Valerie, I'll be home soon

chapter 3

 okay guys, this is where a lot of the plot comes in. have fun!

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“C’mon, let’s go!!” Abby says. I’m dragging my feet around, and dawdling at my locker to get books.

“Alright, alright, I’m coming.” I say. We trudge back to our block with little conversation to quicken the trip. We are careful to avoid the ice, only to find that it melted. God, why did there have to be ice this morning?

I run into my house. “Hey mom, can I go see Ty? Abby’s mom is going to drive us.”

My mom appears out of the kitchen.

“That’s fine, sweetheart, but make sure you’re not too late.”

“Thanks mom. How’s six ‘o’ clock?

“That’s fine. Tell Ty I said hi, and to get better.” When I get back outside, Abby Is waiting.” It’s fine with her,” I say, and we walk over towards her house.

“Okay, let me run in and ask my mom real quick. She’ll give us a ride, I bet.” Abby says. I stand out there shivering for a couple minutes until Abby’s garage door opens and their car pulls out. I open the door and jump in, tossing my bag on the floor.

“Hey, Mrs. Shusterman,” I say.

“Hello, Valerie. How are you? Got quite a scare this morning, huh?”

“Ummm…yeah, I guess so. Are Ty’s parents at the hospital?”

“Oh, yes, bless them. They haven’t left all day, even to eat.” She says.

Abby jumps in. “Well, we could stop and get them something, as a favor, you know.” I nod in agreement. “Yeah, we could just pick something up.”

“Alright, where will it be then?” we all manage to agree on Wendy’s because it’s quick and simple, and Abby’s mom even gets us each an Oreo crush shake. Abby downs hers and half of mine, because I can’t manage to swallow right. In another twenty minutes or so, I’ll see Ty. The one who I paralyzed. How do I swing that? Oh, hey, sorry. You know, I’m the one who tripped you, causing you to possibly become paralyzed for life. You forgive me though, right? I mean, it’s no biggie…

“Val, c’mon, we’re here,” Abby says, grabbing my arm and pulling me out of the car.

“Oh, Right. Okay,” I say nonchalantly. We walk in and manage to find Ty’s room quickly enough, even though I keep stopping and stalling. When we walk in, Ty is laying on his bed staring at the ceiling, but quickly props himself up when he notices us. I look at him with a grim smile on my face, afraid he’s angry at me. What I get next is a big surprise.

“Man, you guys took FOREVER. I thought you’d never get here! I mean, I’ve been lying in this bed in this boring blank room with nothing but medical diplomas tacked to the walls, and it smells like Windex and sterile metal and too-clean-for-anyone-to-sit-on sheets, and none of the doctors have come in yet because I don’t have an “urgent problem” or something. I personally think that not being able to move half of my body is pretty urgent! And don’t even get me started on the nurse! She-” but he immediately closes his mouth, because the nurse, a stern looking woman in red heels and grey thinning hair pulled back in to a tight bun.

“Young man, I told you not to sit up! It could further worsen your condition!

“But it’s so BORING! have you ever tried staring at a blank ceiling for 6 hours straight! I mean, it’s not even painted an interesting color! Can you not afford green or something? And these walls! You don’t even have the cute little posters of the dogs and the kittens that say cute little phrases with the purrrr in them; all you have is these little diplomas everywhere. We KNOW you’re doctors. Didn’t your mothers ever tell you it wasn’t nice to brag? You need to take some money and invest it into interior decorating. And not to mention-” Ty stops when he glances at the nurse, and then his mother, and decides to shut his mouth when he sees that both of their mouths are thin lines.