Nguyen hadn’t been feeling well for a few days. He was tired, didn’t want to eat, and had a terrible cough. His mom took his temperature and frowned. “We need to go to the hospital,” she said gently.
Monkey Pupu, Nguyen’s favorite stuffed animal, sat quietly on the bed, watching everything. Pupu had been with Nguyen since he was a baby. He had button eyes, soft brown fur, and a cheeky little grin stitched onto his face. But today, Pupu didn’t feel like smiling.
As Nguyen was carried to the car, Pupu was left behind on the bed. He sat alone in the quiet room, missing his best friend.
“I hope Nguyen is okay,” Pupu whispered to himself.
The hours passed slowly. The house felt too still without Nguyen’s laughter, his singing, or even his sneezes. Pupu remembered the last time Nguyen had the flu—he’d cuddled up in bed with Pupu and read books all day. But now, there were no cuddles, no bedtime stories, no little giggles.
Pupu felt helpless.
That night, Nguyen’s mom came home for a while to get some clothes. She noticed Pupu sitting on the bed.
“Oh, Nguyen will want you,” she said with a smile. She packed Pupu carefully into a bag and brought him to the hospital.
When Nguyen saw Pupu, his tired eyes lit up.
“Pupu!” he whispered, hugging his stuffed monkey close.
Pupu couldn’t speak out loud, but if he could, he would’ve said, “I missed you so much.”
Nguyen smiled for the first time in days. With Pupu by his side, the hospital didn’t feel so scary. The nurses smiled when they saw the monkey tucked under the blanket.
Soon, Nguyen started to feel better. Pupu stayed right next to him, through every medicine, every nap, and every doctor visit.
Because that’s what best friends do.
