On Tour

Chapter 21 - Mistake

LEXY

Why is my heart racing? I saw Joel almost a week ago and I see him daily when we are on the road. When Gabriella messaged us that they were home, I couldn't gather stuff fast enough to come here. What should I say when he opens the door? Maybe he's sleeping or has gone out. I shouldn't have come here. It's not like all is well magically. But what if he needs someone to keep him company? Gabriella has been with him day and night since he got hospitalized and now she's gone home.

After sighing loudly and admitting that I'm being too dramatic, I ring the bell of his penthouse apartment. The security guy downstairs knows me well and didn't even question what I was doing here or where I was going after I walked by without saying a word.

"Lexy, what are you doing here? It's so good to see you," Joel smiles when he sees me. He has a better color than the gray complexion he had that almost matched his eyes.

I grab him in an awkward hug due to the bags I'm carrying, but I need to feel his arms around me. I need to feel his heart beating against mine after what happened.

"I was in the neighborhood," I say after we separate. "Thought you could use some food," I shake the bags I brought with me.

"You were in the neighborhood carrying food?" He asks as he opens the door wider for me to come inside.

"Yeah, to welcome you back. How are you doing? You look a whole lot better than the last time I saw you."

"Glad to hear I do. I haven't fully recovered, but every day seems to go better. I was just sitting behind my drum set. I'm happy to report that I still know how to play."

His word choice catch my attention. "Was that ever in doubt?"

"To some extent. I asked Gabriella to keep it quiet not to alarm anyone. The day after I woke up, I said to her that I wanted to get out of the bed because my back hurt. She brought a nurse to make sure she didn't do anything that could harm me. With their help, I tried to stand up and my legs wouldn't support me. I also couldn't lift my hands higher than my shoulders. I could move my extremities, but they felt heavy like made of concrete. Gabriella and the nurse exchanged a glance that said it all and not even an hour later they were wheeling me to get a CT scan. I could speak normally and my basic reflexes were fine, so were my thinking and my memory, but I had no strength."

"Gabriella really kept it quiet. She shipped us home right after we saw you. How could we have known that this happened?" I complain. "I could have been there for you, you know?"

Joel smiles and sits on the couch. He pats the area next to me and I join him.

"You have always been there for me. Gabriella's decision was with the best intentions. I've been sleeping most of the time with my body trying to process whatever amount of drug got into my blood. She didn't send you guys home to hurt you."

"Alec was incredibly bummed that he didn't even get to see you. We felt as if we were abandoning you when we were told it was time to go home. We couldn't even say goodbye. I saw you in the morning and we left early on the evening."

Joel holds my hand and many feelings run through me. The longing of being together grows with every minute that passes.

"I really appreciate it. Makes me happy to know that people care about me." He stares at me in a way that I find too intense and I shift in my seat. "What have you been busy with in the past days?" He changes the topic. "Did you find the girl you've been talking about?"

"Nothing like that. I guess I've been holding unto that hope to distract me from everything else."

"That sounds complex."