Listen To The Universe

Part 4: Lewis

Ali sat in her hospital bed, eating chocolate pudding and thinking about how one of the craziest events of her life had been shared with someone she would most likely never see again, Lewis. She wondered what he was doing right now and if he was thinking about her. Grandpa had went to retrieve her suitcase from the airport today, which had been safe under the plane. Unfortunately, the airline had already informed them that all the stuff in Ali's backpack (including her phone and good book!) had been ruined in the fire. Ali was just excited to be in non-hospital gown clothes once he got back. Also, the doctor said Ali could be released later today, they just wanted to keep her the rest of the day for observation. Grammy Ellen had gone to the nurse's station to ask a question and in her usual let's-chat-a-minute-longer way, she wasn't back yet. "I'm back, kiddo! I brought a friend!" Grams exclaimed pleased with herself, and there, standing in the doorway was Lewis, in a gray sweatshirt and lime green jeans. "He was asking for you at the front desk and I thought I'd bring him to you! I'll leave you to it now!" Grams said backing out of the room. Ali, suddenly self-conscious, wiped off her face with the back of her hand in case any chocolate pudding got on her face.
"I—I just thought I'd come and check on you...cause well, the last time I saw you you were being dragged away in an ambulance and well I thought I'd check to make sure you were okay...." Lewis said, standing in the doorway like he was unsure whether to come in or not.

"Wow, thanks Lewis, yeah I'm doing pretty well, I'm going to get released today."

"That's amazing, Ali!" Ali nodded, trying to find a good topic of conversation to talk about. After an awkward pause she said;

"Well, how bout you? How are you?"

"I've been good, yeah good," Lewis said, sitting down in the chair next to Ali "my mom is constantly checking on me, in an overprotective and annoying way and yelling at me for watching that Netflix movie with you when she wanted us to watch it together." Lewis said with a chuckle. Ali laughed too, enjoying how Lewis had turned the conversation from awkward to funny and light-hearted.

"Want some pudding?" Ali said, offering Lewis a pudding cup and a spoon.

"Of course." Lewis ripped open the top of the pudding cup and plunged his spoon into it. "YUM! These hospitals feed you well!" Lewis exclaimed, shoving his spoon back into the pudding cup.

"Yeah, chocolate pudding makes everything better."

"So true, so true." Lewis set down his pudding cup, a serious look on his face, "Ali, I'm so sorry, I just keep thinking, maybe if I could have gotten us out of the plane faster that you wouldn't be in this situation and I just keep wishing and wishing that I hadn't frozen when I saw the fire and Ali I'm so sorry." Lewis looked down at his hands, emotion caking his face.

"Lewis," Ali looked at his deep brown eyes and felt bad for him "We both froze, we were both scared, we both did our very best. What happened to me wasn't--and will never be--your fault, I personally don't think it was anyone's fault, and look at me, I'm completely fine." Lewis didn't say anything but just nodded gratefully. "Now, I hear we're on the news, shall we watch us?" Lewis grabbed the remote and turned the news on smiling. Ali did too, she was grateful she had made her first friend in Minnesota.

After watching themselves 5 times and complaining about how the reporter never even deemed them heroes just "victims of an accident" Lewis asked Ali if she wanted to grab something to eat. As Ali was about to say no, she heard her stomach rumble. "I'll take that as a yes" Lewis said and got on his feet.

"Lewis, I'm really not supposed to leave this room..."

"Ali, trust me, no one will ever know."

"Fine."