Eliott Price Should be Dead

twenty eight - sedate

Jackie and I sit in the waiting area of the emergency room. Her legs are spread across my lap as she sits facing me, eyes scanning a magazine.

"My brother's are so dumb. 'Specially Ivan," Jackie suddenly says as her fingers slowly turn a crinkly page of the magazine.

"Yeah? Well, boys will be boys I guess. He was bleeding pretty badly," I add while tapping my fingers along Jackie's ankles.

"I know," she pauses and glances up from her magazine, "you guys seemed like you got along really well."

I scoff and stop tapping my fingers, turning my head to look at Jackie. I think she's being sarcastic but her eyes stay focused and I can't sense any sarcasm.

"For real?" I ask, sticking my neck out a bit to add emphasis.

"Yeah. I can't explain it, you guys just... fit well together."

I shrug while Jackie begins reading her magazine again. I'm glad we're done discussing it, but my mind starts thinking about what would happen if she ever catches on or finds out that Ivan and I have some interesting history. In fact, it's not even history, he's subtly flirting with me at almost all times, even if he won't admit it.

Jackie closes the magazine with both hands, producing a clap. She reaches her arm back and sets it on the end table, looking at me with mischievous eyes and a smirk.

"I wanna get outta here so badly," she mumbles.

"But your brother is bleeding out -"

"Shh, who cares?" She mumbles again.

I notice we've caught the attention of the elderly woman sitting across from us. Her eyes keep darting from her crossword book to us and back again like a boomerang.

"I care, I wanna make sure he gets home safe. With us," I tell Jackie in a quiet voice, but I still feel the elderly woman's stare.

Jackie rolls her eyes and retracts her legs from my lap, curling up into a ball on her waiting room chair. I watch her eyes softly close like she's suddenly decided to take a nap.

"It shouldn't be much longer, he's just getting stitched up. We'll be outta here soon, okay?" I reassure Jackie but she just nods and keeps her eyes closed and her legs curled.

I look around the waiting room and notice the old lady doing a crossword, her eyes heavy and puffy. There is nobody else in this section of the hospital, but I guess it makes sense since it's urgent care and not usually used for anything super serious. The woman at the reception desk is doing some computer work which seems extremely serious.

"Mrs. Beckhart, your son's x-rays are completed. You may come back now."

A friendly nurse peeks her head from behind the door that says "no admittance unless with hospital staff," and the old lady takes her time stuffing the crossword book into her purse. She waddles over to the door and I hear it shut a few moments later.

"Ugh, why can't that be Ivan already," Jackie mumbles while not moving an inch, "I wanna go to sleep."

I check the clock on the wall and it's just before midnight. I yawn and let my head lean against the wall behind me, my eyes closing gently while the only noise is faint beeping and the keyboard clicks of the receptionist.

"I hope everyone is okay at home," Jackie mumbles again. I don't open my eyes, I just sit there and shrug.

"Is your dad home?" I ask and immediately realize it's a dumb question.

"Probably... not," Jackie scoffs and I hear her shift around against the scratchy fabric of the hospital chairs.

The door squeaks open and I open my eyes for a second before I hear Ivan's voice.

"Alright losers, I'm stitched up and slightly drugged but let's go," Ivan says as he stands in front of the no admittance door. Swiftly following him, a man who is either a nurse or a doctor walks through the door and over to Jackie and I in the waiting area.

"We gave him a mild sedative and stitched him up, wrapped his hand, and gave him some extra gauze and bandages. He should rest the hand for the next three days and the stitches will fall out within the next seven to twelve days... here is a more detailed care sheet for him," the man says, who I identify as an RN from his hospital badge. He hands Jackie the sheet and I resist the urge to grab it from her.

"Thank you," Jackie and I both say almost simotaneously. She shoots me a glance and then looks back at the nurse. He smiles and gives a small nod before heading back through the door.

Ivan is standing in the middle of the reception area, holding his bandaged hand with his other. He blinks a few times and stares blankly, a good sign the sedatives are working, giving us a smile before walking closer.

"I'm fine. Let's leave," Ivan mumbles as he keeps a tight grip on his bandaged hand.

"Looks like you just came out of a three day bender," I sarcastically tell him while his eyes drop open and closed to blink.

"Shut the hell up, whatever they gave me is really good," Ivan says with a chuckle.

"At least he's still got it," Jackie whispers to me.

I hold back from laughing and I look over to notice Jackie doing the same.

----

Sorry this is so short, I'm just proud of myself for doing it! Summer classes and lots of other things are kicking my butt but I appreciate all of you guys waiting and sticking around for me to update. I so desperately want to get back to updating weekly, improve my writing, and be active in this community again but I don't think I can for a little while yet. That's so frustrating but I have hope one day I will be able to!