Growing Up and Other Tall Tales

Chapter 13

The doctor tells me that it looks worse than it is and assures me that a few nights at the hospital should make him right as rain. She pauses and then thinks to ask about what happened but I shrug before she finds the words for it. I tell her that he is a friend's friend and that I am not close to him. The doctor looks at me warily and gestures me to sit. When she gets called to fix another poor sod, I awkwardly slip out of the waiting area before she comes back to ask how old I am and where my parents are.

I ditch my jacket, which is burned with blood, in the hospital room and with numb thumbs type a text to Diana informing her of Aiden's condition and his room number.

Just to avoid acknowledging the familiar tightening knot in my stomach as I approached the opposite building.

The nurses and the doctors nod at me as I pass by, some are generous enough to offer a smile, a pat on the back and a 'how's school?' because they feel sorry. For a while, I lashed out when I saw their pitiful and sympathetic faces. But it's that kind of fury at the same faces is heavy to bear, so I stop fighting thinking that in their shoes, I'd pity me as well.

"Lyra," Dr. Heathersphere raises his eyebrows at me and a confused smile graces his gentle face, "A little late for a young lady to be wandering around?"

I smile good-naturedly and lean forward to kiss him on the cheek. His wrinkles curl into soft pinches in skin around his eyes. I swear he looks the same as he did twelve years ago.

"Lady? Who, me?" I ask

He takes me to his office and gives me the surgical mask that I tug around my neck. I look at the mirror and sigh fixing the mask until I can only peer over the thin fabric. I tug the rubber band out of my curly hair pulling past stubborn tangles. My eyes sting a little at the pain.

Dr. Heathersphere tells me "I'm just outside the door" as usual and I pat him on the shoulder before entering. I could be offended but it's reassuring so I do not linger over it too much. There is too little kindness in this world to be doubted.

The room is dark and there is flimsy moonlight melting through the gaps of blinds I've never seen pulled up. The walls are photo free, there are no wilted flowers by the bedside, no photo frames of a wife and a daughter. Nothing that distinguished the crippled man on the bed from the others but the grey, plastic nametag strapped around veined wrists. He must've heard me coming in and he sits up, eyes wide and grinning when he sees me.

"It's the nice nurse," he gleams

"Hey," I say and set the tray of medicine next to him. I sit on the bed and pat his hand, "What's good?"

"I'm...uh, 'hanging in there'?" he enunciates the expression slowly

"Yeah?" I smile and then softly, "Good for you,"

And the idle chatter resumes. He asks me how I am doing at school, I say it's going okay, and I ask him if he is making friends, he says they are all mad here. I give him his pills, he swallows them and mumbles to me about pretty blue eyes and long black hair before snuggling into his pillow.

I stay with him for a while. His hand in mine. His fairer skin tone merges with the moonlight and it feels like he is disappearing into the night. I grip it tighter.

And I don't know how long I stay there. Just watching him. I keep track of time with the way he shifts a little; snores a little louder and mutters something new. Hearing the door open behind me and thinking my time is up, I turn around.

Aiden stands at the doorway, peering in curiously, mouth open and my name foaming at his mouth. He spots me and I pull down the surgical mask.

"What are you doing here?" I asked surprised

"You ditched me," he mouths in disbelief and I take note of the considerable addition to his bandage collection. He is limping, still clutching his now bandaged side looking over my shoulder at the bed, "I had to ask everyone for a girl with the curly hair and an angry face. And not dressed for the weather."

He holds up the jacket I left.

"I'm not wearing that. That's a lawsuit waiting to happen." I say firmly

His eyes fall onto the bed, onto me, onto the bed again and are careful to not let his resting nonchalance shift.

"Diana is caught in traffic," he says finally breathing into cupped hands, "It's freezing out there, my phone just died and I don't have my car,"

He is avoiding the elephant in the room. I grudgingly accept that he knew it is none of his business and his eyes are resolved to respect what I want to and didn't want to disclose.

"Bohoo princess," I deadpan

Aiden frowns his signature fuck you and grumbling quietly, limps back out the door. He doesn't wait for me, doesn't look back and at the moment, I'm thinking he understands privacy. But thinking back on it, I think it's because he didn't want to return the favor.

--------------------------------------------------------------

"What the fuck happened?" Diana turns around onto me the second Lyra leaves the room

"Your mom jumped me." I wince before rethinking my words. Okay so I could've worded that better. "She knows that we know she's here."

"What happened to Ratchet?" she asks quietly and I rub my temples. Ratchet is a small scale drug dealer who trades information for cash and has a knack for waking me up at ass o'clock. He is the one who sniffed out news of someone new, rich and powerful coming for a vacation. Diana's biological parents spearhead a big pharmaceutical company and being the wild child coerced into an arranged marriage, she ran away. That's how Mother and I found her two years ago.

"I called Mother. He's missing."

Diana lets out a small 'fuck' and starts bouncing her knee. She chews down on her lip.

"Why did they come after you? Isn't that risky?"

I shrug. "I think Mother may have hurt their ego by taking you in. I'm the easiest way to get to her."

She holds my gaze for five minutes before turning away. "I'll stick to public places, come home early. I do not want one of your grunts sweating down my neck all day,"

I glare holes into her face for a full minute before looking skyward She takes my hand and then brings it up to her mouth.

"You be careful." She says carefully. "I'd never—"

"I know," I put an arm around her and let her collapse into me with a sigh

Lyra tentatively pops her head into the room and awkwardly holds up a thumbs up in question, I prop my chin on top of Diana's head and raise my eyebrows at her. She rolls her eyes and walks in quietly. She kneels next to Diana and Kathy comes up behind her.

"Yo, get your fugly ass up." Lyra whispers to Diana who is closed to passed out on me. It's strange to hear the change in tone. There is no malice, no cold hostility and cautiousness. Its softer and stronger, loyalty and love. I find myself yearning.

"You know how scared Hye-Rin gets when you sleep on the couch." Kathy agrees and gently collects Diana from my lap and into her arms

I try not to look too surprised when Kathy lifts Diana up bridal style and carries her effortlessly to her bedroom.

"Kathy used to be this two time weight lifting champion in high-school." Lyra explains looking at my face. "She's always opening jam jars and carrying the groceries for us."

"Dreamy," I say and she lets out a small laugh

"Boyfriend who?" she says and I huff out a chuckle

"You okay?" I ask accidentally, immediately regretting it

She looks at me startled mid-laugh and then nods slowly.

A silence bloats up between us until she mumbles something about getting pillows and blankets. I watch her go into one of the adjacent bedrooms and I practice my shallow breathing to accommodate the effort of standing up.

And I'm gone before she comes back.