Dating the Dead • lrh

41. the hospital

It wasn't another two weeks until I was allowed to go home. I was done with my physical therapy but I still have sessions with Dr Moyes three times a week. Those were the times I get to go out of the house.

When I do, someone's always with me. Since I still have a bandage around my head, I was told not to have a cellphone. I wasn't even advised to be in front of a television or a computer for extended periods of time.

Works for me.

I couldn't even look at the screens without my head hurting. Frankly, I felt like Harry Potter. Almost everything I do, my head hurt.

That was why I'm still not allowed to go back to school even though it started over a week ago. School stress would not be good for me. At least that's what they all said when I told them I wanted to go back.

I actually wanted to see if Shelby's gone back to school.

Even after Jack said she wasn't back in the country and that he didn't know when she would. Of course, I trusted my brother. But I always felt that Shelby's around. Just near me.

Why hasn't she visited me, then?

"You okay, Luke?"

I turned to Ashton and realized we had stopped walking. "Yeah," I said quietly.

His hazel eyes narrowed in on me. But he didn't say anything. Instead, he nodded and then knocked on the door to Dr Moyes' office.

"I'll be down in Molly's room," he said just as Dr Moyes opened the door. He gave her a polite smile and handed her a piece of paper. "Hi, I'm Ashton and I was told to give you my contacts so I could pick Luke up after your session."

Dr Moyes took the paper from him, giving Ashton a kind smile. "Thank you."

"I'm just going to be in the ICU," he said before he waved goodbye.

"So, have you been friends long?" Dr Moyes asked once we settled in our seats.

I furrowed my eyebrows and, for a second, didn't know who she was talking about. "Oh, Ashton? Um, I met him once, a few months ago. Shelby introduced us to each other."

She looked at me as if she wasn't satisfied with my answer. I sighed and told her how I was with him on a Saturday morning.

Jack and I came across with Ashton while we were on our way from my Thursday session. We met at the lift. As we descended, we got into a conversation about why we were there.

I told him about my therapy and he said he visited Molly. She was in the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital, a few floors down from Dr Moyes' office. Jack asked him how often he visits Molly.

When Ashton said that he'll be coming back on Saturday, I took the opportunity. I know my family were more exhausted than I am. Also, I wanted to see Shelby.

Or at least know where she is.

"Maybe you could pick me up on your way here," I had said. Jack was about to protest but I went on. "I mean, if that's okay. I didn't want to miss a session but I'm starting to get concerned with my family's well being."

Ashton looked at my brother and Jack's sleepless eyes must've been the proof he's looking for. Just as the lift ding-ed,  I already gave him our address and agreed to meet after lunch.