“But a fun kind of trouble, right?” I wink.
Sally shakes her head, then inspects the doctor’s prescription on a clipboard. She pulls a pen from her pink scrubs, which look so pretty against her dusky skin, then writes something down.
“Your scrubs are making me hungry,” I grin. “They look like cotton candy.”
She huffs. “Anyway… here are your painkillers if you need them. Your concussion is mild, so just make sure not to do anything overly strenuous. Keep your leg elevated while sleeping and ice it as needed.”
I take the pill bottle from her and set it on the side table in my hospital room. I’m not feeling too bad, other than a slight headache that’s manageable.
Honestly, I’m fucking relieved I walked away from that accident. My car really did protect me from the worst of it, but I hate that I now need a new one. I’ve only had it for a few months—barely that.
Sally leaves to get me discharged, and I stand, hopping on one foot to get dressed in the clothes Mom brought me. I strip out of the annoying hospital gown that covers nothing, and tug on my basketball shorts over my underwear. Then I pull the red T-shirt over my head. My parents should be here soon to pick me up, and I want to be ready.
As I sit back down to wait, I stare out the window; the hospital is surrounded by thick trees. It’s raining out, but I’ve always loved the rain. I try not to think about Mike. When Dad told me Mike had shown up at the hospital but had run out of here, looking panicked, it confused the hell out of me. It was hard not to be a little hurt because I really needed him. That accident was pretty scary, even though I came away relatively unscathed. But if Mike panicked and ran out of here, he must’ve had a reason for it. He isn’t prone to overreacting. He’s the steadiest person I know. So, I try to be understanding. But the worry lingers in the back of my mind like an itch I can’t reach. Mike wasn’t himself before I left for that job interview, and then he ran out of the hospital… Yeah, there’s definitely something wrong.
The reason is pretty obvious, at least to me. His dad was killed in a car accident, and my accident probably triggered him. I ran it through my head for hours, and it’s the only thing that makes sense to me. Hewouldn’t have shown up here in the first place if he hadn’t intended to see me.
Because of that, and now having a healthy dose of fear of driving, I’m having second thoughts about this job I just interviewed for. If I have to travel so much, I know it’s going to stress Mike out, and it’ll already be hard enough with me being away during the week for the next few months. God, I have a lot to think about.
Once I get home, I’ll have my mom drive me to Mike’s place to check on him. Then we should probably talk.
There’s a knock on my door behind me, and I turn around, expecting my parents. Instead, it’s the most beautiful person I know standing there. My stomach dips at the sight of Mike, and my heart aches when I notice his swollen eyes. Eyes that look like he’s been crying. Eyes that are filled with grief, pain, and guilt, I think. He stands there with his hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans, unmoving. He looks so lost, just like he did after his dad died, like he’s carrying too much weight for his shoulders to bear. It only confirms my suspicion that my accident triggered his trauma.
God, my poor Mike.
I twist my body on the bed so I’m facing him, and I reach out my hand. Instant relief washes over his face. He rushes over to me, sits on the bed, and gathers me in his arms. I rest my head on his shoulder and hold him back. We sit there in silence for who knows how long, just feeling each other breathe.
“I just need to hold you for a bit,” he whispers. “I just need to make sure you’re… real and okay.”
My fingers dig into his strong back, and I hold him tighter. “I’m okay, babe. I swear I’m fine. I’m just so fucking happy you’re here.”
His body tenses, but he doesn’t let me go. “I… tried, Den.”
“It’s okay. It’s fine. You’re here now. That’s all that matters.”
Mike lets go and grabs my shoulders, easing me off him. His eyes are red-rimmed and wet. The pain just oozes off him, and I ache for him. I rest my hand on his cheek and lean forward to give him a brief kiss.
“I, ah, told your parents I’d take you home. They’ve already checked you out, so you can leave whenever you’re ready. But… I want to take you somewhere. I want to show you something. I mean, if you’re up for it.”
“Sure, okay.”
Mike helps me to stand and grabs my crutches, handing them to me. Then he eyes me worriedly. “Maybe I should take you home instead.”
I tuck each crutch under my arms to take the pressure off my ankle. “I’m fine, Mike. Really. Show me.”
He nods and gathers my things, including my meds, throwing them all into my gym bag. He tosses the bag over his shoulder and presses a hand to my back as I lead the way out.
“Stop!” Sally suddenly yells, rushing toward me down the hall with a wheelchair, her long black curls billowing behind her. “Trouble, I tell ya! Donotthink you can sneak out of here on crutches. You trying to get me fired?”
Mike chuckles behind me as I give her my biggest and brightest smile. “I would never…”
She shakes her head, but she can’t help but smile back. “In the chair, Trouble.”
I hand the crutches to Mike and ease myself down into the wheelchair. She spins me around and wheels me out of the hospital. “Make sure this troublemaker follows the rules and protects that head and ankle of his,” she says to Mike.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“God, not you, too.”
