Off Limits - Ryan Sitkowski

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

"Vinchenzo Mauro?" A man calls, Vinny looks up quickly.

"That's me. Is she okay?" He looks up with wet eyes.

"Jennifer is gonna be okay, she slipped in the shower from too much blood loss."

"Can I see her?" He nods, taking him and Ryan to Jennies room.

The doctor opens the door, Vinnys face falls. "Jennie.." He rushes to the side of the hospital bed, grabbing her hand. 

She lets out a sound, furrowing her eyebrows. "Chris..." She breathes out, her lips not moving.

Vinnys eyes shoot to Ryan. "What are you looking at!? Call Chris!" He snaps.

--
"I need to see Jennie!" Chris' voice echos through the hospital, the sound bouncing off the white tile wall. Ryan comes down the hall, grabbing his arm.

"You just need to sign in and then you can see her." The receptionist says, looking up at the tall man with tears rolling down his face with wide eyes. He scribbles his name down, following Ryan to Jennies room.

Chris falls to his knees next to Jennies bed. "What happened to her?" He whispers, kissing her hand.

"Blood loss, she fell in the shower." Ryan says, sitting next to Jennies sleep deprived brother. Chris sighs, sitting next to her. "I'm gonna go get some coffee, you want anything Vin?" He just shakes his head, the bags under his eyes dark.

"Hey, why don't you get some sleep. I'll watch her and wake you up if anything happens.." Chris offers, looking over at Vinny. He nods, curling up on the tiny chair, his curly brown hair falling over his face as he drifts asleep almost immediately. Chris takes his baggy sweatshirt off, draping it over Vinny, smiling to himself as he sits back down.

Jennies hand twitches under Chris', he looks up and smiles softly when he sees her eyes looking around. "Where am I?" She asks, her voice raspy.

"You're at the hospital." He responds, his voice soft. "Let me go get the doctor." Chris starts to stand but he's stopped by a quiet demand for him to stay. He immediately lays next to Jennie, his arms cradling her gently. "I love you." He whispers, kissing the top of her head.

"I love you too." She mumbles, her eyes closed.
--

Vinny stirs awake, looking at the sweatshirt of him with a confused look. He sees Chris laying awake with Jennie asleep on him. "Anything happen?"

"She woke up, wanted me to stay and fell back asleep." Chris says, his legs hanging off the side of the small bed. He. nods, sitting up, his hair pushed up on one side.

"Where's Ryan?" Chris just shrugs, looking down at Jennie. "You guys are really cute together." He says, a smile on his lips.

"You think?"

Vinny nods. "Way better than her and Ryan." He says, his eyes wide when he realizes what he's said.

"What do you mean?"

"Jen and Ryan tried dating before and it didn't work out very well.." He tries to save himself, Chris nods.

"I love her so much." He whispers, kissing the side of her head. Jennie stirs, laughing weakly when Chris keeps kissing her face.

"Chris-no Chris!" She giggles, breathing heavily.

A nurse comes running into the room, her eyes shifting from Chris to Jennie to Vinny and back to Chris. "Jennifer, you're awake." She says softly. The small woman checks everything. "Miss. Mauro, you are able to leave tomorrow." Vinny hops up.

"Quick question; is she able to eat, lets say, a donut?" He asks, the nurse shrugs. Vinny leans closer to her, turning on his infamous charm. "Well, if I get her one, I'll get you one and maybe we can go for coffee." He says, flashing a white smile, making the nurse blush. She lets out a shy giggle, biting her lip. "I bet your name is as beautiful as your face." They step out into the hallway.

Jennie looks up at Chris, gently kissing his lips. "I love you." She smiles, resting her head against his shoulder. "Like a lot." She mumbles. Vinny comes waltzing into the room, a sly smile on his face. "What?"

"Your brother just got a date with that nurse." He says, holding his hand out with black writing on it. "Her name is Louisa and she's really cute." He grabs Chris' hoodie and his wallet. "I'll be right back." The nurse from before, Louisa, smirks at him, grabbing the front of his hoodie, leading him to a storage closet.

Ryan comes back into the room, looking at the two in the bed. "Hey buddy." He hands Chris a coffee and Jennie a water bottle. "You guys look cozy." He says, sitting in the chair next to the window. "Where's Vinny at?"

"Gettin laid probably." Chris says, sipping the hot drink.
--
A few minutes later, Vinny comes strutting in with a box of donuts and his hair sticking up in all directions, his look complete with a smug grin. "Donuts for all of us."

"Dude, you got some..." Ryan gestures to his mouth, Vinny uses the back of his hand to wipe his lips off. He just giggles, setting the box on Jennies lap.

"How are you feelin' Jen?" He asks, sitting next to his best friend.

"Great." She says, eating a donut quietly.
--
Jennie sighs as she looks over at the stitches in the side of her head, looking over at Chris when he gently grabs her hand. "It's so ugly." She mumbles, running her fingers over the skin.

"But you're still beautiful." He smiles warmly, making her blush slightly. "You're so beautiful."

"Yeah okay you don't have to lie to me." She murmurs, looking out the window. Chris sighs, pulling into the driveway. "Thanks for letting me stay with you tonight."

"Of course! You're always welcome to stay with me." She looks over with glossy eyes. "What's wrong?"

"I just- It's nothing." She says, her voice shaking. Chris hops out of the car, going to Jennies side.

"You wanna go inside? I can run you a bath.." She nods, crying against his shoulder, her arms around him tightly. He carries her inside up to the bathroom, sitting her on the sink.

Once the water is ready, Chris helps Jen undress, guiding her into the tub. "Let me go get you some tea." He whispers. Jennie just shakes her head, "What?"

"Join me." She says quietly. "I don't want tea, I wanna be held." He nods, kicking his jeans off. He sits behind her, holding her to his chest. "Thank you."

"I love you so much, Jen." She smiles, shutting her eyes.

"I love you too."
--

Ryan sits at the bar, his hands in his hair. "Rough night?" The bartender asks, he nods.

"The girl I'm in love with was in the hospital because of me." He mumbles, running a hand over his face. "I made her upset."

"Tough break dude." He says, handing him another drink. "Here, on me." He nods, downing it.

"I dunno man, they're in the apartment right around the corner, I was kinda hoping to run into them. But they're probably too busy fucking." He hiccups, sighing heavily. "What do I owe ya?" He tells him. Ryan just slaps a twenty on the bar and stumbles out and wanders back to Vinny's.