With just a few words from Nathan, it was like Nathalie had been given a magic potion. Her spirit and soul were rejuvenated, lifting her up to new heights. What was once a life full of struggles now felt priceless and cherished. Nathan watched her, lost in her thoughts, and without uttering a word, he reached out and took her hand. That simple gesture filled Nathalie's heart with warmth and comfort. The joy of being valued was overwhelming. The young nurse was visibly moved. She wiped her tears and said, "You two have such a beautiful bond; it's really touching! Don't worry, we'll do everything we can to help him heal quickly and with minimal pain..." The doctor gave Nathan a prescription and explained to Nathalie, "These pills are to be taken orally, and these ointments should be applied twice a day, morning and night. The IV treatment should get him on the mend pretty soon." Nathalie felt a bit more at ease.

The doctor kindly added, "You can go ahead and complete the admission paperwork. We'll start his IV treatment right away..."

Nathalie got everything sorted for Nathan's hospital stay. She covered the fees and even arranged for him to have a VIP single room.

When she returned to the room, Nathan was already hooked up to the IV. Since his injuries were on his back, he had to lie face down and couldn't do much else.

Worried he might be thirsty, Nathalie quickly got him some water.

Nathan grumbled, "Nathalie, I'm bored. Can you chat with me?" Seeing her hustling around made him feel a bit left out.

Nathalie paused, took a seat beside him, and gently massaged his hand, which was connected to the IV. "Okay, I'll keep you company. It might help with the pain. What do you want to hear about?"

"I want to hear about your childhood," Nathan said, looking into her warm eyes.

Nathalie hesitated for a moment, then let out a deep sigh. Her childhood was a series of tough times, often marked by beatings or begging for survival. She didn't want to lay her burdens bare for Nathan.

"When I was around eleven or twelve," she started, opting for a happier memory. "I used to collect recyclables after school. One evening, went to Rainbow Bridge which was usually pretty quiet then. But that night, it was buzzing with people. When I got closer, I saw a little boy, about five or six, lying under the bridge. For some reason, I felt an instant connection. It was like we were meant to meet. At that moment, he felt like family to me."

Nathalie gave Nathan a shy smile. "Isn't that odd? My intuition was spot on."

Nathan's eyes widened with surprise, and he squeezed her hand with excitement. "What happened next?"

Nathalie continued, "Most of the

crowd was indifferent, but a few kind folks suggested taking the boy to the hospital Then, someone raised concerns and wondered why this kid

was alone. They alsoContent held by .

he

might have had some contagious disease. And even if he didn't, they were worried something would

happen to him in their care, and his family would blame them. They couldn't possibly deal with that. So, the well-meaning people backed off."