Stage Hearts: The Derek Diaries 2

Chapter 18

When Hannah and Oliver show up about an hour and a half later, I'm so excited I almost forget about the circumstances that will ultimately prevent me from joining them for any celebratory birthday events tonight.  

Right now, she is all that matters.

Well, Hannah and my awesome understudy, that is.  I can't forget about Oliver.

"Happy birthday, Hannah!" I greet her warmly, reaching out for a hug.  "I'm sorry this has to be the place we meet.  The first birthday you get to spend in my neck of the woods, and I'm stuck here.  And hey, I guess it's totally tubular," I add with a smirk, gesturing to the IV tube in my arm and the tube in my stomach.  

At least that gets a laugh out of Hannah, but I shut up real fast with an awkward smile when I see that Oliver is leaning heavily on his crutches, clearly forcing himself to so much as chuckle at my stupid pun.  

I should not have said that.

I know I don't have all day, so I retrieve the wrapped box from my other side and pass it off to Hannah, and Oliver seems to lighten up a little.  

"We got you a present," Oliver announces.  "It's from both of us."

Hannah sits down in the chair next to my bed and begins delicately unwrapping the box.  She is overcome with emotion when she lifts the doll and his crutches out of it, holding him close.  "I'm going to treat this guy like my baby," she breathes.  "I might even start a WorldChat page for him and just pose him in random places."

"Why would you do that when you've got the real one as a best friend?" Oliver jokes.  

"Yeah, Hannah.  Just let me break out of here, and I'll show up in any wild photos you two want to post on WorldChat or anywhere else."

"Remember when we first met you and we wondered if you really wanted to hang out with us in public?" Hannah reminisces.  "I remember that first time you took us both out to dinner.  You started out by taking us both out individually, but then one night neither of us had a ride home and you decided to step up."

I lean back in the bed.  "Yeah, that was the day I realized that you two were one hundred percent in love with each other."  I'm silent for a moment.  "And first of all, I was waiting for that day from the moment I met you.  Second of all, I'm hoping I can have a day like that as soon as they let me go home."

Oliver grins.  "Morgan?"

I nod.  "Yep, Morgan.  I've been talking to her a lot lately.  She's everything I ever dreamed of.  I just don't want to make it weird."

"You're not going to make it weird," Hannah promises.  "You're going to make her life.  She thinks she's making it weird with you, honestly.  So, yeah.  You can't say a word about Oliver and I taking forever to fess up because you keep beating around the bush with Morgan."

I throw my hands up in defeat.  "Well, I can't exactly ask her out right now, can I?" I protest.  "I had an internal organ literally explode inside me, I have a bunch of tubes coming out of my body, I can barely stand, and I have no idea when I'm going home.  Unless, of course, Morgan thinks this hospital room is more romantic than what I was planning to do for her if she's willing to wait another week or two.  Because then, by any means, bring me some roses, we'll make it work."

Now Oliver manages to laugh.  "I think you'd be better off waiting until you get home, Derek.  You can't even eat right now.  Might as well wait until you can eat and have a proper date with Morgan."

"And who says you can't go ahead and ask her out?"  Hannah chimes in.  "I mean, sure, she'll have to wait a few weeks, but you can go ahead and plan your date now."

"Because I don't want to set a specific date, get her hopes up, then have something else go wrong and end up here even longer," I explain.  "I'm still pretty sick.  I'm trying to protect her."

"She still loves you when you're sick," Oliver points out.  "When she's not texting you, she talks all about how she can't wait for you to come home.  Hannah, tell him about what she told us last night."

"She told us that she was so worried that people would say you weren't hot anymore because of your scars," Hannah says.  "I don't know why she'd say that, but it hurt my heart, because she wants to tell you how handsome she thinks you are.  That's just her way of saying it to us, because she's too scared to say it to you."

"Oh, trust me, people don't think that," I assure them.  "Please tell her that she does not need to worry.  I still get plenty of thirsty fangirls in my inbox every day."

"Well, we'd better get going," Hannah replies.  "We'll see you tomorrow.  Last day before shows start."

"The cast has a gift for you from all of us," I tell her.  "We wanted you to be a star for the day."

Hannah looks over at Oliver.  "Oliver is the only star I have eyes for.  And you, of course, as my best friend."

Oliver blushes.  "Derek is more of a star than I will ever be, Hannah.  Half the world still thinks I'm a crippled loser."

"That's going to change in two days," I try to encourage him.  "The world will be cheering for you.  Give them a taste of the classic Oliver Carowski magic.  They won't be able to get enough of you."

He salutes me with his crutch.  "I won't let you down, buddy."

"It's impossible for you to let me down, Oliver.  You too, Hannah."

They both hug me, then leave, but not before I see Oliver fighting back tears as he wraps his arms around me.  

It's not going to be long before he lets the dam break, and I just hope Hannah is with him when it happens.