Mackenzie woke up before her alarm that morning. Her heart was weirdly pounding in her chest, anxiety consuming her at every thought. She didn't want to leave Justin, but there was nothing she could do if they wouldn't let her stay with him. She told him that she was just a call away, but he didn't call. Neither did the text. Does that mean he wasn't doing good?
Mackenzie didn't want to disturb him in case he was resting. Ryan told her that Pattie would call him in the morning with news and to say the time they could go to the hospital to see Justin. But the waiting was excruciating, and she almost couldn't stay still.
As Mackenzie was halfway done with her cup of tea, her heart raced when Ryan's phone finally began to ring. She jumped at the sound of the ringtone, rushing over, and snatching the phone from the table as she stared at the ID caller. Kenzie screamed for her brother as Pattie's picture shined on the screen.
"Jesus, punk. You almost gave me a heart attack. I thought someone died or something"- he mumbled under his breath, chuckling lightly as he grabbed the phone and slide his finger to answer Pattie's call- "Hey, Pattie. A little punk over here was dying of anxiety waiting for you to call"- he laughed, and Mackenzie rolled her eyes, slightly blushing- "How's JB?"
"Hi, Ry"- Pattie's voice sounded a bit tired thru the line- "He'll be alright, but it's been a rough night, not going to lie"- she explained, making Ryan frown.
"Oh, crap! Well, if he's not doing okay, maybe it's better for us to go and see him tomorrow!"
Now, Mackenzie was the one to frown. She didn't want to wait another day to see him.
"No, Ry. It'll be good for him to see you guys. Justin could use a little distraction. Just text me when you get here, and I'll go down to the reception to let you both in, alright?"
"Alright! See you soon then!"- he said before finally hanging up and meeting Mackenzie's curious eyes- "Go get ready, punk"- Ryan laughed when he saw his sister running out of the room, excitedly.
She went to the bedroom and closed the door to change from her pajamas. She swapped her silk shorts for a light low-rise pair of sweatpants and paired it with a baby white tee. After checking herself in the mirror and slipping some All-Stars on, she quickly put her long hair into two boxer braids.
When Kenny called and they were all ready, Ryan and Kenzie went inside the black SUV. The hospital was approximately 40 minutes away from the hotel, but it took them almost an hour with the crazy New York traffic.
"Mom?"- Justin's voice came out as a tired whisper when Pattie, very gently, tried to peal her hand from his. He was finally able to take a nap after being awake with a sore pelvis and the nurses bothering him every hour. Pattie just wanted him to rest, but when Ryan let her know that they were almost at the hospital, she had to get up and wake the poor child once more.
"I'm just going to the reception and let Mackenzie and Ryan in, okay?"- she explained in a hushed voice as Justin couldn't even seem to keep his eyes open- "I'll be right back, alright? Go back to sleep, my love"- when he slightly nodded and apparently fell back asleep, Pattie exited the room quietly.
The Mont Sinai Hospital was huge, with a bunch of different blocks and floors. It was quite a luxury hospital, so, despite the enormous place, it was filled with directions, it wasn't too hard for Pattie to find her way. She looked around thru all the spacious, decorated interiors as she reached the lobby on the main floor. Every aspect of the hospital had been meticulously designed to exude luxury and relaxation, offering a true calm aspect for patients and escorts.
"Hi, my darlings!"- Pattie said when she spotted Mackenzie waiting by the front desk with Ryan- "I let the receptionist know you were coming, let's go!"
"You seem tired, Pattie. You know I can always stay the night with him for you to rest!"- Ryan said, hugging and kissing her head. Pattie was so tiny near him that it was funny. Mackenzie stayed quiet as she followed the adults thru the pediatric ward.
Pattie was looking good and put together as always, but it was noticeable the dark circles under her light blue eyes and a tired expression on her face.
"Oh, I'll be fine"- she smiled when they got out of the elevator- "But, thank you for offering, Ry. You're too sweet!"
They walked to the end of the hallway and soon were outside the big room with Justin's file on the door. Pattie slowly pushed the door open and quietly motioned for them to go inside. Justin was curled up in a ball, with an IV in his hand that accessed the large fluid bag hanging by the bed. Mackenzie noticed that, unlike last night, he was dressed in his own clothes: a pair of pajama pants and a white long-sleeved shirt.
In his slumber, he looked absolutely peaceful despite his slightly swollen closed eyes and his red puffy cheeks. His face, devoid of any stress or worries, was softly illuminated by the warm light of the bedside lamp. It was almost noon but Pattie made sure to close the blinds so Justin could rest a little more comfortably.
Mackenzie sat by the bed and just watched him as Ryan and Pattie chatted in a quiet tone. Scooter soon entered the room, sipping on an iced tall cold brew cup. As Justin slept, his blondish bangs were slightly disheveled, strands of hair sticking to his boiling forehead. By now, his temperature had climbed to almost 104, with no signs of stopping, but his expression was still serene, his angelic features relaxed and unburdened. Justin's body was nestled comfortably under the covers, but as always, he had one leg poking out of the blanket.
"Excuse me!"- the morning nurse whispered, smiling sweetly as she entered the room. Pattie frowned discreetly but smiled at the nurse. She knew Justin was exhausted with the nurses waking him up every 60 minutes on the dot- "I'm here to check his fever again. I'm really going to try to do this without waking him up. I feel so bad for the poor baby, I keep waking him up"- she said quietly, but as soon as she tried to coax the thermometer on Justin's pouty lips, his eyes opened. She looked sympathetic but kept the small device in place- "Let's see this nasty fever, hon".
Justin nodded slowly, still sleepy. He was so tired he hadn't even noticed Mackenzie and Ryan inside the room. His caramel eyes were teary and rimmed in red. Kenzie frowned when she noticed that he was about to burst into tears, but Justin tried to keep himself together for as long as he could. But, despite his best efforts, a few warm tears fell down his flushed chubby cheeks.
"Oh, what's wrong, honey?"- the ginger nurse asked softly, rubbing his cheeks soothingly. Justin just shook his head 'no' and wiped the tears quickly.
"I.. I just don't feel good, that's all!"- he answered shyly.
"I'm sorry, baby. I know you don't, darling. You'll feel better soon, you'll see"- Justin just nodded his head as his crying intensified a little bit- "You want to go home, love? Is that it?"- he nodded again, baby sobs escaping him- "You'll be home soon, honey. Just a little more, okay? Dr. Marcus will be here shortly to see what he wants to do about his fever"- the nurse said, now to Pattie.
As soon as she left the room, Justin looked over at his mom, his eyes sad and pleading. He didn't even care if Mackenzie would see him cry, but he was just so miserable, he wanted to scream. He curled up on the bed, overwhelmed by his dangerously high fever and the pressure on his lower stomach. Justin's body was hunched and contorted, seeking a position that would make him feel better, but nothing seemed to ease his agony.
"Oh, baby. You're okay"- Pattie whispered, pulling him into her chest. Her heart ached as she felt Justin shivering against her body- "Are you in pain, my love?"- she wanted to know if he was hurting or if he was just overwhelmed.
"It hurts, momma!"- he cried, his face red and his sobbing hard.
Scooter was quick to rush out of the room and call the nurse. They waited a little over 5 minutes before Dr. Marcus appeared by the door.
"Hello"- he said cheerily, smiling at the crying Justin- "This big boy is not feeling too good I see.."- the nurse informed his temperature and the doctor frowned- "Yeah, the fever is alarmingly high. But why is this crying all about?"
"I-it hurts!"- Justin repeated, making little gasping noises as he curled up on the bed.
"But you're in a bunch of pain medication, bud. How come it hurts this bad?"- he asked, checking Justin's monitors- "I can't give you anything else for now, Justin".
"There's nothing you can do?"- Scooter asked, looking nervously at the tall doctor who was trying to calm the small boy down.
"Well, Justin, the nurse will give you a little heating pad to put in your belly, alright? This will make you feel a little better, okay? I promise I'll be right back to check on you and give you more medicine, as soon as I can"- Dr. Marcus said and the nurse was quick to nod and exit the room. Pattie looked worried but soon, the doctor motioned with his head for her and Scooter to follow him to a corner of the room, out of Justin's ear sight- "Of course I don't ever doubt my patients' symptoms, but he got a very high dose of pain medication going in right now. It is normal for kids and teens to get uncomfortable and overwhelmed in the hospital and it makes them more sensitve, more irritable, and more uncomfortable. I know he's exhausted and I'm sure he feels miserable with this high fever, but this little crying is not from pain. I'm sure he'll calm down in a second. The poor kid is just exhausted".
Scooter and Pattie nodded. Justin was asleep a minute before the nurse entered the room, so probably, this whole crying fit was indeed just from exhaustion. Pattie asked if Dr. Marcus could stop the nurses for a while, at least to let him rest, and he agreed. All he wanted was to make Justin a bit more comfortable as he was well aware that the boy was struggling.
"How's your belly, bud? A little better?"- the doctor asked when Justin seemed to be a little calmer, as Mackenzie held his hand- "Look, right now, the safest place for you is here. I'll give you a stronger dose of antibiotics to speed up your recovery, okay? You're going to be out of here soon, bud. I just need you to be a little patient, alright?"- Justin nodded, rubbing his wet eyes as he still took deep breaths to calm his crying- "Have you eaten, yet?"
"He tried a few crackers, but it came back up"- the nurse said with a sympathetic smile on her face.
"I know the medicine makes you feel bad, but you need to try and eat something, okay? Nurse Karla can you give one of those suppositories that Nurse Ava gave you last night so it will help you with the nausea. That's another thing that might help you get discharged faster. If you don't eat, we'd have to feed you intravenously and this means more time in the hospital"- he explained- "It's best to start with something very small and bland to see if he can keep it down with the medicine"- Dr. Marcus addressed Pattie.
"Okay"- Justin's voice came out as a little whimper between the baby sobs.
"Good, buddy. I think that's all, okay? I'll be back later to see how you're doing".
Pattie left the room with Ryan to grab something for Justin to try to eat, while Scooter went outside to answer a phone call. Justin knew he was being pressured by the venue producers to give an answer about any cancelations.
For the first time in almost two days, Mackenzie and Justin found themselves alone in a room. Justin sniffed and kept looking at her. She gave him a small smile and brushed her hand thru his blondish locks.
"Scoot over, J. I'm cold!"- Mackenzie said, kicking her shoes off and motioning for him to move. Justin chuckled a bit thru the tears but gave her space to settle herself by his side on the hospital bed, under the covers. Her presence itself brought him comfort.
She gently took him in her arms, as Justin buried his face in her chest and sniffled once again.
"You'll be okay, boo"- she whispered, her voice filled with care and concern- "I can't wait to see you on stage again".
"I don't feel good, Kenz"- he mumbled, his face still deep in the crack of her Vanilla scented neck.
She kissed his forehead and made Justin smile again. Feeling the weight of the emotions, he leaned into Kenzie's comforting presence. He needed her comfort and reassurance; it seemed that every moment they had, their connection deepened.
Justin simply loved her, and now, he was sure he did. He loved how she was his best friend, that she was more mature than him, healthier, and that her hair was long and smelled like strawberries. She cared so much about him. Everything in Mackenzie just felt right.
As Justin's feverish body was wrapped around her, Mackenzie knew she loved him too. His smell sent a wave of nostalgia over her, transporting her right back to a comfortable place that she didn't even know where it was. It was such a unique essence, an enchanting aroma that filled the air. She was intoxicated by the heavenly baby fragrance.
As his caramel eyes met her greenish ones, there was a share understating and an unspoken bond. Mackenzie leaned in closer, her heart pounding with anticipation. Justin closed his eyes, savoring the moment as their breath mixed. Their lips met in a gentle kiss, a culmination of unspoken desired, and unexpressed love.
The world outside ceased to exist, and their embrace grew deeper, the electricity between them palpable. As they parted, their eyes locked. Mackenzie blushed and Justin smiled when she buried her face in her hands, shyly.
"I want to tell you something"- he whispered when he cuddled more into her embrace. Mackenzie looked at him and got comfortable in his arms.
"What is it, boo?"
He just wanted to get all those bottled feelings out of his chest, but he was scared. What if she didn't like him back? What if he ruined their friendship? He was so scared of losing her, he rather just keep her in his life, even if it was like a best friend. It was better than nothing.
"Nothing"- he whispered, and Kenzie, surprisingly, didn't insist. She just smiled and nodded her head.
Justin shivered a little bit, and she pulled the blanket up to his neck. He cuddled to her chest, and she frowned when she noticed him wincing. She reached out and tenderly brushed Justin's hair away from his pale face. Her fingertips traced a soothing path across his temple. Justin's furrowed brow relaxed under her touch, and a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips as a wave of comfort washed over him. When Kenzie was sure he had dozed off, she closed her eyes as well. She was so anxious last night that she barely slept, and the tiredness was finally catching up to her.
What was an hour later felt like a second when Mackenzie felt Ryan poking her and motioning for her to get up. She was confused but soon, her eyes traveled to the side, and she was immediately worried. Justin's body was drenched in sweat, and he looked irresponsive as a huge male nurse got him from the bed.
Justin's head rolled against the nurse's chest as the muscular arms held him bridal-style. Mackenzie noticed the bed was soaked in sweat. Soon, Justin started crying, his whole body shivering as little delirious sobs escaped his plump lips.
A sweet old lady entered the room and began to change Justin's mattress with fresh, clean bedding. Nurse Ava, from last night, was preparing a huge injection as Pattie tried to soothe Justin's cries.
"Jose, please, turn him over"- she said after opening a new alcohol swab and making sure the syringe was free of bubbles. When Justin saw the injection, his eyes were wide with fear. He begged and pleaded before the nurse approached him as Nurse Jose held him tightly- "Oh, baby. I know you're scared, but this will make you feel much better. You're such a brave boy, just a little pinch and this nasty fever will go away!"
"Momma!"- he cried and tried to reach for Pattie. Justin was completely delirious and out of it, drenched in sweat and trembling with a 104.5 fever.
"I'm here, baby. It's okay"- Pattie said, rubbing his head and kissing his wet cheeks.
Nurse Ava gently lowered his pants and exposed just a little bit of his bottom. With a gentle touch, she used her free band to stroke his bottom as she disinfected the spot. Justin tried to move but Jose pinned him still.
"You're doing great, sweetie. Just a little pinch and it will be all over before you know it. Stay very still, baby, okay? You're such a good boy. This will help your fever!"- she spoke in a calming tone.
Justin kept begging but on the count of three, Nurse Ava swiftly administered the injection, using her expertise to make it as painless as possible, but, despite the care, Justin felt a deep pain in his bum, letting a desperate cry out.
"N-no more!"- he sobbed. Pattie held his hand tightly as his head flopped on Jose's shoulder.
"You did it, baby. It's all done, honey. It's all done now. Shh, you're okay. I'm really proud of you"- the nurse said, pressing cotton to where the needle left a small blood mark on Justin's skin. He clutched Pattie's hand tightly as he'd never let go.
When Justin was placed back in the bed, Dr. Marcus quickly examined and took his temperature, before explaining in a quiet tone:
"It's a bit lower. The fever is going down but it still has to break a little more. It means the antibiotic is working but breaking the fever it's not going to feel good, bud. I'm sorry"- Justin just stared at the doctor, still sobbing a little bit- "I know, I'm sorry, bud. I have you on some medicine that'll make it a little better, okay?"
Justin nodded, taking slow, deliberate breaths to keep himself from another crying fit. But, as soon as the doctor left, he went back to a full sobbing.
"I know, love. I'm sorry, bubba"- Pattie said sympathetically.
Justin covered his face with his hands and cried for a little bit. Ryan whispered to Mackenzie that it was time for them to leave. She didn't even get to say goodbye as Justin was just inconsolable. When he curled up, it was clear that he was both sweating and shivering at the same time.
Pattie reached out and stroked his cheek while Justin just looked at Scooter for a little bit. He looked absolutely terrible. Pattie and Scooter spent the rest of the night with Justin, who stayed awake, too miserable to even try to sleep. His fever broke and he was sweating a lot.
At around 4 in the morning, his temperature had gone down to 101.3 and he was finally able to get some rest. The two adults took that time to sleep in shifts, one hour at a time. The nurses kept making the poor child up every hour, but he was too exhausted to even care. Around 5:30, they eventually decided to just feed him intravenously with medication. Nurse Ava was constantly giving him shots to lower his fever. Eventually, Dr. Marcus just opted to sedate him so he could get some unbothered rest.