The Prostitute And The Player (Watty Awards 2011)

Chapter Seven

Drying my hair just a bit more, my cell phone rings. Curious because I don’t recognize the caller ID, I answer. “Hello?” I question cautiously.

“Is this Ms. Sampson?” What sounded like a very professional business receptionist asked.

“Yes, why?” I ask, holding the phone to my ear between my cheek and my shoulder.

I hear a crackling on the other end. “Ma’m, you might wanna come down to St. Brown’s hospital. Your brother as he claims, Caleb Sampson, has broken his arm and needs to get some stitches in his forehead, but we need your consent.” My heart stopped. If my brother got a scratch from the neighbor’s cat, I basically went into cardiac rest.

“Y-yes, give him the stitches. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” I say, bustling all of my important belongings together.

“No, you have to sign for it.” Oh for Pete’s sake.

“Okay, well I’ll be there.” I say through gritted teeth, hanging the phone up. “Jake, my brother’s in the hospital, come on, we have to go.” I say, looking him straight in the eyes. Jake doesn’t even say anything, he only gets up and grabs his car keys off the counter, speeding down the road once we’re in the car. “Your gonna get us into a wreck!” I shout, commenting on how fast he’s speeding down the road.

“So, that kid never did anything. He didn’t deserve it and when I find out who or what did this, I’m killing someone.” Jake’s veins are popped up out of his face and his neck is red as a tomato, practically covering his whole face completely. I was starting to believe he might be madder than me, which I didn’t think was possible.

He was right. “I know, let’s just focus on not getting killed first!” I exclaim, gripping the seat for support so if we crashed I might have a chance at surviving.

“If I died in this car right now, I’d be the happiest boy alive.” He smirked. Aw, he was such a sweetheart.

Rushing into the hospital’s automatic doors, we run over to the receptionist. “Caleb Sampson?” I question, drumming my fingers impatiently on the receptionist’s desk. I was just so anxious, I needed to hold my baby brother. Hurrying off to the room where the nice lady escorted us, I see Caleb crying and screaming as they are molding a cast around his poor little arm.

“Allie!” He squeals, squirming in the nurses grasp so he could hug me. I meet him and hug him tight, rocking him back and forth in my arms. “They want to give me stitches.” He whispered in my ear.

“Everything’s okay, Caleb. Just let the doctor’s do their job.” Jake smiles warmly at me and I smile back. He’s leaning against the wall, just simply grinning at us.

“Jake!” I giggle at Caleb’s sudden excitement to see Jake. He rushes over to Caleb and hugs him too.

“Hey, little man. Be tough like your favorite wrestler!” He smiles and flexes like he has big macho muscles. I wasn’t complaining, they actually weren’t too bad. Another swarm of doctors walk in, and I notice Caleb’s pediatrician out of the corner of my eye, Dr. Schwartz.

He notices me and smiles sympathetically, then whispers in my ear. “I need to talk to you about Caleb’s test results, let the little guy get his stitches, huh?” He smiles and chuckles, giving Caleb a caramel apple sucker to distract him from the poking and prodding.

I walk over to Jake, hugging him so I am able to whisper in his ear. “Coach Caleb through this stitches thing so I can go talk to the doctor.” I back up to look at his expression and then he smiles warmly. Although Jake might not act like it, I knew he might make a good father someday, especially by the way he held Caleb’s tiny hand in his big one.

The doctor leads me to the waiting area, which is oddly empty. Not many patients must be in here today, they were probably all in the ER. “Allie,” He grips my hand, “I hate to say this, but thank god he broke his arm when he did.”

Was this doctor on crack? He thought it was good that Caleb was hurt? “Wait, why?” I question, past confused by now.

“Well, you see, we did some test results and x-rays just to be sure, but we think we might have discovered a small tumor in Caleb’s lungs.” My world came crashing down around me, my vision was even a little dizzy for a few seconds. He had to be on drugs, there was no way that was possible.

“But Caleb gets his regular check-ups every month!” I protest, clenching my fists into tight balls.

Dr. Schwartz looked at me sadly. “Sometimes, us doctors don’t always discover the tumor because it’s hidden by dosages of blood. Well, it wasn’t today and we found it. I mean, we could operate on it, but he could have a chance of not surviving then.” His voice crackled as he shattered my heart just a little bit more.

“Would the operation get rid of the tumor?” I sniffle, trying not to break down into hardcore tears.

“See, that’s the risky part. We don’t for sure, and the operation isn’t exactly cheap and we checked your files, you don’t even have any life insurance.” He shook his head sadly. “I say we go ahead and give him the surgery sometime next summer. I mean, he has that long until we might have to operate with no choice.”

I suddenly burst into sobs, choking ones. Caleb was all that I had left. Out of all the suckish things that happen to me in my life, Caleb is the one that helps to lift my spirits up. If anything ever happened to him, I’d die. I really couldn’t live without my little brother. His birthday was in two weeks anyways. Dr. Schwartz pulls me into a tight hug, rubbing my back in soothing circles.

Exiting the waiting room, I try to dry my eyes, but find it impossible. “Jake,” I summon him with my finger out into the hallway, smiling at Caleb when he smiles warmly at me.

Jake rushes out of the room when he sees my tears. Once we’re out of Caleb’s view, I cry harder. Jake holds me in his arms, rocking me back in forth. “What happened, sweetie?” He asks, stroking my hair with his soft, comforting hands.

“Caleb might be diagnosed with cancer.” I say, trying to stop the oncoming tears. Three seconds later, Jake was on the floor. He blacked out from the overwhelming news. “Jake, come on wake up.” I beg.

After a few seconds, he comes to. “Oh my god.” He said, running a hand through his hair. “I asked Caleb who did this, he said he ran into a wall, but I know that he’s lying. I know someone intentionally hurt him and he’s too scared to say who.” He grasped my shoulders and stared me in the eyes.

“I cant take this anymore!” I punched the wall, luckily I didn’t break a hole. It probably costs more than Jake’s house. “Every time something good happens in my life, something bad has to follow!” I drop to my knees and sob harder, not caring who saw.

When I compose myself a little, we head back into Caleb’s room, he’s now in recovery and the want to keep an eye on his tumor for the night. “I love you, Caleb. Have sweet dreams.” I lean over in the chair I was sitting in, which in all honesty hurt my butt, and kiss his forehead, smoothing his bangs out of his face with my hand. His eyelids were heavy and he was definitely ready for bed.

“Love you too.” His voice was sleep deprived, and I knew all he needed was some rest. My brother was a strong boy. Slipping out of the hospital room, Jake is standing there waiting for me with open arms.

Crying one last time before I can actually talk, somehow I end up in Jake’s arms who is leaning against the hospital wall by Caleb’s hospital room door. I lean back into his comfortable chest and we rock back and forth until we both fall asleep right there in the hospital’s busy hallway.

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