Puppy Love (bxb)

Chapter Twenty-Two

I sat in the hospital waiting room, nauseous and wringing my fingers together. James was in the Emergancy Room. My asshole brother James, who I always shit-talked and put down and was ashamed of.

Henry held me close and kissed my head. Barb had dropped her head onto my shoulder and let me put her arm around her, which was the closest thing to maternal comfort I'd had in almost a decade.

I'd texted my parents to tell them about James, but no response yet. Typical.

"He's going to be okay," Henry murmured. "Okay? I'm here for you. We both are."

I squeezed my eyes shut and leaned towards him. I found a little comfort.

The nurse entered the waiting room with a soft smile. I didn't lunch up into his face like I wanted to, but my back straightened.

"He's going to be fine," were his first words, which had me deflating with relief. "The head laceration was deep, but not deep enough to pierce the skull. He's awake and has seven staples keeping the wound together. Judging by what we've learned about him so far, I think you'll need to remind him of how to take care of his wound."

I snorted, relief making me dizzy. "I know, he's an asshole. I'm sorry for all the crude comments he said while you were trying to help him."

He grinned. "There were only a few. Now, as far as taking care of the wound, he needs to keep it completely dry for 24 hours at lease. After that time period passes, he can wash the area once daily with clean water and shampoo, but make sure it's the surrounding area, not the direct wound. Dab it dry, don't rub."

My head was nodding rapidly, desperately trying to get all the information into my head. "Yup, got it."

"I also have that in writing."

"Thank God," I burst out. "So where is he?"

He glanced down the hallway and smiled. "He'll be out in a few minutes. He was trying to build a tower from cups and refused to leave until he managed it."

I hated him.

The second I saw his face I launched out of my chair and into his arms. James laughed and ruffled my hair. "Thanks for saving my life, baby bro."

"I hate you."

"There, there, my alcoholism hasn't taken me yet," James chuckled. I had no idea how he was joking about this. He looked at the nurse and winked. "Hey, babe. You come here often?"

The nurse rolled his eyes. "I do, but for your sake, I hope you don't. Remember, you'll be back here in three days to get the staples out."

James walked a little closer and tried to run his finger's through the nurse's hair, but the man backed away with a droll look. "Maybe I can come sooner than that."

I grabbed James' hand and pulled him closer to me. "Again, sorry about his personality. I don't even think he's gay, he just likes seeing people uncomfortable."

"It's funny!" James cried.

I tugged him back over to he waiting room and Barbara stood up and gave him a judgmental look. "You should probably do something for that alcoholism," Barb scoffed. "Fainting and smashing your head against things isn't normal. Pretty soon you're going to find yourself waking up next to a woman pregnant with your own fucking child, even though you're married."

James blinked. "Who are you, lady?"

Henry stepped in front of Barb and gave him an apologetic look. "Sorry, my mom has some unresolved issues with my father. Um. She might be right about the alcoholism thing, though."

"She's definitely right," I snapped. "You're a psychotic asshole and you need to get your life together. You don't even have a job, you just watch anime porn all day—"

"I'm a virtual assistant!"

"That's not even a real thing, I don't think!" I snapped, ignoring James' eye roll. "You can't get through the day without a million beers or weed, you scare people away with your bad attitude and obnoxious flirting, and you nearly died today!"

"I didn't nearly die. I banged my head on our counter."

"And split your head open!" I cried. "Like an asshole!"

James rolled his eyes and addressed the two other people in the waiting room with nods. "Sorry, my little brother is a drama queen. He's panicked. Come here, Dil, give me a hug. I know you're just worried."

Even though his tone was condescending and he was probably joking, I pushed myself into his arms. "I love you," I said in a muffled tone. James ruffled my hair.

"Love you too, brat," he scoffed. "Now drive me home."

Barbara led James out herself, insisting on telling him some personal stories about how excessive alcoholism can destroy a man's life. I hung back with Henry and gave him a watery smile.

"Thank you for being there for me," I said, ignoring how watery and mushy my voice sounded. "If you hadn't been there, I would've had to do that alone. You're the best."

Henry held me to him and brushed the tears that I hadn't even realized were falling, off my cheeks. He kissed my forehead and my heartbeat quickened. "Of course I'm going to be here for you. We're kind of a team at this point, pick up lines."

I looked into his blue eyes and realized that there really wasn't a specific time frame. There was only two people, their experiences, and their feelings for one another.

Then, with full certainty, I looked at Henry and I said the words I'd been dying to say after everything with Andrew.

"I love you."

Henry's eyes widened and his mouth parted. Declan's voice came back to me in that moment, warning me that I fell too fast and for guys who weren't kind.

And then Henry smiled, and he kissed my forehead, and he said, "I love you too, Dil" and I realized that Declan wasn't right about everyone.

Because Henry Fideli, my handsome baker, was the man for me.

-

James is getting his own book. :)