Unforeseeable

Chapter 25

The waiting room is filled with people bracing for bad news. A pacer walks past me and Lowell multiple times before a nurse politely asks him to take a seat. Lowell rubs his finger over the bandage wrapped around his hand.
"Levi didn't say he had a brother." He looks up at me, his eyes deep chocolate brown.
"He didn't say he had a girlfriend." I feel redness spread into my cheeks and try to change the subject.
"What happened to your hand?"
"I was in the car with him." I feel something inside myself light up.
"Why didn't you say anything? What happened?" He looks away from me back down at his bandage. His eyes are cloudy and just as I'm about to apologise he answers me.
"I rang Levi this morning, I wanted him to give me a hand with moving in to my new flat. I'd been staying with him previously and hadn't moved in some of my heavier stuff, furniture and such. He said he'd give me a hand but his car was trapped by his sleeping flatmates, so I swung by to pick him up.
We were driving down the road and a car came from around a corner and smashed into us, sending the car flying from off the road. Levi wasn't moving and I called for an ambulance. There was so much blood, and I tried to stop it but it just kept coming. I was lucky to just have minor injuries, but he's been in there for hours. I've been waiting this whole time."
I place my hand on top of his as an act of comfort. I try my best to sound confident and assuring.
"He will be okay."
Lowell pretends not to notice my shaking hands.
•••••
A nurse steps into the waiting room and everybody lifts their heads. Her eyes scan the crowd before falling on us. She raises her hand and quietly beacons us, exchanging nervous glances between ourselves Lowell and I walk slowly towards her. Her face is expressionless.
I wanted to know, but now I'm terrified.
"Levi is in a stable condition." I feel relief sweep over my body and let my shoulders dip, tension rolling down my back and onto the floor. "There is no permanent damage to his brain and beside from a few nasty scars he should recover normally."
"Can we see him?" Lowell asks the question before I can, and the nurse agrees leading us into him room. She opens the door for us and waits outside, leaving us alone with him.
Levi's eyes are closed. His chest rises and falls, a steady beeping filling the room. He has a cast over his elevated leg, and his body is wrapped in bandages. Multiple needles are stabbed into his skin and I am filled with an irrational urge to rip them out. I crouch beside his bed and take his hand in mine. Lowell stands on the other side, looking down at his brother with sad eyes.
"He will be okay." I say, comforting myself as well as him.
"I know. He's tough my little brother."
"I never would have guessed you were related." Comparing the two they seemed so different looking. Levi had his pale skin, excitable green eyes and striking black hair. Lowell has tanned skin, chocolate hair and deep brown eyes that I wanted to reach the bottom of.
"We aren't blood related. I was adopted." My mouth opens into an 'o' shape and I feel the need to apologize. "It's okay though, our parents always treated us like equals." I fall quiet, eyes flicking back to the sleeping boy whose hand I was clutching.
"Is it selfish that I want him to wake up?"
"No. I always find myself tempted to shake them awake." His eyes glaze over with memories and I want to ask him the question hanging on my tongue. I don't. Instead silence falls upon us like snow and we let it.
••••
"Quinn. Quinn, wake up." A hand runs through my hair and I lift my head, confused and sleepy. I see Levi smiling down at me. I fell asleep at his bedside. I feel his hand still in mine and slowly run my thumb over the back of it.
"You're awake." I say, smiling so brightly.
"I could say the same to you."
"I'm so happy you're okay. When Lowell told me you were in the hospital-"
"I'm going to be okay. It's going to be okay." Levi pulls me into a warm hug me and I cry softly into his chest.
Neither of us notice Lowell watching through the glass pane in the door. His face is swirled with unreadable emotions. After a second he turns and walks away: eyes sadder than they were when he arrived.