It had been two months and Calum had gotten used to the crutches. Michael and Crystal didn't let him out of their sight. He actually started to joke about it, saying that they were just using him to practice for when they'd have a son. To be honest though, he loved them for what they were doing. Not once did he feel like a weight on them. Not even the first few days, when Michael slept with him, scared that he'd get out of bed during the night and crack his head open.
Then, two months later, he'd have to have surgery, and he was totally freaking out. He stopped drinking coffee when he realized that it kept him awake. He switched it with ginger and chamomile tea, but he still couldn't sleep. He spent the past two nights on his phone, feeling like a zombie in the morning, much to Crystal's worrying.
Now, it was two in the morning, the same day he had to go to the hospital and he still couldn't close his eyes. He had this weird feeling in the pit of his stomach that kept him awake. He almost thought he was about to throw up at some point, but he didn't, since he hadn't had dinner the night before. He couldn't eat before surgery and he surely shouldn't have drank either, but he felt like passing out. So, he took a couple sips of water anyway.
At some point, he decided to get downstairs and sit on the couch watching TV until Michael and Crystal woke up.
"What are you doing here?" Crystal asked, giving him a confused look, "It's so early."
Calum looked at his phone. It was 6.30, Crystal just woke up for her yoga session. "I couldn't sleep," he admitted, sighing defeatedly.
"Well, why don't you stay with me, then?" Crystal told him, forcing a bright smile, "Yoga helps me relax. I'm sure it can help you too."
"Except that I'm not that flexible and I can't use my leg?" Calum said back, rising his brow at her.
"I didn't say you should do yoga. Just get in the right mindset." she explained, flaying her hands around to show her point.
"Or maybe I could kick your ass at video games while she does her meditation or whatever," Michael's sleepy voice spoke as he went in the living room barefoot in his underwear. "I barely slept last night. I'm sure you didn't even close your eyes."
Michael sat next to Calum on the couch, giving him one of the two controllers and turning the tv on. They played until it was time to get ready, and headed to the hospital.
Calum didn't say a word the whole way there. His good leg kept bouncing up and down and his teeth kept biting on his lower lip.
"Calum, calm down. The doctor told you so many times, it's an easy surgery," Crystal said. She was worried too, but she felt like she was the only one still keeping her cool. It was her job to make sure Calum and Michael were okay.
In fact Michael was quiet too. He kept sending Calum worried glances, but didn't have enough courage to say anything.
"I'm going to be sick," Calum said as soon as they stepped foot in the hospital. He leaned on his crutches way more than necessary, feeling too shaky to stay any straighter and too weak to go any faster.
"You'll be okay," Crystal told him. She rubbed Calum's arm, gently brushing it with her long nails. "I'm checking you in, okay? Just wait here."
Calum nodded. As soon as she left, he turned to Michael. "Mikey, say something. Anything."
Michael didn't tell him anything, but held his hand, stopping him from scratching his own skin and comforting him a little.
Soon enough, a nurse took Calum away, getting him to a room and preparing him for surgery.
Crystal and Michael were allowed to wait in his room.
Calum's surgery was supposed to last a couple of hours, but it felt like ages to Michael and Crystal.
