Finding Home

I've Fallen

I hate hospitals. I've spent enough time in hospitals in my seventeen years to last me a lifetime. The pitying looks every nurse and doctor would give when they passed me sitting on the floor with Peyton crying in my arms as our mom was convulsing in the other room from yet another overdose. Nurses would bring us food and sit with us in silence because I refused to speak.

Peyton was still only a baby. Any food or money I got went straight to her. It was my responsibility to make sure she was okay. To make sure she was fed, bathed, had a diaper change. I had to make sure she didn't get sick. There was no way we could afford the medical bills if we couldn't even afford a loaf of bread.

Things never really got better, she just stopped coming back more and more. Eventually, I stopped expecting her and John really took us under his wing and set us up in a house for free until I got a job. He still doesn't charge me full rent though. Ricky, a friend of my dad and John's from way back heard about what had happened and offered me a position at the shop. I was only fourteen at the time and there wasn't much I could do, but money was money. Ricky knew I wouldn't just take the money without doing anything for it, I didn't want charity. I needed to feel like I was doing something.

I owe so much to Ricky, John, Emma and Frasier. They've helped Peyton and me so much from the start. I wouldn't have even been able to afford to go to school anymore if it wasn't for John and Emma. They were the parents I wished I had.

"Sir, we're going to need him to get down from the bed while we do some tests." Some man's voice, who I assume is the doctor, says.

My eyes stay closed, too calmed by the feeling of Paisley's head on shoulder and arm on my chest still.

"Is there any way we can wait a bit? Neither has had much sleep." There's John's hushed voice. I can just see him putting his hand on the doctor's shoulder and moving them further away from the bed.

"Sir, the quicker we do the tests, the quicker she can be discharged." He says curtly.

My ears perk and I open a single eye. The quicker the tests get done, the quicker she can be discharged and the quicker we can all get out of here. Just as I thought, John has pulled the doctor to the side and are talking, Frasier's spread out on one of the chairs in some uncomfortable position.

"Wake up" I turn my head and kiss to top Paisley's head, lightly shaking her with my arm. Her face scrunches and she buried her face in my neck. "They need to do some tests so you can be released." She groans burying her face deeper into my neck.

After a minute, John notices I'm awake and I nod for telling him "it's alright, we're up". Yeah, he got all that from a nod. Paisley rolls away and rubs the sleep from her eyes and I get up stretching my muscles but wincing at the pain in my ribs. Dr Kirby raises an eyebrow at me but turns back to Paisley a second later.

"Morning, Miss Evans. How're you feeling?" Dr, Kirby, says his name tag on his scrubs, asks.

John nudges Frasier awake and John nods towards the door and makes a cup with his hands telling me, "we're going to get a drink". I nod in return and stay by Paisley's side as Dr Kirby continues to ask her a bunch of questions.