The Rendezvous // Thomas Sangster

Plain and Simple

I don't remember setting my alarm clock last night. I don't know why I would set it either, since the thought of actually getting out of bed and being productive usually appalls me. Yet, the incessant beeping fills my ears. 

Groggily, I reach out, trying to feel my bedside table to find my phone and turn my alarm  off. However, I'm stopped by something hard and solid. I groan, willing my eyes to open. I'm momentarily blinded by the bright lights, but blinking, I become accustomed to them. 

I'm in a hospital bed. IV's are stuck into my arm, and they have one of those plastic, clippy things on my finger.  I try sitting up, but feel not only a sharp pain in my abdomen, but also feel rough, firm bandages that keep me from doing so - at least, they keep me from doing so comfortably. I inhale sharply, groaning as I fall back on the bed. 

The movements and noise I make rouses someone, who was sleeping in a chair in the corner of the room, causing his eyes to flutter open.

Thomas, upon seeing me, leaps out of his chair, striding quickly over to me, "Stephanie!" 

I lay back against my pillows, trying to stretch as best I can, while looking around the room. Everything comes flooding back to me. Anon. Ricky. And Hero. I stare at Thomas, who looks at me with worried eyes, muttering in a croaky voice, "Thomas--"

"You've been asleep for three days." He says suddenly.

My eyes widen and I gasp, "Three days?"

He nods, "You lost a lot of blood Stephie; they weren't sure if you were going to make it, but they gave you a transplant and..."

"And I'm not dead." I finish for him. "Thomas, what happened?" 

"We stopped Anon." Thomas says, taking my hand in his, "Well, it was Kick really. You have no idea how good he is in a fight. He beat the crap out of Anon - you should have seen him. Then the police came, and we were questioned. You were rushed off to the hospital, of course, and they wouldn't let me come see you until the interview was over. As soon as we were done, I rushed to the hospital, but you were already in the E.R. and they wouldn't let me in and they wouldn't tell me what was wrong with you. Only family gets to know. I still don't know exactly what is wrong - or was wrong, since you're doing better now, because Asket is your only living family now, and she's in the hospital too--"

"Asket's in the hospital?" I ask sharply, "What's wrong with her?"

Thomas blinks, "Nothing. She...she had her baby."

Asket. That's right. The baby. She's got to raise him on her own now...

Thomas pulls his phone out of this pocket and shows it to me. On the screen is a picture of the most perfect little baby. He has blue-gray eyes and what very little hair he has is light brown. 

"Asket texted out pictures." Thomas mumbles. 

"How is she?" I ask, looking at Thomas. 

"She's...she's okay." He mutters, but he won't look me in the eye when he says it. "I mean, for someone who lost her husband and gave birth to her firstborn in the same week, she's doing all right."

I stare at the white sheets on the bed, feeling the regret and guilt seeping through me. Hero shouldn't have died. He should be here, with his wife and his son. 

"She gave him a name already." Thomas says, causing me to look up at him expectantly. 

"Spencer Hero Bennet." He mumbles, "Named for his father...the hero."

Tears sting my eyes, threatening to fall. I have to bite the inside of my cheeks to keep from crying. I look back up at Thomas, hoping for a distraction, "What about Anon? What's happening with him?"