VISITING HOURSClara stood still, like everyone else in the waiting room. Patrícia had entered the emergency room with the doctors, and it was only after twenty agonising minutes that she came out to deliver the news that Lara was stable but still in intensive care.Lara had been admitted to the ICU and would remain there until she improved."Thank you for bringing her to the hospital, Patrícia," Megan expressed her gratitude."She is in an excellent hospital and well taken care of. There is nothing we can do for her now, folks. I suggest everyone goes home and waits for news," the psychologist advised, and everyone nodded in agreement.Only Lipe and Murilo stayed behind, refusing to leave until Lara was out of the ICU.The friends departed, and Murilo and Lipe were left alone. They sat side by side, not exchanging a word for over an hour. Other people also awaited news about their loved ones and sat in the waiting room, speaking quietly to each other or on their phones. An elderly wo

Jacqueline was accompanied by a guy. Clara and Dalia knew he was her husband from the photos they had seen, and because they were holding hands. She seemed nervous and hurried, her low-heeled shoes tapping on the smooth hospital floor. She was wearing a grey linen outfit, with pleated pants and a three-quarter-sleeve blazer.Dalia and Clara stood up together and followed her and her husband as they walked past without noticing them."Hello, are you Jacqueline?" Dalia asked, with a wide smile, reaching out her hand to greet her. Jacqueline looked at her for a few seconds but didn't shake her hand. She seemed frightened and looked around. "I'm Dalia, and this is my friend Clara. We're the ones who contacted you on Messenger.""Your hand is fine, you'll be discharged today, and we haven't visited you yet. We were waiting for you," Clara also spoke with a smile, but she didn't extend her hand since Dalia's hand was still outstretched.They were almost at the reception desk, and the recept

THE HOSPITAL EVASIONCilmo returned to the room, feeling a bit dazed and smiling like a clown."What's with that strange smile, girl?" Dália asked her."Guys, I think Cupid has struck me!" she exclaimed, sitting down in the chair in front of Márcia's bed."You mean that shy nurse?" Márcia asked."He is really timid, isn't he?" Cilmo asked."Very much so. I've never seen anything like it. He's one of those people who, when they're embarrassed, tend to keep talking without being able to stop," Márcia recounted."I once watched a show where they matched people up, you know, the guys would come on the show and the girls too. It was a show that was really popular in the 80s and 90s," Dália began to share. "There was this guy, I'll never forget, Rômulo. My husband used to watch it with me every Sunday. Well, there was this guy, and he stayed on the show, unlike those who were eliminated on the first day because they were rejected by the girls. But this guy, he lasted four weeks, appearing a

BASIC SECURITY!His mouth was velvety, his lips were plump. Cilmo laughed inside his mouth when their teeth accidentally clashed, and he stumbled when she sought his tongue.Fael moved away from her, leaving her momentarily puzzled."What's wrong?" she asked when she noticed he was uncomfortable and had moved to the other side of the elevator, his head bowed."I'm sorry... I...""It's okay, Fael. We're in your workplace," she said, trying to convey calmness. She released the elevator button. "Give me your contact information, and we can arrange to meet outside of here, talk a bit, get to know each other better."He dictated his number, and she wrote it down. She smiled at him before letting him off the elevator when it reached the ground floor.She celebrated with Murilo and Lipe in the waiting room when they told her that Lara would be transferred to observation in the late afternoon, moving out of the ICU. This was more than enough reason to celebrate, and the group was buzzing with

TAKE IT EASY, RELAX.Cilmo noticed that he still didn't quite grasp the concept of kissing and almost laughed again. In the elevator, he had been hesitant with his tongue, either unsure of what to do with it or being economical with its use.And his mouth was so delicious that it would be a waste to kiss like two children.He was so tall that her neck was already sore from tilting her head up. She paused the kiss and walked towards the first step of the staircase, holding his hand and pulling him along. Fael thought they would go upstairs, but she made him step down from the stairs, and she climbed onto the first step, becoming taller and able to kiss him without any discomfort. He understood and wrapped his arms around her waist, and they resumed the kiss."Let me feel your tongue, Fael," she whispered. She had both her hands on his neck, intensifying the kiss."Oh, okay, sorry," he said, and she wanted to laugh. But his shy tongue was now mingling with hers.Gradually, he started ge