JABBALOVE

Hospital Scenes are Romantic

Taz  almost couldn't feel the weight of her feet as she dashed her way to Rob's bedside. "Oh Rob! You're okay?" She leaned down to give him a tight hug, squeezing him in her arms, albeit involuntarily.

"Of course, I am. But really, Tazee, you can let go now; you're strangling me."

On the way to the hospital, Taz imagined all possible worst-case scenarios; Rob in crutches, his face wrapped in bandages, or a legless body. Jesus. But Robert seemed perfectly okay, if anything, he looked healthy as ever. Taz let out a deep breath of relief and clung to him even tighter.

"Wait, what did the man on the phone tell you?" Rob asked. "I told him to tell you what happened and that I'm okay."

"Hey didn't say shit." Taz snapped.

"Oh, see, I knew it, that damn con. I need my fifty bucks back."

"Oh Rob. I think it'd be better if you take some rest now." Taz's legs gave out and she let her whole body fall on her brother's side. "I was so scared that I was gonna lose you."

"Oh shut up Taz, I'm too early to die. I haven't even had those concreted beams incorporated to the bottomchords yet..."

Oh Rob and his engineer-tongue. Taz shook her head and laid close beside him. "What happened?"

"I don't know; I just haven't hit the exact material estimation yet."

"No, I meant the accident Rob. The accident." Taz rolled her eyes.

"Oh, the accident?" Rob shrugged, like he couldn't care less. "I don't really know. All I remember was I was driving down the highway and next thing i knew paramedics were pulling me of a lop-sided car."

"Really?" Taz was thankful this wasn't gonna be one of those traumatic experiences that would scar her brother for life. "Well, do you know how relieved I am now?"

"Sorry I wasn't able to make it to lunch, by the way." Rob said like it mattered more than anything else, more than the accident, actually.

Taz placed a gentle hand on Rob's face, feeling the tears threatening to escape her eyes. "Oh, Rob."

"I promise you we'll eat out as soon as I get out of here."

"I'd sure love that. But please, just think of restoring your health for now, okay?"

Taz and Rob spent the next hour talking and catching up with each other. Taz told him everything that had been happening in her life for the past few weeks and left nothing untold. When she got to the part where she'd accidentally attacked an innocant man with a knife, her brother lost it and burst out laughing. "You're a freak, is what you are." He said before laughing all over again. Taz merely rolled her eyes and continued her autobiography. Rob had a lot of questions about Gracie and Taz was more than eager to fill him in. He also had things to say about himself, like work, work, and ooh, work. Taz decided that her brother's life nowadays revolved around W-O-R-K. After finishing an incredibly boring monologue about the thermo calculations and wide flanges that his newly-designed building needed, Rob finally told her that the sedatives were starting to kick in. Taz smiled, understanding, and let him fall asleep and snore away like the richest man in the world. It wasn't until then that Taz realized that she, too, was exhausted beyond belief, physically and emotionally. The past few hours in the waiting room, wrestling with and being refused of admittance by snappy nurses, tired her more than any physical work that she ever had to do. She couldn't believe she'd been in this rotten hospital for hours. Good thing Joe was - JOE!! Taz literally slapped her forehead as she suddenly  remembered Joe; Joe, who she had to drag with her all the way from Bowmont, joe had generously offered his driving services. Damn, how could she forget about him? Taz walked out her brother's room and found a sleeping Joe on one of the couches in the waiting area. He laid his head on the knuckles of his hand, looking peaceful in his sleep. Taz wanted to run and give him a big, big hug. Joe had been the sweetest guy comforting her and keeping her upright with his arms from the restaurant all the way to the hospital. The last few hours had felt like hell on earth, but Joe was there to make it less difficult for her to bear. She couldn't possibly think of a way to thank him enough.

She sat down next to him on the couch and slowly laid her head on his shoulder. For some reason, Joe woke up no matter how silent she thought she moved. "Hey." He said, his voice a little groggy from the sleep.

"Hey." Taz was too tired to pull her head away.

"You okay? How's your brother?"

"He's fine. Thank God."

"Well, that's good to hear."

"Joe?" She finally looked up and gazed straight at his eyes. "Thank you for being here."

"Don't mention it." He smiled, and yes, it was nice to see that dimple in the most sentimental moment of her life.

"The fast few hours have been pretty dramatic, don't you think? And then I go in there to see my brother and geez, i forgot how anti-climactic he could be."

Joe chuckled and Taz was comfortable enough to put her head back where it was seconds ago, getting the gentle whiff of Joe's cologne.

"Do you want me to get you a cup of coffee?"

No... just um... stay." Taz mumbled, her eyes already half closed.

"Alright."

Taz woke up a few hours later to find Joe gone. His jacket was wrapped on her, though. She looked around the almost-empty waiting room, and felt an unpleasant kick in her stomach. She was hungry. She laid her head back, hating the slight pounding in her head. A hungry stomach and a headache. Perfect. Where was Joe anyway? Taz was missing him already. She thought it was pretty justifiable if she was needy right now, seeing as this was a very vulnerable time in her life. Just then she heard something stir behind her and almost instantly she felt the fullness of Joe's body land on the couch next to hers. "Ah, it's good that you're up now. I brought you some doughnut. And some aspirin in case you need it."

This was the perfect time to say this. "I love you, Joe." Taz said, only half-joking. She reached out for the tablet and bottle of water that Joe was handing to her.

"Well, the feeling is mutual." He smiled, patting her head.

No, you don't get it Joe. I mean I love you. As in, I truly love you.

He took a sip from his own coffee and sank back in the chair

"You look tired." Taz said, taking a big bite from her doughnut. "You should go home, Joe. I'll be okay here." Please don't.

He shook his head. "No, no, no Taz. I drove you here, I am gonna drive you back, okay?"

"I feel like I am asking too much from you." Taz confessed.

"You're not." Joe's voice was soft and sleepy. "I'm glad I'm here."

"Joe, it's a hospital." They were in a hospital and it goes without saying a hospital was the last place she'd ever find herself glad to be in.

"No, I mean, I'm glad I'm helping you out." Joe laugh delicately.

Taz wondered then what his ex-girlfriend, Isabelle's mom, was possibly thinking when she decided to leave this guy. How could one person give up someone like Joe? How?

"Thank you so much." was all Taz could utter, since her throat was beginning to close up. She tried to keep the tears from spilling, though. It was too embarrassing to be breaking down after all the trouble she had caused him. Then she saw something on Joe's arm that woke her up completely - it was the scar that she left on him. Without thinking, she reached out and traced the lines gently along her fingers. Joe hummed softly, prodding her along, letting her know that it felt good. She leaned her head against the broadness of his shoulders as her fingers kept going. She could feel Joe nuzzling her hair, and Taz felt a warm flutter in her stomach.

They stayed that way for the rest of the night.