Time is of the Essence

Eight

"Why didn't you go to the interview?" I'm getting mad at Tom.

"I didn't want to leave you." He says in a sad voice.

"I was asleep! How was I supposed to know you weren't here?" I ignore the puppy dog eyes and keep my tone of voice. He can't just put his career on hold for me.

"I would've known." I scoff and roll my eyes. He looks at me confused.

"This is your life Tom. Making movies, going to interviews, walking red carpets, going to premieres. That's what you're meant to do." I change tactics to see if the sad explanation works better then the mean scolding.

"You're my life." It didn't work but I keep trying.

"I'm a part of your life and all that other stuff is too. You can focus on more than one thing." I run my hand through his hair and sigh. "I love you, and I know you love me. But you also love acting."

"I know." He gives in.

"I may not be able to go to the premier tonight, but you have to. It's your last one of this tour, of this movie." I lean down to kiss him. "Please go for me." I give him my puppy dog eyes now.

"Ok." He half smiles and stands up to sit with me on the bed. "But I'm spending every minute I have until then here with you." He holds his arm up and I move into it.

"Deal." I smile.

I'm lonely. Tom, my dad, Z, Jacob and everyone else are at the pramie and I'm stuck here in the hospital doing absolutely nothing. On top of that I can't get comfortable.

I'm not supposed to be walking around unless it's to go to the bathroom. I move from my sitting position to laying back. Then to my stomach, on my side, the other side, all of the possible laying down positions. None of them are comfortable.

Then I think of moving my head to where my feet should go. So I move my IV bag to the foot of the bed and do that. Laying on my back, stomach, side, the other side, every possible position. Same thing, not comfortable.

I have a strange urge to move to sit on the ground but the same nurse I've had for the past week comes in and gives me a weird look.

"What are you doing?" He asks coming over to check my IV.

"Are you always here?" I ask trying to avoid embarrassment.

"No, I get to go home. It's just when your sleeping I guess." He changes the bag and moves to sit at the head of the bed where my feet are. "Now, what are you doing?"

"I'm bored." I lay back and weirdly keep my arms up in the air. It almost looks like I'm frankenstein rising from the dead.

I hear the nurse chuckle. "It shows."

I sit up and move to sit with my knees to my chest and my arms around my skinny legs "What's your name?" I've been so occupied with Tom being here I haven't even asked that.

"It's Gabe." He nods moving so his sitting on the bed more.

"So Gabe the nurse, do you not have any other patients to get to?" I ask.

"Oh, sorry. I'll get out of your way." He stands up and starts to walk away.

"No, I didn't mean it like that." He turns around. "I just thought that I was keeping you." I shrug.

He comes back and sits. "Well, I do have other patients but they're asleep." He smirks.

I crinkle my eyebrows in confusion and he points to the clock. Sure enough it's past midnight. "I didn't realize it was so late. Tom didn't leave that long ago." I say more to myself.