Note To the Skin

Chapter 4.

  His mother took a deep breath, then smiled. "We should find your sister and head to the cafeteria."
  Rickey shrugged, "Why not."
  Walking down the hallway of the hospital, Rickeys mother took Rickeys hand. He tried to take his hand back, but his mother tugged back so tight he flew into her.
  "Mom," he mumbled, "Seriously?"
  "You're becoming your own person," Rickeys mother stopped in front of a door that held a stairwell inside. "But for the time being that you are living with me, i'mma treat you like a baby."
  "I love you mom, but your crazy," he said as they walked into the stairwell. "I tell you I'm gay and the tragic death of my secret boyfriend and you decide to treat me like a baby??"
  Rickeys mother smiled. "Exactly."
  She shook her index finger around. "There will be no more secrets."
  "Why would there need to be? Harmony's gone..."
  For the rest of the five flights of stairs, they walked in silence. The sound of his mothers shoes and the patting of his feet conversated with the silence.
  Down on the third floor they had finally found Silvia in a room speaking with the stranger from the night Harmony died.  When his mother knocked on the hospital door, Rickey was rushing to think of how to apologize.
  But Rickey eased when the stranger threw open the door with a smile.
  As they walked in they let the door slam behind them.
  "Hay," Silvia said, "What did you two talk about?"
  "Nothing of your concern," Rickey shot back.
    The mam who'd once been a stranger cit into their conversation. "Come on you guys. Just because we are already in a hospital doesn't mean you need to feel free to kill each other."
  Rickey simply knodded, wanting to rebuddle. "Yeah... But hay, I forgot to tell you earlier I'm sorry about freaking out and almost biting your hand off." He's sighed, "Its not like you were the one who hit my Harmony.
  "Was that his name?," the he asked.
  "Yeah. That is his name. I can't believe he's gone."
  The man walked over to Rickey and put his arm out. "The names Boston."
  Rickey shook his hand blank faced. And then Rickey stood and stretched for the first time. "We've been here long enough. I want ice cream. And I know hospitals have plenty."
  Their mother clapped. "Yeah, Rickeys right. Let's eat and then get dressed to leave this hospital."
  While the four of them walked for the cafeteria, only three of them spoke among them. Silvia walked silently staring at her brother. She couldn't believe how well Rickey was beginning to take Harmony's death. When their father died, Rickey locked himself away for days, starved himself him, and cried the weeks away. The connection Rickey and Harmony must've had was to deep, Silvia sadly could then see that.
  I killed him, Silvia thought, In a way, this is all my fault.
                              BXB
For two hours they sat stuffing their mouths and carring on conversations about nothing important. Although, inside of those conversations Silvia was beginning to grow fowned of Boston. So sweet and understanding she could see he was.
  After all of that they got dressed seperatly and got kindly showed out of the hospital.
  Driving home Rickey slumped ijbthe back of the car. I can't believe my Harmony is gone. But I won't kill myself over this time...