Train Wreck

eleven

Remington POV

I watched as the nurse wheeled Alice from the room and tried not to hurl into the same puke bin she just used.

Shit. Did I scare her away?

I felt myself thump onto the bed, my body aching and sore but thankful to have freshened up and put on track pants and one of my old baseball t shirts from training camp in college.  The hospital gowns were uncomfortable and I felt more like myself this way.

The nurse returned and quickly grabbed the gross plastic container, rushing it to the bathroom to clean up Alice's mess. "I am so sorry!" she exclaimed while busily tidying the room and getting rid of our dishes. "I should have taken care of this right away but poor Alice got so sick that I just wanted to settle her into her bed and get those meds in her system."

Concern filled me as she spoke, "Is she okay?"

She nodded and gave me a reassuring smile.  "She'll be fine. Gave her some zofran to calm her stomach so she'll be comfortable soon."  The nurse paused, "Want to head over? She already had me move the armchair closer to her bed for you..."

That fact made me grin so I nodded, grabbing my phone and charger while settling into the wheelchair she lined up next to the bed for me. We made our way over and I heard a roar of laughter coming from her room as we approached.

"So then, Greg was like 'Oh, well, I'm older then both of you combined so fuck this shit, I'm out' AND HE LEFT THE TABLE!!" Benji nearly shouted as Alice squealed with laughter while he spoke.

We entered while Jesse was laying face down on Alice's bed, laughing so hard he was crying while Benji cackled as he told the story of their lunch to his sister. Her laughter echoed while my dad shook his head with a deadpan expression on his face.

"Look, I'm an old man and I won't stand for this shit. Let me eat what I want or I won't stick around," he said defiantly, nose in the air and arms crossed.

I laughed and gave him a nod of appreciation, "Wow, you have gotten so curmudgeonly in your old age."

"Oooh, using a smart person's word," Benji said in a mocking tone while still laughing.

Alice kept laughing but reached over to try and smack Benji in the back of his head,  saying through clenched teeth, "Respect your elders, child."

A pause came over the room before Jesse and Benji made eye contact and began laughing once again.

My dad let out a mock exasperated sigh, "Son, I just don't know about these new friends of yours..."

Alice grinned, "I am so sorry for the behavior of my brother, Mr. Lowe."

He shook his head, "Oh, I understand, young lady. He's just like my Reese was..."

The laughter ended for myself and Jesse while Benji and Alice merely slowed down. "Reese?" Alice asked, while Benji let out a loud sigh, sitting back in his wheelchair and focusing his attention on me.  He wiped his eyes and looked around, waiting for an answer while Alice met my eyes.

Silence fell.

I never know how to respond when Reese comes up.

My dad smiled softly, "My second born, Reese... but he passed away over a decade ago..."

Alice and Benji shared a knowing look and nodded before Benji smiled at my dad. "Well, it's cool that I remind you of him. Like... really cool. Makes me pretty happy."

I grinned, "I thought that even back on that train, Benji."

"Really?" Alice responded, sipping her water a moment while Jesse moved Benji into one of the arm chairs while I let out a long sigh and moved to her side. She reached out a hand to me, taking my wrist as I came to her side.