested.”

“I’m sure you will,” Rebecca said, shaking her head incredulously. She scribbled a phone number on a notepad and tore it off.

Nick was a little surprised, but accepted it gladly. “I’ll call tonight,” he grinned.

“Call right now,” Rebecca suggested. “That’s Dr. Fauldon’s number. He’s our head neurologist. The sooner we treat that brain damage of yours, the better.”

Nick smiled and shook his head. He had to tip his hat to her. “Next time, then.”

He stepped away from the counter and nearly collided with a redheaded girl.

“S-Sorry!” She cried, her face flushed. “I-I’m in a hurry.” She turned to the receptionist.

“Can I help-“

“I heard Matt Hearthome was admitted here last week?! Can you tell me what room he’s in? I have to go see him!” Nick could see the panic in her eyes.

“If you’re looking for Matt, he’s in room 214,” Nick answered her. “It’s-“

The girl was already gone. A distant “thank you” on the wind was the only trace of her.

“Huh. Never thought that kid would be one to get female callers,” Nick mused. His thoughts turned to Emi, who was also in the room, and Willow, who was likely treating him at this very moment.

“…Nah, it’ll be fine.”