For Just One More Day with You

4. Perfect Conversation

4. Perfect Conversation

It wasn't until 6pm, an hour after Mitch's friends left, when Scott was wheeled back into the hospital room, unconscious. And it wasn't until after 9pm that Mitch could hear him begin to stir. Visiting hours were over, and even his parents had gone home for the night (after arguing with Mitch for ten minutes about whether or not they should leave him).

Mitch watched the blond sit up and roll his head back and forth, stretching his neck with a grimace.

"Hey," Mitch said, softly. This appeared to startle his roommate, and he flinched.

"Hey. How was your visit? Sorry if I ruined it," Scott replied, sounding exhausted.

"Are you okay? Do you need Dr. Olusola?"

"Nah, he probably went home for the night, anyway. I'll get stuck with a night shift doctor and they're always cranky."

Mitch knew that it was meant to have a joking tone, but that Scott didn't have the energy. Scott continued to flinch as he settled back into bed.

"Are you hurt?" Mitch asked.

"Sore... nothing major."

"Does that always happen?"

Scott didn't answer. Mitch looked over, and found him staring at the far wall.

"Scott?"

The blond continued to look at the wall, appearing to be somewhere else entirely.

Or was he having a seizure? One of those absent ones?

"SCOTT?"

"Huh?"

"Are you okay?""

"Yeah."

"Do you want me to stop talking?"

"What?"

"You're scaring me."

Scott smiled, bashfully. "It's normal. Brain fog. I get... confused... after a seizure. If I have a few, it's worse. I zone out. Also, sometimes I'm downright nasty and rude, so I apologize in advance if you have to deal with that. Just... don't talk to me if I snap at you, and I'll go back to normal in a half hour or so."

Mitch noticed that Scott was speaking slowly, like he was having trouble forming the words. Almost like he was drunk.

"What happened earlier?"

Scott turned to look at him, and the look in his eyes knocked the wind out of Mitch's lungs. They were empty and distant. There was no emotion there. It was almost as though the color had drained from them, leaving his irises a stony gray.

Mitch prayed that it was simply his mind playing tricks on him in the dim lighting. To lose the beautiful hue of those eyes would be utterly tragic.

"Kevin was talking to me about something and I just remember him asking if I was still with him. Next thing I knew, I woke up strapped to a bunch of machines and hooked up to drips of medication again."

"That must have been so scary."

"Not really. Not anymore."

"Wait... you call him Kevin?"

Scott smirked. "He started insisting a few years ago since I'm always here, and his last name is hard for me to form after a seizure. He's been in charge of my care since I was fifteen. Lauren's, too."

"He seems to really care about you and your family."

"He does. I think he might be the only reason we're still alive, to be honest."