If Not for You (Completed)

Chatper 7: Kazzi

7 Kazzi

"I can't believe he's really alive." Meg whispered from where she sat in the chair beside Kale's bed. '

I noticed that his jaundice was almost gone, and the nurse had said he was cleared for discharge whenever he was ready. He was getting better, but how better could he really get when he was so sick?

"I just hope he stays that way." I mumbled in response to Meg's comment, and she turned to look at me.

"What do you mean?"

"It's what I wasn't telling you." I admitted. "The reason he's here."

"You said you hit him with your car and broke his rib. It's how you found out he was alive."

"That's only half of it." I said and let out a breath as I moved to the end of the bed and braced my hands on the footboard to watch Kale sleep.

"What's the other half?"

"He has Hepatitis B." I breathed. "His liver is in the advanced stages of failing. Unless he gets a liver transplant asap, he may not be alive for much longer."

Meg's mouth opened in horror. "Are you kidding me? Jeez, Kazzi, why would you hide that?"

"Kale's ashamed of the way he contracted it. I didn't want to humiliate him."

She shook her head. "What could he have possibly done? Get someone's blood on him while he was saving them? It's about all Kale is capable of."

I shook my head as well and sadly met her eyes. "He was... working the streets."

Immediately, she rose to her feet. "I don't believe you. Kale hated the idea of hooking. He chewed me out every time I did it. He swore to me he never would."

"He was desperate." I interjected. "Someone along the line made him sick. He didn't know about it until just the other day."

Still gaping, Meg stared at him. "I can't believe he would stoop so low."

I shrugged. "Everyone has their reasons for getting involved. Including you at one point."

"Yeah, but I got out of it."

"And now that he has me, Kale will too. You were lucky not to have gotten pregnant or sick. He wasn't so fortunate, and he's going to need us if he's going to get better. So I don't want you ragging on him for something that's past. You hear me?"

Though she looked like she wanted to protest, she nodded, then lifted her wrist as her watch beeped. "I have to go. My lunch hour is just about up."

I nodded and gave her a brief hug when she came to me. "Take care and call me later."

"Keep me posted on Kale. I can't wait to tell Gus." And with that, she flew out the door and disappeared.

"Who's... Gus?" Kale's voice came through a thick fog of drugged-up nirvana, and I smiled at him as I moved to the bed and sat beside him.

"That's Merchant's real name."

His brows crinkled as he stared blankly at something over my shoulder. "He doesn't... look... like a Gus..."

"What does he look like?"

"A... Merchant."

I chuckled softly and brushed my fingers back through his hair, making his eyes close. "You need to sleep. The sooner you're coherent, the sooner we can go home."

He shook his head. "I don't have... a home."

"Yes, you do." I whispered and lifted his hand to kiss it. He was already asleep. "Yes, you do."