Impact

Chapter Eight

Nate slept better than he had for days. It was the feeling of wetness on his cheek that pulled him from his rest, and upon moving his mouth and tongue, he realized he had been drooling. He brought a hand up to wipe his face and felt a rubbery hose push against his cheek. He blinked a few times and then remembered where he was.

The hospital.

Then he remembered. Had it been a dream? Everything with Tommy. It was so out of the jock's league to do what he had done, or what Nate thought he had done. Slowly, he moved his head over and found that he was alone in the room.

A dream. He thought, disappointed.

Carefully, he moved his legs over the edge of the bed and reached out for the IV pole. Slowly, he stood, using it as a support to put his weight on. He was sore; so very sore. He started scooting toward the bathroom when there was a soft rap at the room door, and his mother stepped in.

"Oh, Darlin'. Let me help you." She moved to him, placing her shoulder under his and helping him to the door. "Do you need me to untie your gown?"

"No, Mom." He snapped. "I can pee." He didn't mean to have venom in his voice.

He did his business and she helped him back to bed. She moved his food table over to the where it hovered above his legs on its wheels. She then placed a tray before him with pancakes, eggs, bacon, toast and a glass of orange juice.

"Are you in pain?"

"No."

"Is everything alright?"

"Yeah. I just thought...." His voice trailed off as he picked up a fork and started pushing his eggs around.

"Wendy said she would be by after classes today." His mother smiled lightly, trying to cheer him up.

"Okay." He put the fork down and took a sip of his juice.

"Oh, by the way, that nice boy said he would check in with you later." His mother said, moving to him and lifting the side of his gown to check the surgical site.

"Boy? What nice boy?" Nate's pulse danced.

"Um, Trevor? Talon? Timmy? Something with a 'T'" She said, waving her open hand in the air as she moved to look at his bandage. "I'm gonna have a doctor come look at this, I think you're oozing some more."

"Tommy?" He asked, sitting up a little.

"Tommy. Yes, that was it. I showed up at six this morning and there he was, on the bed all curled up, arm around you...." She smiled.

Nate gulped as red flushed his face. On the bed? He....he climbed up with me?

"You didn't tell me you had met someone." She smiled wider, moving his tray to him some more, asking him to eat without words. "He got out of here pretty fast, though. Like maybe I caught him doing something he shouldn't. But he seemed nice."

"We aren't....he isn't a boyfriend. We aren't even dating." Nate said, biting his lips together to hide his smile.

"Oh....OH! Well....I hope you're at least being careful." She smiled nervously.

Nate's eyes widened, causing him to wince. "Mom!"

"I just want to make sure. You know....a lot can happen....even if you aren't sleeping with girls."

"Mom! We aren't having sex! He's straight and kind of an asshole." He replied, his face hot.

"Language. I don't know, he didn't seem like....one of those this morning. All cuddled up and protective." She smiled. "Anyway, eat. I'll get a nurse to help you shower." And she left the room.