Paper Hearts (boyxboy)

The Hospital

Andy:

The fluorescent lighting of Richmond Community Hospital makes my dazed mind feel even more confused. "What do you mean I can't see him?"

"Only family is allowed back to a patient's room, young man." The woman behind the desk sniffs.

My mom hurries up behind me, lugging John with her. Just as I'm about to climb over the desk and strangle the fat bitch, she frantically addresses her first. "I'm Heather... Danton. I'm here to see my son."

She sits up and peers over the counter, giving John a suspicious glance before looking me up-and-down again. "You said your name was Finnely."

"Mine is!" I huff quickly, out of breath from sprinting in here ahead of them. "We have different dads. Please, I want to see my brother, we have no idea what's going on."

She sighs, sitting back down. "Very well, one moment please." She flips through a few papers and hits a button on the computer. "Room E2013, down the hall and to the left."

We don't waste a second heading in that direction. My mom calls back to tell her thank you as we run, but I trudge forward, thankful I didn't have to beat the shit out of her. John's little legs have a hard time keeping up with mom's, who's holding his hand tightly. "Why are we running?" He questions sleepily.

"We've got to see Noah." She pants, taking the corner swiftly behind me.

I make it to his room a few steps ahead of them, and swing the door open quickly. The room is brightly lit and occupied by two nurses and a doctor surrounding the bed he's lying on.

"Noah!" I start crying, hurrying up to his bedside.

"You can't be in here!" One of them huffs, promptly silenced by Noah.

I grab his hand and look him up and down. "Oh my god, oh my god. What's happened to you? We got a call and they didn't say--" I'm sobbing, a mixture of happiness to see him conscious and concern for the damage all over his body.

"Shh, shh, it's okay baby, I'm okay. I was hit by a car, but I'm just fine."

"Fine is not the word, Mr. Danton. Lucky to be alive is more like it." The doctor asserts, moving slightly out of the way for my mom and John to come to the other side of the bed. "At the speed you were hit, I'd consider your survival a miracle."

My mom starts crying to, grabbing his other hand. "He could have died? Who did this?"

Noah shrugs. "We don't know. But I think she's just being dramatic, I'm really okay, I promise."

The doctor flips a page on the clipboard. "Well, I'm not saying you were completely unscathed. You have a concussion, three cracked ribs, and your medial collateral ligament is torn."
I pull back the sheet slightly to see his knee is already braced and wrapped, the bruises on his face and head are fairly obvious. When he goes to grab the blanket back, I notice his hands and arms are scraped up and covered in some kind of goo. They must have dressed him pretty quickly upon arrival, which makes me feel a little better. "Wait," I utter softly. "Does this mean he won't be able to play football in the summer?"

"If that's any time in the next two months, then no."

He seems unaffected by this. "Could we get a minute?"

She shakes her head yes and motions for the nurses to follow her out. "We'll give you some privacy."

Noah thanks them and apologizes, one of the nurses giving him a sour look as he closes the door behind them. Once they're gone, I grab his shoulders and pull him in tightly for a hug. "I can't believe this is happening. I'm so glad you're alright."