Sunflowers and Lillies

𝟚𝟙

Six hours after Brandon had dropped me off at the bust stop, hugging me goodbye and murmuring a Goodluck, I was slamming the doors to the hospital open, rushing over frantically to Alex and Lilah's sitting forms. 

"Where is he," I demanded as I tried to catch my breath. 

Alex and Delilah shot up almost instantly, each of them moving over to hug me. I pushed their hands away. "Where is he."

My voice was hoarse, my eyes filled with panic, my nerves a jittery mess and I had no doubt I looked like I had rolled from the grave. There was no bus that could take me straight from Austin to Oklahoma this time, so I had to make a stop at Dallas before joining another. I had vomited halfway from Tulsa, my dread getting to me, and a nice old man had kindly held my hair back as I spilled my guts into a trash bag. 

When the same old man had asked me if I was ok I had broken down crying and ended up telling him about how Nick was in the hospital and I was terrified for him. He had listened to me, asked if he could hug me, and patted my back, trying to help calm me down. 

"In the room ..." Alex trailed off and looked me up and down, noting the duffel in my hand.

I didn't give him any time to ask about it. "Which room, asshat."

"Liz," Lilah's tone was soft. "It's family only. We aren't allowed to go in. Mrs. Feilds just came out a few minutes ago to notify us that he was still unconscious. She told us to go home but we wanted to wait for you."

"What happened?" I fisted my hands at my side, trying to reign in the fear in my voice. "Is he gonna be ok?"

"I—I'll go get you some water," Alex hesitated on his sentence and I narrowed my eyes. 

"You know something," I shot a look between him and Delilah and noted their guilty expressions, the fidget in their posture. "What aren't you telling me?"

"I'm sorry, Lizzy," she gave me a sympathetic look. "He asked us not to tell you."

"Bullshit," I spat. "If it concerns his well being then I'm supposed to know."

"Liz," she sighed and put a comforting hand on my shoulder, kneading the skin warmly. "It's not our call to make. I'm sorry."

"Is he still in the ER? Or did they move him?'' I rubbed a hand over my face in exhaustion. After the bus had dropped me off, I didn't think to call a taxi or drop by my house which was near the bus stop to pick up the car. I just ran. For twenty minutes. 

"They moved him. 403." She fixed me with a look, "but you can't go in. It's family only."

I only blinked in response and shook my shoulder out of her grasp, "I'm going in." 

She didn't try to stop me and only moved away, pursing her lips before giving me an understanding nod. "Alex and I are going to head home now, that ok? Call if anything happens with Nick."

I gave her a stiff nod and she passed me one last concerned glance before I turned away. I moved toward the double doors that led to the rooms and peeked over the counter to make sure the nurse was turned away as I pushed them open and stepped inside. My eyes trailed the numbers on the doors before they locked onto 403.

I gulped and blinked, my hands slightly shaking but urged myself to go on. I took a deep breath and put my hand on the door handle, twisting it and hesitating to open it full way.

A memory flashed through my mind like a punch to the stomach but I fought through the nausea and clenched my hand around the handle tightly before pushing the door open fully. 

The sight I was met with had my heartbreak in two. Nick was there. Alive. Breathing. Thankfully. But unconscious. His body was sprawled out on the hospital bed. Almost 4 different IVs connected to him, and his hands scattered with shots. There was one pumping clear liquid into him and another taking blood. The heart rate monitor was beeping steadily and another device kept showing the rise and fall of his temperature.