"In 3, 2, 1..."
"3:00! I'm off! Let's go!" She grabbed him by the arm and dragged him.
Xackie and Paul barreled around the mall for hours. They snapped pictures with football mascots and Hello Kitty. (Ten dollars a picture!)They ran in and out of every store, stealing trinkets and candy before being chased out by the angry store-owners.
"Shit. It's five. I gotta go!" Paul panicked, looking down at his watch.
"Hey, where are you going!?"
"See you later!"
"I'm coming with you!"
They got their cardio in. "A good couple exercises together", or whatever they say. Or don't say.
He pried open the slow-moving automatic doors, dashing to the elevator, running to room 555, busting open the door, nearly busting his ass.
"Mom," he slid in next to her, comforting her while she lied there. His arm was a metaphorical sage, strong enough to keep demons and the angel of death away until dawn.
"Buenos días," Nurse García rejoiced, flipping up the light-switch at an attempt to blind the crew and disturb their slumber. "It's a beautiful day." The round-shaped woman circled the bed with Jennifer Bloom's medicine carry. "It's Sunday, 6:00 AM," she explained, filling a cup with pale green pills and another with nectar.
"Good morning," Paul groaned, sitting up in the hard chair. "What is that?"
"Oh- this? It's nectar," she said in her strong Guatemalan accent.
There was a question mark written on his face.
"For the garganta," she exclaimed, pointing at her
esophagus, "So she can control the swallow, thick, so it won't go down the wrong pipe and into her lung. We don't need problems with that lung."
"Okay. So.... when can she come home?"
"Not for a long time, niño. She needs to heal. Major surgery for a major cause, mucho tiempo to regain her strength."
"What is this, a Spanish lesson? How long exactly, nurse?"
"Mira, hijo. I know that you are worried for your mamá, but she will be fine. We just need to keep an eye on her. Don't worry."
"I said how long! Tell me how long!"
The raise of his voice caused Xackie to wake up, she un-slouched her back and freed her eyes from the darkness. "Hey, chill, dude!" She warned him. "Lo siento, señora. Él tiene un temperamento. Just please give them some space?"
"Cómo no," García agreed, setting the cup on Jennifer's bedside. "A few minutes."
"Thanks."
Nurse García evacuated room 555.
"I'll give you some time alone," Xackie mewled.
Xackie evacuated room 555.
A quiet, low grunt. He lifted his head up and peered around the room, cluelessly and curiously. "Paul."
When he realized the sound came from his old lady he burst into tears. "Ma-mom. You're awake."
She nodded. She tried to speak but she couldn't, she just smiled painfully. She hurt, which meant she was alive. 'This isn't a dream', she thought. 'I'm really alive.'
"I'm sorry I wasn't here when you were done....I was horse-playing. But I love you. I can't wait for you to come home. Aren't you excited?"
She nodded again, smiling painfully. She bent her hands into a heart. He did it back. He held her cold, dead hands in his. They stayed like that for a few minutes until Nurse García came trudging in.
"Buenos días, Henífer. It's Sunday, 6:00 AM. Time for your medicine."
YOU ARE READING
Yellow Marigolds (ck)
Teen FictionPaul's life unravels after the shocking death of his mother. As he begins to learn to survive on his own, he also begins making poor decisions, all while battling life with teen endeavors. SpOiler: It eventually leads to his ultimate downfall. ...
