Taking Chances (Remember to Forget Sequel)

Chapter 26

Luke's POV

There's a quiet knock on the hospital door, waking me up. I sit up in the uncomfortable hospital chair, which I had the unfortunate experience of sleeping in. I figure it's a nurse checking in for the hundredth time, but I'm surprised to see Calum and my dad walk in.

"Surprise!" Calum whisper-yells, noticing my mom is asleep.

I quickly fix my hair and get up from the chair, my back slightly stiff. 

"What are you doing here?" I ask him quietly.

"I'm visiting! And I brought decorations! Your dad said Liz's room could use some 'jazzing up'," Calum says, using finger quotes and laughing.

I roll my eyes and laugh. 

"So, I brought these," Calum says, opening up a giant bag. He pulls out some pictures, a poster saying bee happy with a bunch of smiling bumble bees, and a small pot of flowers. 

"Dad, did you forget she can't have flowers?" I ask, quickly grabbing the flowers. The doctor told us yesterday that flowers could bring in germs and mold.

"Luke, relax. They're fake!" Calum says, taking the flowers out of my hands. 

I take a closer look at them. "Oh, yeah. They are."

My dad laughs.

Calum puts the flowers on the bedside table and gets some tape out of his bag to hang up the poster. "I have these too!" Calum exclaims, showing me some window stickers of butterflies. He excitedly gets to work and decorates the room quietly.

Calum is constantly surprising me. I can't think of anyone who would do all this for their best friend's mom. He truly is amazing, and I am so lucky he has stuck with me through everything.

My dad sits down in the chair. "So how was your night?" he asks, looking over at my mom.

I sit down in another chair. "Compared to Mom, not so bad. She kept throwing up or having random pains. The nurses kept having to come in to check on her, so both of us would wake up. That chair is also the most uncomfortable seat in the world. But it's okay. I just feel bad for Mom."

He sighs. "I know. I'm sure she was happy you were here though. It probably made it a little more bearable."

Calum comes over and sits in the last remaining chair. "Can she have balloons? Is there, like, a rule against them?"

I shrug. "I dunno. I'll ask Jordan or the nurses."

Calum scrunches his eyebrows in confusion.

"Who's Jordan?" Calum and my dad ask in unison.

"Oh, she's a patient here. I met her last night on the roof."

"The roof? Luke, what were you doing up there?" my dad asks suspiciously. 

"I walked up all the stairs and that's where they ended. It's not big deal. I promise."

He sighs. "If you say so."

"Is there hospital laws against that?" Calum asks.

I laugh. "I highly doubt it."

My mom begins to move slightly in bed. She slowly opens her eyes to see us all sitting there.

"What are you all doing here?" she mumbles sleepily.

"We decorated!" Calum says happily.

She looks around slowly and a smile spreads across her face. "It's very nice. Thank you." She pushes the button on her bed to make her sit up so she can talk to us better.