George goes back to my room, pausing in the walkway as he opens the door. His eyes glisten as he sees Judy gently feeding me spoonfuls of soup.
"Cures anything and everything." She says, blowing on it to cool it off before bringing it to my eager lips. He smiles. I look up and see him standing there. My heart flutters. Judy stands up and hands the bowl to George, giving a loving pat on his back as she grins and walks out. George sits in the chair and continues to feed me. Even though I feel so unsteady, seeing George just puts something in lock for me.
"So listen." He says after I finish the soup.
"I really feel like to biggest dope in the world." He looks down at his hands. I think I know what he's going to say but I let him do the talking.
"I have to leave for the next tour tomorrow. I want to take you along but everyone advises against it. I feel so terrible for having to leave you here but I can't stay. Even though we've become quite popular we're still too new as a band to cancel tours or to have a member not go. I don't want to leave you." He says, grabbing my hand in his as he looks into my eyes. Mine begin to tear.
"It's what you have to do." I say. My voice is rough from a combination of the damage to my throat and barely talking. He shakes his head.
"I know. But it doesn't mean I want to." My heart races, thinking about him leaving and about the possibility of my now ex, coming and hunting me down.
"I'm leaving my best security here." George says, as if reading my mind.
"I will tell Judy to stay close by at all times. I'll do anything and everything you want... Except stay." I muster up what little strength I do have and squeeze his hand. He gently squeezes back. I reach up and pull him towards me. Since I don't have much strength, he moves under my light touch. He shifts as I bring his head to my chest. He closes his eyes as I run my fingers through his tangled mess of hair.
When he finally sits back up and stands to leave to pack his bag, I tell him to wait a moment. He watches as I reach into my gown, to my bra. I pull out his note and hand it to him. Reaching out, he doesn't have to open it to know what it is.
"God." He says. He looks up and we're both in tears.
"Why didn't you call sooner?" He chokes. I can't form any words through my own tears.
George makes up a bed next to mine and holds my hand through the night. He has an early morning, the car arrives at 7. He arranged to be the last of the four to be picked up, as to soak up as much time with me as possible.
When it's time for him to leave, I shut down emotionally again, refusing to let myself get sad. I know I'm beginning to have feelings for him but he's leaving me. Just like everyone else did. He kisses my cheek one last time, promising to phone that night. He's deeply saddened to see how I'm acting, but understands. He looks back at me all the way until he can't see me any longer.
Once he's gone, Judy comes in with a smoothie for breakfast. She'll take none of it when I say I don't want to eat. After she watches me finish it, she pulls out a book, sits, and begins reading to me.
Pretty soon she's stroking my hair and shushing me quietly as I cry. She stays with me all day, leaving only to make me more food. As promised, the phone rings around eight pm. Unfortunately for George I've already fallen asleep for the night. Judy tells George to stop acting this way.
"You're fans will know." She says, warning him to not be so down.
"I just want to be there Judy. Not here." He groans.
"I know sugar. But I'm with her and I'll have you know she's under the best care a girl can get. Now you go to bed young man. And don't let me hear another word about how terrible you feel. Performing and playing music is your job and taking care of this young lady is mine. You do yours and let me do mine." Judy says before saying good night and hanging up. The next day, Judy brings a television into my room. The two of us watch George every night from there on out, until his tour is done.
