Agnes in JackieLand

Chapter 24

I couldn't wait to get out of the hospital, and now I wish I was back in it. Dad would not leave me alone, and Liam kept skulking outside my bedroom door but never came in. It was all driving me bananas.

I wanted one day of peace, one day when they would believe me when I said I was fine and let me go outside. I knew I was being a cranky spoiled brat, but who cares? I huffed, folding my arms over my chest. Graham would be here soon with my daily donut and French vanilla. Maybe that would cheer me up. Doubtful. I was in a mood.

I heard the shuffling of feet outside my door again, and I sighed loudly enough for him to hear me as I rolled my eyes up to the ceiling. Lord help me and give me strength, I whispered. "Liam, stop being a creeper and just come in here!" I yelled out to him.

He didn't come in, but I knew he was still out there because he was a loud, mouth breather. "Liam, if you don't come in here, I'm going to tell Dad where exactly his missing baseball card went."

My door opened, and Liam slipped in. He closed the door before he hissed, "You wouldn't!"

I shrugged, "I might if you don't stop annoying me."

"His eyes bulged, and his mouth gaped. "I am not doing anything."

Not doing anything but standing outside my bedroom door every day like a creeper," I said.

He hung his head, looking at the purple shag throw rug beneath his sock feet. "Dad told me to watch you when he can't."

Some of my annoyance faded. He was just a kid. He was doing what he was told. "Why don't you come in and sit with me then?"

"Yeah, right," he said, looking at me. He looked so much like mom sometimes it was hard to look at him. "You are a friggin monster right now. I don't want to sit with you. You might chew me up and spit me out."

I snorted. "Come on, isn't that a little bit dramatic?"

He looked at me. I relented. "Ok, maybe I have been a bit of a bear lately, but can you blame me? I have been bedridden forever. I just want to go outside."

"Whining isn't better," he said with a smirk.

"Ok, smart ass. Can you help a sister out?"

"You will owe me," he said with a smile.

He looked so much better since he stopped being all emo. When I woke up from my coma, he was normal-looking again, which suited him even if he did look like Mom.

"Why are you looking at me? You are creeping me out," he said.

"Now we are even," I retorted.

He shook his head but laughed. "Do you need anything?"

"Yeah, for you to plead my case to Dad," I urged him again.

"I'll see what I can do," he finally said.

"Liam, if you want to come into my room instead of standing outside it, all you have to do is ask. I'm bored. Do you want to watch something with me?"

He looked at me as if I had grown three heads. Had I been so out of reach with him? It wasn't fair if I had been. He needed someone to vent to; he didn't have a Graham. I pointed to the chair at my desk. "Grab that. You can pick what we watch."

"Top Gear it is," he said as he dragged the chair beside me.

I held in a groan as I handed him the TV remote. I loathe car shows.