Falling Slowly

Pt.3|Ch.5

•••••Aiden's Perspective

"I told him not to go on." Austyn muttered for the hundredth time, pacing the waiting room floor. "But did he listen? No, of course not."

"Sweetie," I sighed, rubbing my eyes, "if you keep doing that, you're gonna end up in a trench."

She didn't listen to me, and continued to pace faster. "Why listen to Austyn? It's not like she knows how dehydration works, or anything."

"He's just stubborn." Josh said, tiredly laying his head on my right shoulder; Sky's head occupied my left. "There was no way he was actually going to listen to you, even if you knew what you were talking about."

"I did know what I was talking about!" She insisted, finally ceasing her pacing and sitting down next to Sky. "His temperature perception was off, and his skin was clammy, and—"

"We believe you." Sky mumbled, repositioning his head on my shoulder. "It's not hard to imagine Ben being headstrong."

"Come to think of it," I shot her a smirk, "he might've picked it up from you."

She rolled her eyes. "I don't see Sky planning on killing anybody."

Sky shook his head. "Well, no, but I did read a poem yesterday."

I gasped, glancing down at him. "You did?"

He nodded. "Mhm."

"Bravo," I pressed a kiss to his forehead. "I'm so proud of you."

"Joshua did something you'd be proud of, too." He said, lifting his head to nod at Josh before laying back down. "Tell mom what you did, Joshy."

"I listened to Sweeney Todd all the way through on the bus ride today." Josh announced. "I really like the music."

"My boys," I pretended to wipe a tear from my eye, earning a laugh from Austyn.

"Speaking of your boys," Austyn whispered as the waiting room door opened.

A nurse stepped inside, holding a clipboard. "Anyone here for Ben Cook?"

"That's us." Josh lifted his head from my shoulder and stood up. "Can we go in?"

She nodded. "Follow me."

Josh offered Austyn his arm. She took it, letting him lead her out of the room after the nurse.

I nudged Sky with my elbow. "Come on, sleepyhead."

He reluctantly sat up, but kept ahold of my hand and walked as close to my as he could as we followed Josh and Austyn.

The nurse led the four of us down a short hallway, took one left turn, and stopped at the fifth door on the right.

"He's still asleep," she said, opening the door and ushering us inside, "and I wouldn't recommend waking him up."

Ben was propped up in a hospital bed, sleeping peacefully.

He had an IV in his arm, but there was no breathing machine, so he couldn't have been doing too bad.

"What's his condition?" I asked the nurse, just to be sure.

"He's doing well." She nodded. "We're giving him fluids through the IV to help perk him up a little, but he should be able to go home tomorrow. The doctor will be here in a few minutes with more details."

"He's a few minutes early," an older man with a white coat stepped into the room, smiling at us cheerfully. "Dr. Bennet," he introduced himself, giving each of us a firm handshake. "Are you all relatives?"