LA Gang (Book 2)

3. Let Me In

3. Let Me In

Scott, Mitch, and Matt have started doing treatment again, however, it seems to be affecting Scott more than expected. He is constantly lying in his bed with the curtain closed and sometimes Matt even hears him crying, he is still grieving Avi's death. His parents are there with him, trying to cheer him up and get Scott to smile and move a little.

"How is he?" Kevin asks Matt.

"Not good, he had three straight days of big chemo doses and hasn't stopped vomiting since then. I heard Dr. Hayes talking about an NG tube...what even is that thing?" Matt told Kevin sadly.

"It is a type of feeding tube that goes inside your nose, all the way down to your stomach. It is used when people need medications or are not eating properly," Kevin answered. "But, how is he...mentally," he asked nervously and Matt shook his head.

"He barely talks or moves, sometimes I can hear him crying," Matt said and looked towards Scott who was napping on his bed, Matt noticed that he looked paler than usual and teared up.

"I gotta go, text me if...just...tell me if there's something new, ok?" Kevin said and left the room shortly after.

It was a few hours later when Mitch tried to talk to Scott and get him to eat a little, as a request from Scott's parents and doctor, Mitch approached the curtain that was surrounding Scott and opened it slowly. He saw that Scott's lunch was some chicken noodle soup and jello, and Dr. Hayes wanted to know if he could keep it down.

"Hi, baby," Mitch said quietly, looking at Scott's eyes which were red and swollen.

"Hi," Scott said dryly, not even looking at Mitch.

"Let's try and eat a little OK? You need it," Mitch said and sat down beside Scott, whose head was slightly elevated.

"I don't want to, I'm not hungry."

"Please Scott, you have to eat, your body needs it, otherwise, chemo will not work."

"It would just come back up, it happens every time I eat or drink something."

"Just try to eat half of it," Mitch said and Scott hesitated but nodded. Mitch started to spoon-feed him, knowing Scott was in a lot of pain to do it himself. After he was done eating half of the soup, Mitch smiled and congratulated him, he was proud of Scott for trying.

"How about we go to the lounge for a bit?" Mitch suggested.

"Mitch, I'm not in the mood," Scott said, shaking his head.

"Scott, you cannot hide in here forever, you need to get up for a bit, even if it is in your wheelchair. I know you are still sad, we all are...this is hard, but you need to understand that he is no longer in pain and that he already fulfilled his purpose. He was meant to bring light to someone else's dark. He brought light to our lives and we have to be grateful for that," Mitch told Scott and a tear fell down his cheek so wiped it quickly with his hand. "You need to move on, we all do," he continued and Scott nodded once.

"You're right, but I don't want to go to the lounge, I'm in a lot of pain right now," Scott said weakly and Mitch nodded, kissing Scott's forehead before he left the room.

The next morning, Matt woke up to the sound of vomiting and looked down, it was Scott, he could not keep food down, and Dr. Hayes was worried about his condition. He saw Rick leave the room and come back with Nurse Jackie who disappeared when she went through the curtain and appeared moments later. "I need to page Dr. Hayes, I think Scott needs the NG tube," she said and left the room.

Nurse Jackie then came back with Dr. Hayes, who had some things in his hand, Matt supposed it was Scott's ng tube. Dr. Hayes, Nurse Jackie, and Scott's parents went inside the curtain and then Matt could hear Scott's whimpers and groans, the line was hurting him. When the sounds of pain and suffering ended, Matt rushed to Mitch's room and told him what just happened.

"They put the tube in," Matt said simply.

"What?" Mitch asked confused.

"Scott has the ng tube," Matt said and Mitch's eyes widened. They left the room and hurried back to Scott and Matt's. Mitch didn't hesitate and opened the curtain, surprised, he saw the tube inside his boyfriend's nose and behind his left ear with a blue band-aid sticking it to Scott's cheek, and how he was bawling.

"It's ok, baby," Mitch said calmly, trying to get Scott to calm down too.

"I hate it!" Scott cried into Mitch's shoulder and Mitch rubbed his arm soothingly.

"I know, but you need it right now, just until you can keep the food down," Mitch said and then he noticed Scott's IV, he closed his eyes and prayed that all of this would be gone soon and that Scott was just having a few bad days.

It was a few hours later when Matt saw Kevin in a wheelchair, he was confused and surprised as to why Kevin was back in the hospital. He followed the nurse who was taking Kevin back to his room, ready to ask Kevin the question he'd been dying to ask him.

"Why are you here again Kev?" Matt asked.

"I passed out, the doctor just wants me to recover from it and figure out why. Nothing major, I should be going home in a few days," Kevin told Matt and he calmed down a little.

"Let's hope it is nothing bad," Matt said and Kevin nodded.

"How is Scott by the way?" Kevin aside after a few moments.

"He was doing better mentally, but he kept vomiting so Dr. Hayes put him in an NG tube and he had a mental breakdown and cried for a few hours. He's now napping with Mitch," Matt answered honestly.

"Poor Scotty," Kevin said and Matt nodded. God, just let him be okay, Kevin said.