Shameless - lestappen

23- Be Alright

I get irritated by my friend's questions, feeling like I'm wasting my time unnecessarily.

- Okay, then I believe you. I'll help you, we'll try to find a solution for him."

I shake my head and feel the repressed emotion suddenly reappear and I have to clench my teeth and throat so as not to cry from stress and fatigue.

Pierre notices my tense face and takes me gently in his arms. I feel my body release the pressure and the sobs take hold of me.

***

It's 9 p.m. , I'm alone in my hotel room waiting for news, anyone who could tell me what's going on.

I've been torturing my mind for hours trying to imagine what Max is going through and resenting myself for not being able to help him.

At 10 p.m. I get a message from an unknown phone number.

Unknown: come to the hospital as soon as you can, say you're coming to see Mrs. Winzke, I'm in room 7.
- 33

33. Max's old pilot number.

I don't try to understand what he's doing in the hospital and not at the police station and I hurry to put on suitable clothes before leaving my room.

I don't wait another second and take a taxi to the city hospital. I take the opportunity to send a message to Pierre to warn him that the Dutchman is apparently in hospital.

The taxi stops in front of the main entrance. I hurry home and join the reception, pointing out the name of the lady Max told me to say. The lady nods and tells me where to go. I go to the department of the hospital concerned and announce to the caregivers that I am going to see Mrs. Winzke. Some of them seem to recognize me and I suspect that if Max is here, the lie won't work on them but they can't refuse me anyway.

They show me the hallway and I hurry to go. Max is here somewhere. I stop in front of door number 7. Make sure no one's watching me do it and come into the hospital room.

I close the door and turn to look at the person in the hospital bed.

Max.

The first thing I notice is the pallor of the skin on his face. But his polar blue gaze pierced me and I lost myself for a moment in his eyes, feeling the tension of my body suddenly dropped.

I let myself fall on the edge of his bed to be at his level, grabbing his hand between mine and quickly embracing our fingers. He watches me do without protesting, his eyes fixed on mine.

I don't know why, but I'm whispering, probably for fear that someone will hear us.

"What happened?

He answers me with a small smile, but his eyes are not smiling.

- I had a pretty severe hypoglycemia.

- Shit... how are you feeling?

His smile expands and this time I find a glimmer of teasing in his eyes.

- Charles, it was on purpose.

I frown.

- What do you mean?

- After the race, I didn't eat and I turned off my insulin pump. I knew I'd get into trouble quickly and they'd have to take me to the emergency room. Of course, that doesn't mean I won't have to go through police custody, but... it gives me a little time... My roommate is very nice and she let me send you a message to warn you.

I look at Max in amazement. I don't know what surprises me more, the fact that he managed to think about it in such a stressful situation or the fact that he knows my cell phone number by heart.