Ghost of You

2.

'Running away is easy, it's the leaving that's hard."

July 12, 2024
England

Today was the day. The day he could take Hannah home... well... to her home. He was beyond happy that the doctors were letting her go early. She had so many severe bruises in the beginning, Max thought they'd never be able to leave. She seemed so frail- like she could break at any second. But, medicine and rest prevailed in the end.

Max had watched how her pale and injured body came back to life with color. Unfortunately, that meant the bruises also formed various shades of brown and purple, but at least her normal tan skin leveled everything out. She was smiling and laughing more and she was also ready to get out of a hospital gown and into her pajamas.

Max pushed Hannah in a wheelchair. She could walk on her own, but she tired easily. Dr. Isley said she should build-up her strength again by walking a little more each day, but Max had rolled his eyes at that statement. He would treat her like a princess and that meant pushing her around so she wouldn't be out of breath. Obviously.

In time, he would help her walk around more, but she still needed rest. George and Carmen had brought extra clothes for her to change into, instead of just wearing the baby blue gown home. She was in a pair of gray sweatpant-fabric shorts and an oversized tee shirt.

"Can we get Phò tonight, Maxie?" Hannah bent her head back, staring up at Max with a bright grin. Her beautiful brown eyes widened for dramatic effect. "I'm starving."

Max knew she was in-fact starving. She'd only been eating hospital food for the past five days, and the meals weren't that great. Hannah did, however, love the chocolate pudding and popsicles the nurses gave her. Max had fallen asleep one night and woke up to a heaping pile of empty pudding cups... and a guilty-looking Hannah. She had that puppy dog expression that made Max want to squeeze her cheeks and kiss her. So he had. "Of course, babe. We can get whatever you want and more."

"Chocolate pudding?"

"Except that." Max chuckled, leaning down to press a quick kiss on her lips.

The hospital wasn't too busy today. Some of the staff passed by their embrace, moving in that fast-pace style most doctors did. The waiting room was quiet, but Max made sure not to comment about that- otherwise the nurses would beat him with a baseball bat.

George and Carmen wanted to be here for Hannah's departure, but George had been summoned to Hungary early by Toto. The two had to leave early this morning, after bringing Hannah's clothes. Max couldn't remember what, but Toto probably needed George there for something about tactical planning.

George had said his goodbye's early and promised to make it up to Hannah later. She made him pinky promise he'd win the Hungary Grand Prix. Max told her not to be upset when he came in second... because he'd be in first.

"You literally said we could get whatever I wanted." Hannah pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. Max shelled her closer to the nurse's station in the front. He leaned down, still pushing with a tight grip, and whispered into her ear, "And I'm literally saying anything but chocolate pudding. I can't eat anymore of that stuff or else I'm going to become pudding."

"This isn't about you, though, is it?" She remarked with a sassy snap of her fingers. "I think I deserve chocolate pudding for waiting on your ass to ask me out. How about that?"

Max's face went pale and he felt how his hands grew sweaty and clammy. "The Princess gets what the Princess wants... including chocolate pudding."

"Thank you." She reached back and patted his hand.