A Twist of Fate SERIES (Pentatonix)

(10) Dose of You

( SCOTT )

When I get up to the ICU, Mitch is gone from his room, and there are people in there, cleaning the equipment and the walls, throwing away the sheets. I stand and watch them for a few minutes, shuddering in disgust when I remember that Mitch's room could have been the same room four people previously died in, for all we know. Hospitals can save your life, sure, but I don't think that even compares to the amount of germs and heartbreak they carry. The thought suddenly makes me rethink my whereabouts for the last several days.

A nurse walks up to me, a clipboard tucked underneath her arm. She stares into the room for a moment before saying, "Heard he got moved up to his own room today." I nod in confirmation. "I'm glad. He's doing well, given his situation. You're the one who's been with him, right?"

I nod, then turn to face her. "Could you tell me what room he's in? I wasn't sure when he'd be moving, and I didn't think to ask."

The nurse smiles at me. "Sure thing, honey. Come follow me." At the nurses' station, she tells me Mitch's room number, and I thank her before quickly make my way up to the fourth floor.

The door is propped open by a chair when I approach Mitch's room. I silently stand in the doorway, listening to Nel as she talks to her son: "You're all set, then, honey? You know how to work the TV and the phone and all of that?" she's asking, and I smile fondly. "Do you want any extra blankets, or is there anything else you want me to bring you from home?"

"No, I don't think so," Mitch replies, and then he's smiling. He notices I'm standing in the doorway, and his eyes light up. "I'll be fine, Mom. And, besides, Scott is here now. So, we'll be fine."

Nel whirls around at the mention of my name, and I can see her silently praising the heavens. "Oh, hi, Scott. Thanks for dropping by," she says, desperately trying to resist falling to her knees and bowing down to me. Her voice wavers as she successfully works to maintain her composure.

"Not a problem," I say, now walking into the room. "Anything special I should know before you leave?" I totally sound like a babysitter, but I almost don't even care. Earlier, I was Kirstie's, and now I guess I'll be Mitch's. Hey, I mean, I already saved their lives. Might as well help them in the recovering process, too.

Nel shakes her head. "No, not really. Just don't let him overexert himself. He's been moved up here so the doctors can continue to monitor him and his recovery, but he's definitely weak and still needs to rest and eventually regain his strength and health." She deliberately ignores Mitch's snort and obvious eye roll as she's talking.

"Mom, I'll be fine," he insists. "You don't have to worry about me—or us. Scott's gonna be watching me like a hawk."

Nel smiles sadly, hugging her arms to her chest. "I know, baby. I just get worried." She then leans down and kisses Mitch's forehead. "Alright, you two. I'll be back later on. Thank you again, Scott, for being here."

"No problem," I reply with a smile, and then Mitch and I watch her reluctantly leave us.

As the door closes, he says, "She must really trust you if she's letting you stay here alone with me. Because I don't think parents would normally leave their twelve-year-old who just got out of a coma alone in their hospital room."

I laugh. "That's just because your mom really cares about you, Mitch. You should have seen her when you were in the coma. I don't think she slept at all. She's just...that's just what a mother does."