So Long, and Goodnight

11. The Ward

    "He's awake, and he's been moved out of recovery and to the ward he shall be staying in."

    I let out the breath I'd been holding. And it sounded like Scott had done the same thing as me.

    He wasn't out of the wood yet, but he was getting there.

~oOo~

    Having been told that we wouldn't be allowed to see John until tomorrow – after breakfast – we made the executive decision to stay in a hotel for the night.

    The doctor had asked to speak to Grandma in private. At first she told him that anything concerning our brother could be told in front of us, but he said it wasn't something that we would want to hear. She came back looking like she might cry, but told us that it wasn't anything that concerned us.

    And let's just say that the night was not the best; what with the Terrible Two jumping on the beds, singing 'Johnny's going to be okay' over and over again, and Scott close to murdering them.

    The only release from their constant noise was when Grandma told them to go to bed or suffer the consequences. That shut them up. But even the quiet didn't help any of us sleep very well.

    So when we woke, none of us were very well rested; but it had been nice to have a hot shower and something better than the stuff the hospital called food.

    We looked like a bunch of weirdo's when we walked to the hospital. Scott was shouting about how I should be going to school, Grandma was trying to rein in our youngest brothers, and they were trying to play 'Escape the Monsters.' The monsters just happened to be us.

    If dad had been there, they wouldn't have been acting up as much. But if dad were here, none of this would've happened. We had to deal with something that none of should have to.

    By the time all these thoughts had gone through my head, we had arrived at the entrance of the hospital.

    We'd been told we couldn't see him until after breakfast, so we had come while they were eating. I'd been told I could visit for half an hour, and then I had to go to school, along with Gordon and Alan.

    It wasn't much, but at least it was something. And I could see John with my own eyes; see for myself that he was alive and breathing, because the last time I saw him, he wasn't in the best of conditions.

    And then we were in to see him.

    But the ward wasn't like any other ward I'd ever seen. It was white with probably about fifteen beds - only about seven of which were occupied - and just the bare minimums when it came to storage.

    The only bed that seemed to be unlike the others was one at the very end of the ward, and it appeared to be empty. That one had flowers, a colourful blanket and a picture of Orion's Nebula; I only knew that because of John.

    That is when we saw John, sitting on the bed opposite the colourful one. But he wasn't alone.

    Sitting on the edge of his bed was a ginger girl, but John seemed to be deep in conversation with her; a giant smile on his face. He was also holding something pink in his hands.

    Scott seemed to recognize this girl though, even if he couldn't see her face.

    "Good morning, Scott." She said without looking up, "How are you today? I hope you're better than yesterday."

    John's face fell when he looked up, and fear crept into his eyes. Then he did some funny movements with his hands, before the girl did some different ones.