Roman High's Stars

[78] Even In Hard Times

>>>>Song Of The Chap: Roads Untraveled by Linkin Park>>>>

>>>>Pic of the Chap: Dean Rhodes Played By Channing Tatum>>>>

Enjoy!!!

Chapter 78

Dean turned off his engine and sat back in his car. He took a deep breath, his eyes sightlessly on the leather-clad steering wheel in front of him. Things had been so depressing lately, it was hard to want to do anything but lock himself up in his room.

When he got the call last night about Billy, Josh and Robert, he couldn’t help but feel himself fall deeper into his morose mood. Even being next to Becca hadn’t quite perked him up like he needed.

Things seemed to never settle for long. But he guessed that was just life. If things stayed the same, that wouldn’t be living, would it?

Dean tried shaking his head as if doing that would shake off some of his bad thoughts, but they were still there as he climbed out of his car. He looked at the midday sun for a couple of seconds before he took notice of the parking lot letter, storing it his memory and walked to the towering white building in front of him.

He generally hated coming to hospitals. He hated it even more because the depressing atmosphere of this place was going to feel like breathing in jello. There was already so much pulling him down, he didn’t want to be a place where sickness, disease, and broken bones were all around. Not that he didn’t respect hospitals, but if someone was at a hospital, that meant one of two things. One, they were unwell in some kind of way, or two, they were visiting someone they cared about who was unwell in some kind of way.

Both would make someone sad.

Just as he predicted, as soon as he walked through the sliding entrance doors, there was already blatantly obvious examples of depression. A man struggled to use his crutches, pain causing his lips to crinch into a thin white line as he tried to keep his grunts in his windpipe, but Dean was sure the pallid green of his complexion wasn’t only because of pain.

Not much further in, there was a couple, the guy with his head bandaged, and the girl crying very loudly in his arms.

And if he turned the other way, he would see people in wheelchairs, casts and walkers.

As he predicted. Depressing.

“How can I help you, young sir?” Nurse Bertha, as her nametag identified her, sent a warm smile his way. It felt out of place here, where more frowns and grimaces were present...but at the same time, it seemed to soften the atmosphere just a little, which made it a little more bearable.

“Visiting Phillip Pierce.” Dean said, sticking his hands in the pocket of his jeans.

“Alright. One moment.” her fingers flew over her computer keyboard and then she examined the screen. “Okay...Phillip Pierce...” Her mouse clicked a couple times and then her smile was back. “He’s in room 29. He seems to be doing good. Looks like a couple more days and he’ll be discharged. Now, before you leave, I’m gonna have to ask you to do something.”

Dean paused in turning away. When he looked back at the nurse, confusion was written all over his face.

“I need to see a smile.” She said seriously.

It took a moment before the request registered in his mind. “Excuse me?”

“Smile. I don’t think ya friend would want t’see such a grimace so early in the day.” She had a small smile as she said, “It ain’t that hard, is it?”