[ 𝐘𝐎𝐔 ♪ 𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐏𝐘 ]

16 missed calls | 13

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        "Poppy are you serious?" Viva gritted her teeth through the phone, seething. She reached over and honked the car horn from the passengers side, staring up into her shut window. Clay sat there tiredly and rubbed his temples. She'd been up early preparing everything for Branch to come home, and the central part of her plan wasn't picking up the phone.

The voicemail ended and Viva groaned. "Drive." she huffed, crossing her arms.

"You got it, boss lady." Clay pushed his sunglasses down to his nose and slammed the gas. The trip to the hospital was a bit awkward at first, mostly because Viva is insufferable when she's angry, but after so many years together, Clay learned to handle it.

"Can you believe she didn't pick up? I swear, if my feet weren't so sore from those heels I would've kicked down the door. I would!" Viva threw a tantrum in the passenger seat.

"I know." Clay nodded.

She stared at the bouquet of sunflowers and baby's breath at her feet, a few get well balloons floated aimlessly in the back seats.
"I also can't believe that Creek guy." she began to calm down.

"Me neither, I had no idea." Clay furrowed his eyebrows, taking a left. "What do you think happened to him? Like, jail?"

"I hope so." she pursed her lips. "After what he did to Branch, I hope he got life."

Clay grinned, he appreciated how much Viva cared for Branch. It was undeniable that there was still a sort of distance Branch kept between his brothers. Resentment from all those years alone had resurfaced. Though he'd only known Viva for some short months, he seemed closer to her than any of his brothers.

Viva was always two steps ahead when he was sick or upset and in need of a friend. The bond between Branch and Viva was something Clay knew deep down he'd never be able to replicate

He looked ahead and eventually pulled into the parking garage of the Pop City hospital. They nervously stood in the elevator, waiting for the slow rise to the lobby.

They entered a quiet, chilly, bleak hospital lobby. A tired woman sat at the reception desk and there were only two other visitors napping in the seats across.
"Good morning." Clay grinned.

The receptionist looked up slowly. "Name?" she smacked her gum.

"Clay. uh- Timberlake. Clay Timberlake. Here for Branch?" he cleared his throat, peering over at her keyboard invasively.

She smacked her gum. "And her?"

"Viva. Branch's sister." she bounced on her heels excitedly and clutched her hug time bracelet.
Ms. Receptionist sighed deeply, pressing a button on her desk phone.

"Family for Timberlake." she spoke in a monotone voice.

The pair sat anxiously in the uncomfortable seats until they were finally called up to enter by the enthusiastic receptionist. They skipped over and barged into his room, 223.

Branch glanced up from his colouring book and felt a wave of relief wash over him. A smile immediately plastered on his face as Viva ran up to his side and squeezed her very muscular arms over him. Clay piled on top of her into a big group bear hug.
It was filled with muffled, 'I'm so happy you're okay!'s ', and 'We missed you's!'.

Clay pulled away and grinned, taking Branch's face in his hands and pinching his little cheeks like a baby. "I'm so happy you're okay!" he squeaked. Branch flushed, embarrassed and gently pushed Clay's touch away only to be replaced by Viva's equally infantilising hands.