Forrest Green

Chapter 19: I love You and Our Place

Chapter 19: I Love You and Our Place

When Forrest and I walk into the hospital, the first thing I notice is his sister sitting behind the receptionist desk. Lilly looks as if she didn't get a wink of sleep last night and I'm starting to feel guilty that she's been up all night looking after not only my mother but many other patients. She's focusing really hard on whatever is in front of her as she yawns.

I form a small smile on my lips and greet her when we walk up to the reception desk. "Hi, Lilly."

Her head snaps up at the sound of my voice, and she immediately smiles when she sees me. "One second, I'll let you in, and we can talk behind the doors."

She presses the unlock button to open the big gray doors that hide my mother behind them. Forrest grasps my hand and pulls me with him through the doors. Everything in the hallway looks the same as it did as yesterday, white walls and white beds on wheels. Lilly stands behind the desk, and despite the bright smile on her face, I can still tell that Lilly is exhausted.

"You should go home and get some sleep," I tell her, walking closer to the desk.

Behind me, Forrest snorts. "Yeah, like she would dare leave this place, she sleeps in the staff rooms."

Lilly scowls at him and then turns back to me. "Don't listen to him. He might be right, but still, he's a bad influence."

"Am not," Forrest mutters.

"See he's lying, that's a bad habit, Forr. You should stop before karma catches up with you and bites a huge chunk of your butt off." Lilly states.

"I learned from the best," Forrest says smugly.

"Who? Please share, I want to know who taught you to lie." She says looking unnaturally excited to hear his answer.

"You, of course." He shoots back.

"Who's 'You'? Do I know them? Is that short for 'You Lie'?" Lilly asks, feigning confusion.

I laugh at the brother, sister duo and watch them bicker some more.

Forrest's eyes narrow. "I don't like you."

"What did I ever do to you to make you dislike me?" I shake my head at the two as Lilly continues to mess with her brother.

"I dislike you when you behave like this." Forrest restates.

"Just trying to get on your juvenile level, little brother." She says, smirking at him.

"Shouldn't you be doing something?" He asks, glaring at his sister.

Lilly brightly smiles, "I don't have anything to do for the next twenty minutes."

"Can you find something to do?" Forrest asks.

"Eh," She replies, shrugging her shoulders.

"I'm gonna tell dad you're being an ass." He says, before looking down at me when I raise an eyebrow. "Sorry, I tried, but her presence alone makes me want to cuss."

"Whatever, little brother." She shakes her head at him, "Dad loves me more than you, so go ahead."

"For now. Give it another month or two, and I'll be the favorite." Forrest challenges ominously, raising an eyebrow at his sister.

She narrows her eyes at him before asking, "What are you talking about, Forrest?"

I look between the two as Forrest gauges his sister's reaction to his previous comment. I could cut the tension between the two of them with a chainsaw. Not one for tense situations, I say, "I really hate to interrupt whatever is going on here, but I would like to know how my mom is."