Lights, Cameras, Outsiders!

Chapter 88

LCO 88
"He's completely and utterly a mess," I said later on, sitting in between Patrick and Rob on Aunt Susie's couch.
"How?" Patrick asked.
"I go in the room to go apologize and tell him hello, he starts bawling on me, talking about morphine and stuff," I said.
"He's started crying?" Rob said.
"Yes, he started sobbing. I don't even know why," I said, taking a beer from Aunt Susie.
"Even I don't have a logical explanation for that," Susie said, taking a seat across from us.
"Well he did say he doesn't sleep at night. He was probably just hysterical because of the lack of sleep," I said.
"Most likely, that's the case," Patrick said.
"What are you guys talking about?" Cruise came over and sat down on my lap before sprawling out across Patrick and Rob's as well.
"Matt was crying when he was saw Essie today," Rob said, taking a sip of beer.
"He was crying? I don't know if that's romantic or psychotic," Cruise said.
"What's the difference?" Susie said.
"It was more on the psychotic side," I said.
"Are you gonna see him again?" Susie asked.
"Uh, not tonight. I think I had a lot of psychotic behavior for one day," I said.
"It wouldn't exactly be classified as psychotic," Susie said.
"Oh yeah, you look at him right this minute, he starts bawling, and you don't call it psychotic," I said.
"Okay, okay, he's sleep deprived," Susie said.
"I think he just loves you so much, you make him cry," Patrick teased, rubbing the top of my head.
"Yeah, yeah, if that's the case, I'd love to see him at our wedding," I said. Cruise spit out some of his beer and started laughing.
"Oh my gosh, he'd be on the floor, drowning in his own puddles of tears," he laughed.
"Don't. You'll encourage it," Patrick smacked Cruise's head.
"I think you should see him tomorrow, even if he does soak your shoes," Susie said.
"Fine, I'll see him tomorrow."
************
Matt didn't cry the next time I saw him but he was awfully weak, and could only utter a couple words at a time. And the times after that he was stable, but at one point, he became so weak, he had me spoon feed him his dinner. And the nurses had him take showers with special precautions. And he never let go of my hand most of the time. And two weeks later, he was to be released from the hospital. So instead of going back to the hotel room, we went to the wrap party held under a tent with blaring music and old fashioned barbecue.
"Hey, you made it, man! We thought you was dead!" Ralph said, running up to Matt and giving him a one sided hug.
"Yeah, man, I'm back. Is that beer?"
"Yeah, Francis is pouring some. I'll get you one," he said before running off.
"Now look, Essie, I know you're going to cry tonight. Just don't go overboard," Matt said squeezing my shoulder.
"Oh, yeah, no promises," I said before Ralph came back with his beer. Matt took his beer and started to walk around.
"Hey, hey, Cruise, how you doin', man?" Matt said, shaking his hand.
"Good, man. How are you?" Cruise said.
"Sore, but I'm fine," Matt said. Cruise wrapped his arm around my shoulder for a second and kissed my cheek.
"How are you?" He said to me.
"I'm good."
"I know you're gonna cry tonight," he said.
"I am. And Matt may be crying too," I said.
"No. I won't."
"Alright, I'll see you around."