falling for 13 || Johnny Kavanagh

Back In Working Order

J O H N N Y

My eyes were rolling all over the place when I woke up, I couldn't control them. The room was filled with the noises of machines beeping, and wires were strapped to my hands and chest. It's like the room was spinning, and I was 90% sure Gibsie had bought drugs from a random fella on the streets of Dublin, and gotten me stoned. The little shit.

"Johnny, you're alright son" My father's voice filled my ears, I could tell he was close by, I just couldn't see him. "Don't be pulling at the IV, you'll only end up hurting yourself."

"Da?" I croaked out, at the same time I felt his hand cover mine. "Where am I?"

His hand touched my forehead, brushing my hair back, just like he used to when I was small. "You're in the recovery room, son." Jesus Christ what did I get myself into. I couldn't remember anything, apart from the ambulance ride to the hospital. The weirdest thing about it all was that I wasn't in pain, I had been in pain for months and now I wasn't anymore.

"You had surgery, pet" he explained.

"Fuck" I groaned, "Is my dick still there?"

"It's still there" My Dad chuckled.

I let out a sigh of relief, "And my balls?"

"Also there" he mused, "All in working order."

"Thank fuck" I grinned, and then Grace Lynch came into my mind.

"Do you remember the match last night?" he asked.

"I remember my girl" I slurred. "Why's everything so dark?"

"Because you're supposed to be sleeping," my father told me. "It's six o'clock in the morning. Still dark outside."
    
"So, no lights anywhere?" I asked, confused. "They're all gone?"
     
I heard his quiet laugh. "No lights for another few hours, Johnny."
     
"You're sure my dick's still there?" I kicked my feet, but they weren't being cooperative. "I really like my dick, Da. I'll cry if it's gone."
     
"Most lads like that part of their anatomy, Johnny," Dad chuckled. "And I promise it's still there."
     
"Check for me," I mumbled, feeling woozy as fuck. "Just to make sure."
     
I heard my father sigh heavily and then felt the covers being lifted from my body. "All there, boyo," he assured me before tucking the covers around me once more.
     
"It's not working anymore, Da," I groaned, feeling a huge surge of devastation fill my body. "I broke it and now I can't use it properly with my girl."

"It's working again, Johnny, the doctors fixed it" he replied.

"How is he doing?" an unfamiliar voice asked, bringing with it a small flash of light and the sound of a door clicking.
     
"Talking out of his arse," my father told them.
     
"Ah, that'll be the morphine," the voice mused, coming closer. "Try and get him to sleep. I'll be back in an hour to do his obs."
     
"Da, there's a girl," I announced when the door closed again.
      
"I know, Johnny," Dad said calmly. "That was your nurse."
     
"No, no, no," I slurred, shaking my head. "There's a girl, Da. A girl."
     
"Where son?" he asked, confused.
     
"There's a girl who runs, and she's on a bus" I slurred. "I need you to find her for me."
     
"There's no girl, pet," Dad coaxed. "There's no bus, either. You're jacked up on morphine."

"Oh, fuck," I groaned. "Am I dying or something?"
     
"No, Johnny, love, you're not dying." he chuckled, clearly enjoying whatever shite was coming out of my mouth, shite that I couldn't control.
     
"Thank fuck," I groaned. "Cause I wanna see that girl again."
     
"Okay, Johnny. Just relax, boy." he patted my shoulder.
     
"No, no, no, Da, I'm serious," I slurred. "I love that girl."
     
"Well, who's this girl?" he questioned.

"I told you, she's a runner," I sighed and closed my eyes. "I'm keeping her, Da."
     
"Okay, son," he coaxed. "You keep the girl."
     
"She makes my heart go, like, whoa." I added.
     
"Is that right?" he mused.
     
"So bad, Da," I sighed. "Boom, boom, fucking boom." I shook my head. "All the time."
     
"Is he awake?" my mother's voice filled my ears, followed by another flash of light and the sound of another door clicking.
     
"He's something alright," Dad chuckled.
     
"Johnny, love, it's Mam." She sounded like she'd been crying for hours on end.
     
"Ma," I slurred, feeling her hand touch my cheek. "Don't be pissed."
     
"I'm beyond pissed," she sobbed. "You could have died."
     
"She crying, Da?" I slurred, slapping at something touching my nose. "Ma!" I exclaimed. "You know the girl!"
     
"I know the girl" she replied, stroking my cheek. "She's lovely John, really, helps out at the women's shelter."

"Told ya!" I shouted out at my father. "She's a runner."

"I didn't know that, love" Ma replied.

"Will I tell you what she doesn't run from?" I slapped a hand against my nose, itching the scratch, or scratching the itch. "My dick" I grinned proudly.

"Sweet suffering Jesus" Ma groaned, moving her hand from my cheek. "Can they knock him back out?"

"It's okay, Ma" I coaxed, "I'm gonna make all my babies with her because my balls work— Da says I can pull on my dick again, Woo!"

"John!" Mam gasped. "What have you been telling our son?"
     
Dad laughed. "He's seventeen, Edel. It's the first thing he's going to ask about after a surgery like that."

"Knock, knock," a familiar voice called out, followed by more light and more doors clicking. "How's the patient?"
     
"Gerard," Mam sighed happily.
     
"Gibs!" I called out, searching the room for my best friend and coming up"

"He's very...high right now, Gibs," Dad explained. "Don't take any notice of what he's saying."
     
"Is that right?" Gibsie chuckled. "Hey, buddy. How's it going?"
     
"They fixed my dick, Gibs." With a great deal of effort, I managed to hold a thumb up and wave my hand around aimlessly. "Happy days."
     
"Woohoo," Gibsie cheered, catching ahold of my hand. "Best news I've heard all year." He squeezed my hand. "You know what that means, don't ya?"
     
"Shifting jackets," I slurred.
     
"Exactly," Gibsie chuckled. "Soon as you're back on your feet, I'll have you out on the tiles."
     
"Boys," Mam chastised. "Gerard, don't encourage him."
     
"You get it, Gibs," I slurred happily. "You get me."
     
"I get you, buddy," he coaxed, squeezing my hand. "Shouldn't he be out still?"
     
"He should," my father replied, sounding amused. "But the lad is as strong as an ox."
     
"I'm a bull," I slurred.
     
Gibsie snickered. "You're a bull?"
     
I nodded. "With big balls."
     
Gibsie laughed. "Big working balls."

"Listen," Gibsie said in a serious tone. "I brought a friend to see him."
     
"You're my friend," I replied with a sigh. "My favorite, fucked-up friend."
     
"I know I am, bud," Gibsie coaxed, squeezing my hand. "And you're mine."
     
"A friend?" Mam questioned.
     
"Yeah, uh, she's right outside."
     
"You found her, Gibs!" I exclaimed. "Thank fuck. I thought I lost her."
     
"I did, buddy," Gibsie chuckled softly. "I brought Grace back to you."
     
"Gracie Fucking Lynch," I sighed contently. Twisting my head, I tried to find my father. "Da?"
     
"I'm still right here," Dad assured me, squeezing my right hand.
     
"She's the one," I whispered, trying to eyeball him in the darkness. "With the perfect tits."
     
"You saw her tits?" Gibsie asked.
     
I nodded happily. "Yep."
     
"When?" he asked.
     
"When I went through her window," I slurred. "I love her, Gibs. So much. Balls much."
     
"I know you do," Gibsie mused, patting my shoulder. "Bulldozer."
     
I shrugged. "And I'm not even sorry."
     
"Gerard, maybe you shouldn't bring Grace in here," Mam said, sounding concerned. "He's partial to say anything right about now."
     
"No, no, no," I grumbled, not feeling happy now. "I wanna see her."
     
"Johnny, love, she can come visit when you're more yourself –"
     
"Grace?" I roared, calling out her name at the top of my lungs. "Grace?"
     
"Let the girl in, Edel," Dad mused. "He's going to scream the place down like a toddler otherwise."