Once in a lifetime.

13

February

I've been sitting here for over three hours, my legs are sore from sitting in the same position for too long and I don't think I even have feet anymore. Nurses have come and gone but I refuse to leave, I'm not leaving her. I hear a knock on the door and I don't respond, I just keep staring at Juliet.

"Hey." Aaron and Eleanor walk through the door.

"Hey." I don't look at them, I knew they were coming, I called Elenore from the driveway off of Jules' phone, I was panicking, and I knew she would call Aaron.

"How is she?" Elenore asks not letting go of Aaron's hand.

"Umm." My voice is horse, I clear my throat and try again. "They've given her fluids, her heart rate and blood pressure are stable, they are pumping her with pain medications, and now we're just waiting to see if she wakes up."

They walk closer to the bed, Aaron hands me a bag with basketball shorts in them. "Thanks," I say taking them.

"You should go change, we'll stay with her." Elenore comes up behind me, clearly ready to take my place.

"No, I uhh. I wanna stay with her. I wanna be here if she wakes up."

"When," Elenore corrects me. I can't see her but she seems sure about it and I drop my head to the bed again trying to hide my tears. I just got her back, I can't lose her again.
After a couple of deep breaths, I ask, "What if she wakes up and I'm not here? I've been gone all this time, I can't," I accidentally let a sob escape. "I can't let her think I've left her again."

I feel a hand on my shoulder and it's Aaron who speaks next. "Well tell her you're here, you look and smell like shit bro." A nervous laugh escapes my mouth. I look up at Juliet again. Oh, Jules, Her lips are slightly parted and her hair is tasseled, and a mess. I kiss her hand that I'm holding and put it against my cheek still looking at her. Oh, Jules. I stand up slowly and move to the side ever so slightly so Elenore can take my place wiping my eyes.

"Let me come with you, I wanna talk to you." Aaron puts his hand on the back of my neck and grabs the bag before he guides me out of the room.

I walk out of the bathroom in the shorts Aaron let me borrow. "Thanks," I say not looking at him.

"Sure thing, let's head to the cafeteria."

"I'm not hungry."

"Okay, well I have a wife that is so," he points, "cafeteria."

I start walking, not even knowing if where I'm headed is in the right direction, either way, Aaron follows.

"So, uhh, what happened?"

I shrugged, as I shove my hands in my pockets letting the bag on my wrist swing back and forth. "We had just come back from grabbing my things, we were in the driveway when she just......I don't know, she must have been in pain because she just started gasping for air. She started crying and all she could tell me was it hurt."

"How did you get her blood on your pants?"

I wince. "I was going to leave that part out." Aaron raises his eyebrows. "No not like that. We were talking and she started straddling me. That's when it happened."

"Where you guys doing it."

"Dude. Why do you keep saying 'do it'?!"

"Because she's my little sister and the thought of her doing anything with anyone is disgusting to me. It also makes me wanna punch you. So saying 'do it' or 'doing it' kind of softens the blow for me. So, we're ya?"