Another Reason To Live (Watty Awards 2014)

Chapter 24

Chapter 24:

The only thing that separated us from the fresh air outside was the thick glass door at the hospital's entrance.  And about ten yards of white linoleum flooring.  And signing Gerard's discharge papers.

The six of us were standing at the hospital's main desk on the first floor.  As Donna and Donald hunched over the counter, studying the papers and scratching their signatures on the white paper, Mikey, Gerard, Frank, and myself waited in a nearby sitting area.  Besides a nearby man sitting in a chair, reading a magazine, the sitting area was empty, which was nice.  Gerard was able to sit in his wheelchair in line with the other chairs, while Mikey sat in a chair next to him.  I chose to stand, pacing up and down the lobby behind them.  Frank leaned against the nearby wall, staring at the ground.

"You can have a seat, Scarlette," Mikey said again as he adjusted his glasses.  Despite his best efforts, they still slid back down to the tip of his nose.

"I know.  I just don't really want to right now," I replied.  I looked down at the floor and aimed my steps so my feet landed perfectly inside the tiles.  It was a game I had always played, especially as a child. In truth, I needed to focus on something else besides Gerard being discharged.  The thought kept bringing up the dream I had and how I was actually starting to wish it were true.  

"I feel like you're more excited about me getting out of here than what I am," Gerard chimed in with a light laugh.  I stopped walking when I reached the side of his wheelchair and looked at him.  He was watching me with a smile, which momentarily put me at ease before my dream came back into my head.  My eyes very briefly travelled down to his lips before I looked away.

Donna and Donald made their way back over, each holding what I was guessing was a copy of the doctor's instructions for Gerard's care at home. 

Donna smiled.  "Ready to go everyone?"

“Hell yeah,” Gerard replied.  He went to stand up, but Donald gently pushed him back down.

“Remember the hospital policy?” he said.  “You have to be wheeled out.”

Gerard emitted a quiet groan of frustration, but listened to his father and sat back down.  Donald gripped the handles to the wheelchair and began to push towards the entrance.

 Once we were outside, Gerard grimaced and squinted his eyes, as the sun was very bright.  Frank chuckled and said, “Does the sunlight burn, Gee?”

He held up a hand to shield his eyes as he squinted up at Frank.  “It’s a bit bright, don’t you think?”

“Alright, come on now, let’s get you inside,” Donna said as we wheeled up to the Way’s family car.  Donald parked the wheelchair right next to the front passenger door and opened it wide.  Gerard tried to adjust himself so it’d be easier to move into the car.  His arm no longer had a cast, but had a sling instead.  His leg would still be in a cast for at least another week.

Donald and Mikey assisted Gerard in moving into the car, which took several minutes.  But soon enough, Gerard was comfortably sitting in the car and we all left.