The Ongoings of Wainwright Academy- ON HOLD

22: Another Hospital Visit

Chapter Twenty-Two:

I sigh as my mother rants. She is upset about her father being in the hospital and he had been adamant that he didn't want any familial visitors until he was feeling better. He had told her that he was being kept company by the nice hospital volunteers and he didn't need his daughter or any woman mucking up the "macho vibe" he had going with his visitors. I rolled my eyes at that comment.

Now she is on the phone with him, trying to convince him that we, her children, wanted to visit our only living grandfather. Uncle Alex and Dad's father had already passed on, leaving us with a fiesty grandma and an independent grandfather. Mom's mother had been a beautiful woman and had gotten cancer. She lived out her last days in a hospital bed with us by her side. Now, grandpa isn't one to fuss over what he considers the little things and I honestly don't see how having coronary is something to be scoffed at. All I know is that my mother was so thankful when the hospital called to let her know that he had a mild heart attack during a physical examine at his doctor's office.

"He was very lucky," she had said. I agreed. "It was a good thing he was already at the hospital and with a doctor. You are going to visit him at the hospital. Your dad and Uncle Alex will visit him after work, but I need you to get through to him. You were always his favorite." She had always been a bit bitter about how much grandpa, her own father, had favored me over his own daughter but I was the granddaughter and knew that he was just proud of how my mother had raised me. She just couldn't see his pride. He would always tell me that he was proud of her, running her company and having a beautiful home and family. 

So, now I'm going to the hospital to visit Grandpa....what was his last name? I can't quite recall ever even knowing my grandfather's last name, which would be my mother's maiden name. I sigh and tap my nail on my chin in thought. My mother had told me which room he was in. I groan and make my way over to the elevator.

"So she does dress like a normal person." I turn to face the boy with a dry smile.

"Well, if it isn't the good Mitchell brother," I say.

"Yeah, well, Asher asked me to come and visit this guy in his place, said he had other matters to attend to and had already promised the old man he would visit," Cross says as he waits for the elevator with me.

"Well, I would really like to know this man that looks forward to a visit from your brother," I say, sarcastically.

"He's a good guy, you know. I just make him look like the bad one," he says, not looking my way.

"Well, we all have our dark sides, some people are just more open about theirs," I tell him. We both walk into the elevator and I push the sixth floor button and Cross halts as he smiles over at me. I guess we are going to the same floor. I'm eager to be rid of the awkward silence as the tiny box reaches the appropriate floor. I glance at the numbers, searching for room 634, and when I find it, Cross is still at my side.

I suppress a groan as we both walk into my grandfather's room together. He is sleeping, facing the window and I turn on Cross.

"Could I get a semblance of privacy, please," I ask him, a bit harshly. He is texting on his phone and looks up at me, curiously. His gaze shoots to the old man in the bed and he smirks at me.

"But he's asleep, Alexa," he tells me.

"I have eyes, Cross. I'm aware of his lack of consciousness, but please leave," I demand.

"Well, I don't think it's fair that you are hogging the patient when we can both share his attention," he states. I try not to let the possessiveness of my only living grandfather override my vocal chords and open my mouth to give him a piece of my mind, but Grandpa John stirs and speaks.