The Transplant ✔️

48. Pain In My Rear

Jobe's POV:

On a scale of one to ten, my pain was a fifty. I had been carved open, forced awake from anesthesia, and loaded with fluids that forced me to wear antiembolism socks. I felt every, single bit of the pain, but yet I still felt like it was worth it. Although I haven't received word of how progressive the surgery was, I still remained positive. Jolie's brother, Emeric, was a big help in letting me know Jolie's was awake and well, but she hadn't received word on her condition yet either. It didn't seem promising, that the doctor was staying so secretive so far, but we'd have to give it time and let the professionals do their job.

To think I had enough pain, and enough to worry about, there walks in my father, blasting out at the nurses for not providing enough round-the-clock care. As stupid as it sounded, and as crazy as it was, I knew he was doing it because he cared. He had no way of showing normal emotions, so lashing out at somehow for how they do their job was probably the only way he could ever express himself. Of course, I had to tone him down for the nurses' sake.

"Dad, sit down and relax; the nurses know what they're doing. I'm in the ICU; I'm getting more care than half the people in this hospital."

"That's not saying a lot." He groaned.

"Daddy, calm down." Avie had also came around. I didn't want her to be scared that her big brother just had a major surgery, but she was taking it like a champ. She was very supportive, lifting my spirits up and keeping Dad as calm as she could. The only problem was that she wanted to see how Jolie was doing, and between Avie and me, I'm not sure who wanted to see her more.

Dad continued to pace the floor, his hands in his pants pockets and his short, balding hair standing on its ends. He didn't know how to sit down and shut up for a just a few minutes. I appreciate his concern, but he was more of a pain in my ass than having surgery. The bad part was I had no control over anything, because the minute I moved, I could feel a jolt of pain slicing through my back, bringing me back to the bed like an airbag was in front of me. I had to sit through my father's pacing, and I'd have to count on Avie's help as much as possible. 

"Avie, I'm the adult here. You're the one who needs to calm down and stop jumping all over the furniture. I don't need you tripping over any wires. Why don't you go use that energy to get my a coffee down the hall?"

The last thing Avie needed was more sugar, so she better not be drinking any of it.

Before Avie could run out, I warned her before she left.

"Watch out, Avie. Don't go running with a hot coffee like that, unless you want to be sitting with me in the hospital."

"I got it." She squealed while slowing her pace. Luckily, the curtains to my room were open so we could keep an eye on her down the hall.  Well, I would keep me eye on her. Dad must have thought Avie was older than she was because he let her run around without a second thought.

With Dad's back facing the wall, he slid his arms across the armrests of the chair and leaned forward to me. His eyes scanned my face, lips tight in a line as he sighed.

"Something wrong?" I confronted him.

His lips peeled apart like tape, forcing himself to speak.

"I have to show you something. Before I left for Texas, I found this on my desk." Reaching in his pocket, he handed me a rolled a newspaper.

"A newspaper?" I pursed my lips.

"My secretary sets the paper on my desk every day, and I always skim through it before throwing it in the bin. I think you should read it." My father's eyes left mine and looked towards the paper in my hand.

I pushed my dangling, hospital band out of the way so I could turn the pages. Most of it was filled with sales at the local supermarket, one article was about the new mayor, and the next was what caught my eye.

Jolie Drake's Transplant, was the bold label at the top of the page. I swallowed a gulp of air, calming myself before I read it.

I began to read, forgetting my father was in the room as I mumbled a few words from the passage:

"Too often we take for granted the kindness of another, but even the smallest of gestures can make the biggest of differences."

I paused, tear stinging the corners of my eyes. My hands were shaking lile crazy, and for the first time in my life, I realized what the saying, weak in the knees, meant.

"For so long, I thought no one was coming to save me, that this life was completely my own to save, but he surprised me. Jobe Boston did more than just offer a kidney when I most needed it; he offered me a life I didn't know I could have. He saved me, and in return, I saved him."

I continued to read her soulful words, getting caught up in her beautiful writing. I knew she could write, but this remarkable. Her words came to life on a simple piece of paper. It was hard to read the words aloud, the words getting stuck in the rock in my throat. At the end, I managed to train my voice back to normal, reading the final words out loud.

"Because of him, I continue to try, continue to swim in the deep end instead of the shallows, and because of him I know if I die tomorrow, I have lived more life than most people can live in a hundred years. My heart is grateful to have him, and if I'm lucky, that's just the beginning." I cleared my eyes, although too late to save my manhood.

"She's crazy about you, son. I don't know why, but she's crazy about you."

"It wasn't my intention, I swear, but things just happened. I won't hurt her; she's made me into a better person." I said.

"She thinks so, too. I hope that it's true, and that you two can make it work. I know I'm hard on you, son, but it's because I love you. If she's good for you, then that's okay with me."

"Are you serious?" Was my father giving his blessing? He barely approves of his own son, much less a girl for his son.

"Yes. I can see that she's important to you, and a very good influence. You've gone through this surgery, with minimal complaints, and you've grown from the experience."

He was being really nice; not sure if this was because I was sickly in a hospital room, or if he was possessed by an alien, but I was not going to question it.

I guess this wasn't a good time to push my luck and tell him about my career change. I'll save that conversation later.