Conquering Drew

XXXI

I felt cold.

I could hear a rhythmic beating of a machine that I could make out as a heart monitor. I slowly opened my eyes and was greeted by bright lights. I squinted my eyes until they adjusted to the white lights. It was easy to recognize that I was in a hospital bed, but the cotton mouth was the biggest sign that I had been there for awhile. I had an IV hooked up to my left hand and the sight of the blood running through the tube, nearly made me gag.

To my right, there was a chair pulled up and I assumed someone had been watching me sleep. It wasn't hard to guess that it was Giovanni by the smell of his cologne. I desperately needed water but I decided to wait for Giovanni to come back.

I closed my eyes, trying to remember what I could before I blacked out. I brought my hand up to my head and felt that it was bandaged. My legs felt stiff and I wanted to walk around, but I knew the potential dangers of yanking out my IV with the combination of my injured head.

I could smell coffee from the hallway and not before long, the door opened to reveal Giovanni. He was stirring sugar into his cup and was so focused on not spilling it, he didn't even look up at me.

"How do you feel?" he asked still focused on his coffee

"How do you do that?"

"What? Know when someone is staring at me?" He sat down in the chair beside me

"It's weird."

"You're the one staring." he smiled

I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. He was infectious.

"You still haven't answered my question."

"Exceptionally thirsty."

He quickly put his coffee down on the table that was attached to my bed. He poured water from a salmon pitcher into a plastic cup. He came over and brought the cup over to my lips, prepared to help me drink.

"My arms still work, you know."

He smiled and allowed me to take control of the cup. I quickly downed the water and he poured another.

"Better?" he asked after my second cup

"It would be better if it were bourbon, but it'll do." I shrugged

"You're an alcoholic." he teased half-heartedly

"In my defense, I deserve one."

He became silent and sipped his coffee. He placed it back down on the table.

"How long have I been here?"

"Two days."

"Is Angelo okay?"

"My mother is taking care of him."

"But he's okay, right?"

"Yea, unharmed."

"What about Gabi?"

He tensed at my question.

"She's...fine."

"What is fine?"

"Alive."

"Anyone can be alive. Is she functioning?"

"She's been sleeping."

"What kind of sleep?"

"Drew, your hear rate is picking up. Stop asking questions."

"Well, I want to know."

"She's okay."

I leaned my head back into the pillows, trying to relax. He wasn't telling me much, but knowing that she was alive meant something.