The Boss [LGBT]

Chapter 20

"He's been showing more signs of consciousness as of lately."

"How so?"

"Well, he's been moving his fingers and toes for one thing."

"Can he hear us at all?"

"As of right now, no, but he'll probably be able to soon. He'll also probably be able to wake up soon as well."

Lafayette nodded as we stood by the bed that Marcus Kingsley was lying in. I was slightly uncomfortable, because I had never seen anyone or known anyone who was in a coma. I recalled the pictures Michael had shown me. Marcus looked incredibly vibrant in them. Lying in the bed before me, he was different. Very different. His skin was much more pale from lack of sunlight. He was thinner and the muscles he had had in the picture were not there. His hair had grown out over the years and the nurses had shabbily cut it so he had a scruffy appearance, along with some stubble on his face. They must've shaved him, too, because there were some bumps and cuts on his chin. I felt bad for him. Anyone would feel bad for someone in a coma, but the fact that he looked like this made me feel worse. If I were in a coma, I wouldn't want to be treated like this. It's not that the nurses are doing a bad job. They probably have tons of things to do and a haircut or a shave is one of the things they just need to get done. What's worse is that no one has visited him in over two years. The last person was his father, the doctor told us, and before that it was Lafayette.

The doctor let us sit with Marcus alone for a while, in the white room with the dim lighting. It was such an uncomfortable setting. I really just wanted to hug Marcus and make him wake up. I was getting emotional just sitting next to him. It really wasn't fair for him.

"You okay?" Lafayette asked me.

"Yeah. It's just..."

He nodded. "I know."

"What are you going to do if he wakes up?" I asked.

"I don't know. I gave the doctor a note to give him when he does wake up, but I'm going to be basically the only other person he knows. I'll have to help him when he wakes up. I could give him a job. I don't think he'd do too well living by himself. Michael and Emilio will probably let him stay with them for a while. I'll have to introduce him to new people. He's never been good with making new friends."

"I'll be his friend."

He smiled over at me. "I know you will. You're everyone's friend."

"Do you think he would like me?"

"Of course he would. Everyone likes you Em."

"Yeah, but...since I'm with you now, do you think he would resent that?"

He furrowed his brow, thinking. "No," he said. "He'd still like you. The relationship between Marcus and I was a very sad one. We used each other. I used him to try and feel better. He used me to try and be less alone. Once he sees us together, he'll find someone else. Hopefully, he really will fall in love, and then things will be better."

I sighed, calming down, and wondered about Marcus. I mean, he just seemed so...cute. It's weird to say, and I'm not saying he's cute as he lies on the bed, but from what Michael, Emilio, and Lafayette have told me he simply seems cute. He was really muscular in the photos and manly, but when he smiled he looked all bubbly and adorable. I feel like him and I would have gotten along. I think I would have weirded him out by how often I laughed, but I can picture him eventually laughing along. Thinking about it, I can make people smile. I guess I never really wanted to say I did because it would make me sound arrogant, but I actually can. Sometimes even when I cry it makes people smile or laugh because I can get so emotional over the smallest things. I also laugh a lot while I'm crying. It makes me wish I could have met him and been his friend. I wish I could be a lot of people's friends. After Kenneth passed away, I sort of tried to be a better friend. I put other people before me and listened more, because I wouldn't want them to feel empty or alone.