chapter elevenAJ was required to stay in the hospital longer than Lauren had to. She had gone home only to shower, dress and pick up a few belongings. Then she came straight back and stayed by AJ's bed side.
AJ spent most of his time resting. Lauren watched him sleep. His face was still pasty and pale. His hair was partially matted. His arms had the same tubes she had sticking out from them. Lauren hadn't seen him like this before. Alex was so full of life and now he looked so...dead.
Lauren decided to go downstairs to the cafeteria while he was still sleeping. She dog-earred her page in her book and set it down. She stood up and stretched her legs. Lauren leaned over, put a kiss on AJ's clammy forehead and left. On her way down the hall, she met Kevin walking towards the room.
Kevin gave her a hug. "How is he?"
"He's okay. Sleeping right now. I'm just gonna go get some coffee or something," she told him.
"All right." He paused and frowned. "Media got wind of the accident. And something about you and Nick fighting."
"Kev, that's not ---"
"I don't care," he said bluntly. "We don't want a big controversy. Whatever bad blood you and Nick have will be put aside for now. You hear me?"
"I hope you've told Nick this already."
"Yes. You understand?"
"Yes, Sir." She sighed and then left him for the cafeteria.
Lauren's mind was spinning with all the information Kevin just told her. This was all Nick's fault. If he hadn't come to the club or to the damned hospital, none of this would've gone down. Lauren would have been fine knowing that Nick was gone. And on top of this all, the fucking media was now involved.
Lauren gritted her teeth and entered the elevator. A young couple was nestled in the corner, talking to each other with lovey-dovey grins on their stupid faces. Lauren rolled her eyes. Was God intentionally positioning these couples for her to see? Why not just directly shove the dagger in her hear a little deeper? Lauren heard the sickening sound of their lips smack behind her as they kissed.
As she stepped off the elevator, she muttered, "Get a damned room."
Lauren crossed her arms and walked briskly down the sterile, white halls. She passed a few gossipy nurse and ignored their whispers and stares. Lauren tucked her hair behind her ear and turned the corner into the cafeteria.
Inside she rummaged through the piles of unknown brands of chips and other snack foods. She picked out a danish and poured herself a cup of coffee. She paid the cashier and sat down at an empty table tucked away in part of the room.
Lauren put her head on the table, hearing the dull thrud of her forehead as it met the wooden surface. Maybe coming back was a bad idea. She had been fine by herself with a new job and location. Lauren had even started to become a little bit hazy on the details of her relationship with Nick. Since she'd seen him at the club, all the memories flooded back so vividly.
Lauren looked out the grimey window and saw some geese fly overhead. Why couldn't she be a bird? She could just fly away from all her problems. Not that a goose would have any kind of social life or boyfriend problems. Lauren almost laughed at herself for envying a bird.
Lauren nibbled on her danish and looked around the cafeteria. The walls were a grayish white color with flecks of light blue and a light salmon-colored pink in it. There were a few striving plants placed here and there in the room. The chairs and tables were an off-gray. Two doctors were busily chatting near Lauren.
Lauren always found hospitals extremely depressing, despite the fact that babies were born here and people's lives were saved. There was this aura of awaiting death in some wings. You could tell how serious the illnesses were in some halls by simply looking at the nurses on duty. If they looked like hell, most likely they spent all night trying to calm a fitful patient or changing the disgusting bedpans.
Seeing the sick patients was bad enough, but watching their families were worse. Everyone was upset and anxious. Their loved one, who earlier was just perfectly fine, was now in a hospital with five, six needles shoved in their arms and tubes in their nose.
Lauren threw away the danish wrapper and refilled her styrofoam cup with more hot coffee. She exited the cafeteria and made her way back to AJ's room, avoiding anyone that could possibly resemble a reporter.
When Lauren reached Alex's room, he had woken up and he and Kevin were in a light conversation. Lauren stopped in the doorway, leaned on the frame and watched them for a few moments.
AJ turned his head and smiled weakly. "Hey there."
"Hey," she said, hoarsely. "How are you feeling?"
"I feel good. Probably look like shit, though. Am I right?" he asked, grinning.
"Like the undead, dude," she replied with a small chuckle.
Kevin said, "While you were gone, the doctor visited. AJ's healing really well and if he looks any more alive tomorrow, he can probably check out then."
"That's great," Lauren said, "I'm glad."
Kevin patted the chair she'd been in for most of her stay at the hospital. "C'mere and sit down."
"My ass'll fall off if I sit down anymore. It's too numb," she joked.
Kevin grinned and sat down instead. He picked up the book she'd been reading earlier and raised an eyebrow. "You read these sappy romance novels?"
"Rarely. I really should write some. The people who write these get big bucks for what they do. It's so simple. You just make sure you talk about a blond, innocent virgin, a hunk of some fine Latino ass and make sure that she falls helplessly in his arms and blam! You got yourself a crock of shit worthy of a romance novel."
AJ laughed along with Kevin. Kevin flipped through the book quickly. He put it back down on the small table beside him.
"So, my SUV was totaled, right?" AJ asked Kevin.
"Yeah. But we've got the legal hassle done. You have insurance plus the Jeep driver is paying the fine. Apparently they were drunk and the judge saw that you couldn't do anything to avoid the Jeep. So you should get your money back soon."
"Okay. Um, could one or both of you drop by my place and pick up some of my stuff for me for tomorrow?"
"I will," Lauren said, "whaddaya need?"
"A change of clothes, I guess," AJ shrugged.
"Anything else? Shampoo, deodorant, shaving shit...?"
"Nah, I'll do that later tomorrow."
"Okay. I'll be back." Lauren waved and left again.