I took the supermarket flowers from the window cill. Threw the day old tea from the cup. Packed up the photo album Mathew had made, memories of a life that's been lost.
Virgil carefully took the flowers from the hospital window and stared at them. He had bought them with Patton when Roman had first been hospitalized. He blinked back tears and threw the wilted flowers into a trash bag.
He turned to the door. He could hear tears from Ms Phillips and Patton. Biting his cheek he looked back at the side table. Two empty tea cups and one half full. He smiled painfully.
"Honey tea cures the throat, my good sir! Coffee shall do nothing but make my itch for freedom more unbearable." Roman had declared to Remy.
Virgil picked it up and through away the tea bag, pouring the liquid down the sink. He set the cup back down.
He shivered when he saw the photo album lying open on the hospital bed, two grinning ten year olds from six years before looked back at him. One in black and purple, the other white and red.
Picking it up carefully he flipped through the pages, the same two children together in every picture, aging as the pages turned.
He passed pictures of the first time Virgil had visited Roman at a hospital, after Roman had been beat by his father, the two tightly embracing each other. Virgil's shoulders shook.
There was a picture of a birthday party, Roman's twelfth, And Virgil bit back a whimper as he was the only one who had bothered to come. But Roman looked happy.
Virgil's shoulders shook and tears fell from his eyes. He choked back a sob and closed the album, setting it at the bottom of the personal things box.
Took the get well soon cards and stuffed animals, poured the old ginger beer down the sink. Dad always told me 'don't you cry when you're down' but mum there's a tear every time that I blink.
Some of the cards he kept, the drawings from Esther and the pop up cards from Max. But he threw some away, like the ones that weren't personalized.
Patton had spent more money on stuffed animals that Virgil had ever seen. A Pooh Bear and Eeyor, the princess and the frog, a penguin. Every single one Virgil would keep. Every. Single. One.
Of course, tea hadn't been enough for the royal prince, and Virgil had to dump a can of ginger ale down the sink as well.
"Not so easy to keep your surroundings clean without a servant." Virgil muttered to the ceiling. And then he was crying again.
Roman's cracked and hoarse voice echoed through his head "If something happens to me, don't cry. You have to stay strong." But Virgil couldn't.
He cried, and cried, and cried. Sitting with his head in his hands on the hospital bed he silently sobbed.
Oh, I'm in pieces, it's tearing me up, but I know a heart that's broke is a heart that's been loved. So I'll sing hallelujah, you were an angel in the shape of my mum, when I fell down you'd be there holding me up, spread your wings as you go, and when god takes you back he'll say 'Hallelujah, you're home.'
"I'm so sorry, Princey. I failed."
"It's just a game, you don't have to cry. See? I'm fine." Roman smiled at the other boy, placing his hand on Virgil's shoulder.
"I know.. I just realized.. I don't know what I'd do if something really happened to you." Virgil choked, angry at himself for bringing the happiness level down.
