Lights, Cameras, Outsiders!

Chapter 31

LCO 31

"Essie!" Tommy ran in with a smile on his face. I smiled and raised my arm from where I was laying.

"Tommy, hi!" I said as he kissed my cheek and sat on the couch.

"Did anyone else come?" I asked.

"Yeah, I got a couple," Rob, Christine, and Cruise walked in and I hugged all of them.

"How you doin'?" Cruise was on his knees by the bed while Rob and Christine squeezed in on the couch.

"Tired," I said.

"Not gettin much sleep round here?" He said, propping his elbows on the bed.

"Yeah, not a lot," I said.

"You need your energy back! When the hell will you get outta here?" Cruise said.

"They don't know if I'll even live from this."

"Really?"

"Yes! My heart stopped," I said.

"Filming ain't the same without you," he said.

"Y'all have been doing fine without me. It's been four days," I said.

"You know I still don't know how you got this. My grandfather had one of these At eighty not eighteen," Rob said.

"Yeah I don't know either."

"Where is he?" I asked after some silence.

"He was here with us. He's probably going to take a smoke," Cruise said.

"Well, I'm starving. I'm getting a snack," Tommy said and walked out the door while Cruise took his place.

"You missed it. I did a flip off the good of a car and nearly broke my skull open," Steve said.

"He did! Hit his head on the ground," Rob said.

"You know Essie, Matt's been great filming. He's... Just great," Christine said.

"Yeah I wish I could see him."

"He hasn't visited you in here?"

"Not since I was admitted."

"After four days?" Rob said.

"Four days," I said.

"Well he wanted to see you," Cruise said as Tommy dashed back in the room and closed the door.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Matt's outside in the hallway. He's crying," he said.

"Are you sure he's not laughing?" Cruise said.

"No,stupid! He's actually 100% crying, tears and everything."

"You're lying," Christine said.

"No. When he comes in, he won't look right, okay?"

"Okay."

We talked a little longer and when Tommy came back, Cruise came back to my bed. He grabbed my hand and kissed the top of it.

"They're filming the drive in scenes tomorrow," Steve said smiling when the door opened. I saw Matt step in.

"We'll leave you alone..." Cruise stood up as everyone else did.

"Bye," I squeezed Cruise's hand as they walked out.

"Hey," I turned and looked at Matt as they closed the door. His eyes were puffy and red and his cheeks were red and stained too.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I said.

"Nothing, nothing. I'm fine," he said.

"Then why are your eyes puffy?" He sniffed.

"Cause I've been tired."

"Have you been crying, baby?" I said, running my thumb down his cheek. His lip quivered and started to whimper and laid his cheek on the mattress.

"Yes," he said in between sobs.

"Baby..." I said, running my fingers through his hair.

"They say you may not make it..." He said.

"I know..."

"I don't want to loose you," he said, tears running down his face and onto the mattress.

"I know," I said. He took my palm under his cheek and kissed my palm.

"I can't say goodbye... I just said hello."

"I'm sorry," I said, kissing his cheek.

"Do you think you'll live?"

"Yes."

"Good. Cause I wanted a life with you," he cried harder and dug his face deeper in my hand.

"Maybe we will," I said. He looked up and I wiped underneath his eyes as he sniffed in, congested.

"I wanted to get married and have a career and just...be with you until I die."

"I know..." I said, kissing his jaw. He looked down.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you too," I said, kissing him. I pulled back and saw another tear fall down his cheek.

"Baby..." He kissed me and wrapped me in a hug.