All Just Words

BETTER

Everyone came back into the bland hospital room with confused looks on their faces.

"What was that all about?" Alex asked.

"Nothing...he's my-" I stopped and thought about explaining what happened. "He's just an old...old friend"

"Hang on a minute. I have been friends with you for how long now and not once have I seen him" Alex said whilst pointing towards the door over his shoulder. I looked down and shrugged my shoulders and hoped to not be bombarded with questions about the so called stranger.

I glanced over to the drawer. I needed to know what was in the envelope. What evidence was concealed? What has he been doing and why the sudden appearance? 

I need to start pulling myself together and get out of here as quick as I can. I don't want to lose anymore time, I just want to keep everyone safe. They've come after three of us now. First messing with Alex, then trying to break me and Charlie. If this is their idea of getting their revenge on us just because of something that they started in the first place? Then they are doing a good job at it so far.

This needs to stop now. I physically cannot allow all of this to go on. If I can't stop it completely, I can at least remove the people who have nothing to do with this mess. At least I have a starting point and whatever Aiden has given me to use against them. It's not that I don't trust Aiden it's just that I don't trust the fact that he has suddenly made an appearance after all this time. But can you blame me? It's hard to trust anyone after what has happened.

I always tried to make amends with Aiden. I tried going back home to talk to him, but no matter what time of day it was he was never home. I even tried picking him up from school but he wanted nothing to do with me, when he saw my car he just turned and walked off the other way, giving me a look of disgust and hurt.

I eventually gave up after a while. I have missed out on so many important things in his life and I can't help but feel guilty even though I tried everything I could to get through to him. But isn't that the whole part of being an older brother, is to guide them through life and to make sure that they don't make the same mistakes that you did. Kind of let them live the life that you never had the chance to live yourself...?

After a few hours of consultations and even more tests, much to his disagreement, Dr Gordon finally decided to allow me to go home after he was convinced that I was "showing the signs of recovery" and that everyone would look after me and that I would come straight back if anything was wrong. He said that I was crazy for wanting to leave this fast after all I have been through, but to be honest I didn't really care. I just wanted to be back in an environment that I knew that I was safe and comfortable. After spending how long in a hospital bed can you blame a guy for wanting to get out of their as quickly as they physically can?

The healing process was going to be hard. I know that. It all just seems like an endless road of medication, several forms of therapy and physiotherapy, to try and 'get me back to normal as soon as possible'.  It all seems a bit surreal and you cant really comprehend that you have just been absent from the world, not really knowing anything that has been going on. 

After reassuring Dr Gordon for the final time that I will be fine, he finally handed my prescription over to Charlie and allowed us to have some time to get my things together (not that I had that much anyway). It felt so good to finally be told that it was ok to go home. I've been waiting for this for ages. Charlie was busying herself with reading and packing up the few cards that were scattered around the room.