The Unexpected.

Chapter 10: Stephen returns

I woke up sweating and breathing heavy. Evelyn was passed out in the chair next to me. I looked at the time and saw it was 12:30 am. I sighed and lied my head back down. I felt so inclined to sleep, but I knew that if I did I would't wake up for a long time. So I decided just to tough it out and stay awake. A few short hours later my eyes started feeling heavy. I started closing my eyes when I heard shuffling foot steps. I looked over to where I thought I heard them coming from, and saw this shadow. I tried to wake Evelyn, but my voice was gone and my hands were strapped to a bed. It was like something out of a horror movie. I was sweating really hard and I couldn't say anything.
"Hello Danielle. It's been a while."
"Wait a second... I recognize that childish voice.... Oh my god! Stephen?!"
He walked into the light smiling,"Yes. It is me. I was hoping I got rid of my childish voice."
"God damn it. If I wasn't strapped in this bed I would punch you so hard. And then hug you cause I would feel bad."
He laughed,"Typical Danielle. Never the violent type."
"Yeah haha. Where the hell have you been?"
"Away. You should know. Because... I killed my dad..."
"Wait... What?"
"Yeah. I... I uh faked my death..."
"No... No.... This is a dream isn't it?"
He walked back into the shadows,"I don't know is it."
I felt someone shaking me,"Danielle wake up. Wake up! There is someone here to see you."
I looked over at the door,"Stephen!"
"Hey. It... It has been a while..."
"Yes. Yes it has... You... I missed you!"
I got up out of my bed and hugged him,"I missed you to."
This happened to be the moment Andrew walked in,"What's up guys?"
"Hey Andrew," I said after hugging Stephen,"What's up?"
"Not much. Was coming in to check on you. But I see that you are busy," He said with a slight anger in his voice.
"Andrew.... It's nothing like that."
He started walking out,"Uh huh. No I get it."
"Andrew god damn it!"
He walked out before I said anything more,"God he's so infuriating sometimes."
"I understand that. I want to go back and see my mom... But I wanted to see you first."
I blushed,"Awe. Thanks."
"Yeah. You still up for hanging at the park at 11?"
I laughed and hugged him again,"Always. I missed you so much..."
He hugged back,"I missed you to."
"Oh hey... So I am no longer at my moms... I live with Evelyn now."
"What happened to living with your dad?"
"He uh.... Its a long story... I think that if you, me and Evelyn are up to a road trip after we graduate, then I'll tell you on the way."
"Alright sounds good. When do you graduate?"
"Oh shit," Evelyn said,"Tomorrow."
"Oh shit. We need to get back."
"No. First you need to get your stitches," Stephen said looking at my blood soaked arm,"Because the should have done that and changed your bandage. You know what? I am very good at this. I can do it in time for you to get back to graduation."
"Ok," I said sitting on the bed holding out my arm,"Do it."
"You're kidding right?"
"No Stephen I'm not kidding. I want to walk. I want to go to college."
"Alright," He said pulling a chair up next to me," Evelyn, in the drawer in the night stand bottom drawer should be extra bandages. And a spool of thread. Or something of that nature. I need that and some sort of needle or sharp thing from this room. See if you can find one."
"Alright," She said handing him the bandage. She searched the room and Stephen took off my bandage, "You must of done it pretty bad in order for this to happen to your bandages."
He took them completely off,"Jesus! They're still bleeding. Evelyn I need that needle fast!"
"Ok! Got one!"
She came back over to me,"Here. Jesus Danielle... You did it bad."
"Yeah, yeah I know. Just please hurry Stephen. I don't wanna lose anymore blood."
"Yeah. I know."
He started with the upper forearm and worked his way forward. After the last one he cut the line,"Evelyn I need a cup of cold water. I need to wash off the blood. And then I need soap. So I can get through the stitches."
"That will hurt..."
"I know. Trust me I did this myself. Or if you find any hydrogen peroxide."
"Alright. Will do. Found the peroxide," She said coming back over with the water and the peroxide."
"Ok. Is there any kind of bowl around?"
"Uhhhhh.... Yes," She picked it up and brought it over, "Here."
"Thanks. Danielle... Would you rather hold her hand or mine?"
"I'll hold Evelyn's."
"Ok," he said putting the bowl in his lap and pulling my arm over it," Hey Evelyn... Can you just bring like four more cups? I'm gonna need a lot of water."
"Yeah. Sure."
He poured water on my arm,"I am glad this is the non painful part."
"Yeah me to. I hate seeing you in pain. It sucks."
Evelyn came back over with more cups of water,"Here. I grabbed a few more than four because I figured you would want to wash off the peroxide with water..."
"Oh. Yeah... Thanks for that."
He finished pouring the water and getting the blood off my arm. I grabbed Evelyn's hand,"You might want to prepare for what is about to happen to your hand. This is gonna hurt."
"Ok. I got this," She said with a straight face.
Stephen started pouring the peroxide on my arm and I started screaming and squeezing.
"Hey Evelyn, Before I do anymore... Can you lock the door real quick?"
"Yeah. No problem."
He waited till the bubbles stopped,"Alright. That was round one... You gonna be ready for round two?"
I shook my head no,"You're a tough girl. You can do this."
I nodded my head and Evelyn came back over and grabbed my head," Alright. Round two."
He poured the peroxide on my arm and I screamed again. He poured more onto the same cuts and I tried to hold back crying but I couldn't. He waited till the bubbles stopped and moved onto a new set of cuts.
"Jesus you went deep. Haha that's what she said."
I tried so hard not to punch him. He went onto the third set of cuts and poured twice on them. I stopped screaming but not crying. He went onto the fourth and final set of cuts. Poured three times on those ones, because of the vein, and so once again I screamed and cried against what my brain said.
He put the peroxide down," Alright. All finished. You should be clear to go by now. I am so surprised the doctors didn't do this."
"Yeah," I said wincing as I lied down in the bed,"I was as well."
"You should be cleared to get out tonight."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I mean you are stitched and dis-infected."
True," I heard my phone buzz from across the room.
"Evelyn... Can you check that please?"
"Yeah... It is Andrew. He told you that you guys are done."
"God he's such a fucking prick. Tell him if he doesn't have the guts to do it in person then hell yeah we are."
"Ok," She said responding to him.
"So Stephen. What do you say that after I graduate. We hit the road with Evelyn. And I'll tell you everything."
"That sounds good. But don't you need money?"
"I have it. I've stored up extra job earnings for a day like this."
"Ah. I see. It's a good thing I have been as well."
"Well. See? You don't have to worry. We just have to have enough to get from here... Back to Florida."
"Yeah. True."
"Hey... How did you find me?"
"That is a story for on the road."
"Alright. Fair enough. Can we just get out of here?"
"Yeah hold on. I'll be back."
"Ok."
Stephen walked out of the room and Evelyn came over, "How long has it been since you've seen him?"
"About... Four ish years."
"Ah. Eighth grade huh?"
"Yeah. July 24th will be four years."
"I see."
"Yeah," I said as Stephen walked back through the door,"So... Can I go?"
"Yeah. They gave you the all clear. This is a really shit hospital."
"Yeah," I said wincing as I got up," It really is."
Stephen and Evelyn helped me get outside, as I was woozy from what just happened, and out to Stephen's car. I was put in the front seat and I had to carefully put my arm on the side by the window. Stephen started to pull out, and Evelyn gave him directions to her house. He drove there and I went upstairs and passed out in the bed. Stephen came up and crawled into bed next to me. He held me close... reminded me of the night that I held him close. It felt nice. He was warm... and comfy...