The Way We Love

Come Back

Faceless angels
Relics in a cathedral.
God is sleeping.
A cross for a head.
Basalt in the fractures.
The dust is weeping.
Under the lights, we go,
Spiritual innuendos.
A troubled mind
must do some deep
thinking....

(Paul's POV)
We sat in the silence waiting. The tension between us had dispersed as we focused on the bigger picture, Feather.

"My sister has an enlarged heart, with irregular heartbeats, that's why she has a pacemaker." Figs explained looking at me grimly.

My hands shook, I could barely hold the coffee the nurse had given me in the waiting room, "so how long does she have left?" I asked.

Figs laughed, "hopefully forever. She's had this disease since she was young. It's genetic, and although it has several complications, the machine in her heart does its job by helping regulate her arrhythmia and HCM.

My head was spinning with all of these medical terms. But mostly, I was tired and overwhelmed, "why did she faint then?" I asked confused.

Figs shrugged, "Shortness of breath, fatigue, and fainting spells are all common especially in stressful situations. Plus she hasn't done much cardio since she got it" he joked.

I looked away, guilt made my shoulders heavy. She ran for me. If I hadn't been such an idiot then maybe we wouldn't be sitting in the hospital waiting room.

Figs patted my back awkwardly, I cringed.

"I was wrong" Figs said speaking up, "I judged you based off of someone else's sins. You just have such an uncanny familiarity" he sighed looking down in shame.

His eyes were dark and shadowed with sleep, "let's start over" he assured me extending a hand for me to shake.

I shook it, and we we became two men who were no longer at war.

I stood up pacing, the quiet halls were eerie, as machines gave life to the empty. There were loud noises coming down the corridors, as frantic feet raced to silence the screams. I always hated hospitals. They reminded me that every day we are dying.

I turned to Figs feeling as if I owed him an explanation as to why I was here, "Feather is my only regular client right now, I only brought her to the hospital because I need her money. I don't care about her otherwise" I clarified.

Figs chuckled, "cut the bullshit Paul. You carried her for two blocks, you called me despite our fight, and the nurse told me you threatened to burn down the entire facility if they didn't help her."

I groaned remembering the scene I had caused when I burst through the doors carrying Feather's weak and helpless body.

"How did you manage to avoid the police by the way?" he asked curiously.

I had a few secrets of my own, "I made a fake call to dispatch on your sister's phone. I pretended that I was being robbed by an armed street thug a street away. It's their protocol, they have to prioritize.

They could either continue chasing some harmless kids or save someone's life. I was lucky that they made the right choice and left us alone" I explained.

Figs grinned rubbing his hands together, "well, whatever you did was clever. My sister should be released, after they run a few tests and make sure she's stable" he sighed.

I yawned, "Okay, well good-night," I said getting up.

Figs crossed his arms, "wait don't you want to see her? You're still our guest, as far I know we have a bed for you tonight" he said kindly.

I stood still, looking at the door. The gates of freedom just a few feet away. I wrestled with torment and guilt.

"Please?" he pleaded.