Happy Endings
Richard paced the floors of the waiting room, listening to the overbearing silence and taking in for the thousandth time the smell of cheap disinfectant. Nurses entered every so often, raising and crushing hopes simultaneously all while keeping a small, reassuring smile plastered to their faces.
They are trying to help. Richard reminded himself, looking back at the others waiting with him. Hubert looked like he might either be sick, pass out, or have a heart attack. Malik's normally playful nature was replaced by a solemn silence and a faraway gaze. Sophie looked like she would cry if she had any tears left, curled up in one of the chairs in the corner of the waiting room. Pascal was doing a poor job at keeping her normal cheery attitude, meaning she was silent as she held Sophie's hand.
And as for Asbel... Well he was the one they were waiting for.
They was no news except for "They are performing surgery now." Surgery for what? They received no answer. They knew nothing of the situation at all. Richard still didn't know how to react. The call had only evoked panic when he heard the words 'Asbel' and 'hospital' in the same sentence. He didn't know how he ended up in the hospital parking lot, which probably wasn't a positive thing, but what was right now?
"Damn Asbel, you better not die on me."
Richard muttered quietly to himself, glancing at the clock and taking note that the hour hand was far from where it started when he arrived.
Yesterday things were normal. Richard had gone to work, ate lunch with Asbel and Pascal, worked some more, returned home, took a bath, checked his messages, and just before going to bed he received a call. This call, the only break in his routine, was from Asbel. The nervous tone has piqued his interest, and now considering the circumstances was even more interesting. Through Asbel's stuttering and quietness he was able to gather that he wanted to talk to Richard over dinner the next day. Today.
"...-ant."
Richard glanced up at the new nurse.
"Asbel Lhant?" She called again, searching the faces in the room until her eyes landed on Richard.
He stepped forward, nodding to her, not quite trusting his voice at the moment.
There's that smile, "Come with me, please."
Richard nodded, turning to grab Sophie's hand and pull her over with him, followed by the rest of their entourage. They walked past the hospital doors and somehow found themselves in an even quieter atmosphere.
"So what's wrong with him?"
"I'm not surprised that no one told you. He was shot multiple times. Once in the left thigh and twice in the chest. He's incredibly lucky that he's still alive."
"Is he going to stay that way?" Hubert asked quietly, looking only at the white walls of the hallway.
"We don't know." The nurse replied, sufficiently ending the conversation.
The rest of the walk seemed endless. They passed rooms filled with either silence, whispers, or sobbing. Other than that, noises were provided by footfalls and the wheels of crash carts. Sights were either plain or gruesome, no in between.
"We're here." The nurse said, motioning towards one of the rooms. Richard turned the handle before hesitating. Sophie's grip tightened, trying desperately to stop the shaking she was suffering from. Malik rested his hand on Richard's shoulder, encouraging him to open the door. Why was he waiting, wasting precious seconds where Asbel could very well be dying? Because he had always believed in happy endings. And those beliefs and hopes, along with Asbel's life, might just crumble in front of him tonight.
With this in mind, Richard lightly pushed the door and let it swing open on its own, not sure that he could follow the wooden slab even if he wanted to. He was met with the sound of consistent beeps and the sight of pallid skin soaked with sweat. Pascal gasped quietly and Sophie let out a soft whimper, but other than that the group remained quiet as they filed into the room.
They took up their previous positions from the waiting room after they realized that Asbel was not going to wake up anytime soon and that they were stuck with watching him breathe with the help of a machine.
More hours passed this way. Eventually Sophie fell asleep on the couch provided in the room with her head resting on Pascal's lap, Malik went out to get "breakfast," and Hubert had also managed to fall into a fitful sleep in one of the hospital chairs. Richard himself found it hard to keep his eyes open, him and Pascal both looking entirely worn out.
The clock continued. Eventually, Malik decided it would be best to take Sophie home for some proper rest, seeing as Asbel was stable at the moment. Pascal took this as an opportunity to lay on the couch and Richard pulled his chair up to Asbel's bed to rest his head. He stared at Asbel's hand, taking in how pale he was and following the tubes and cords that led to monitors next to him.
"What are we going to do, Asbel? What are we going to do without you?" Richard muttered, moving his hand to brush against Asbel's.
"You act like I'm dying." Came a quiet, rough voice.
Richard's head snapped up and he stood to move himself closer to Asbel's head.
"You're... You're awake!"
"Where?" He looked so confused. So tired. So weak.
"The hospital. I... We thought you were going to die. You still could..."
"Wha...? Oh... Oh yeah... That woman... I... I saved her... Did I save her?"
Richard couldn't help but smile a little to himself. He didn't even realize he was crying until he felt tears hit his hands. Of course, Asbel encountered a near death experience and he's worried about everyone else.
"I'm sure you did. Of course. But we need to worry about you now."
"I missed dinner."
"We can have dinner some other time."
"You said I could still die."
"But you won't."
"We don't know that."
"I do."
"Where's Sophie?"
"Malik took her home to rest. She needed it."
"Good... Richard?"
"Yes?" Richard had to lean in closer to hear. Asbel's words were getting weaker and were beginning to slur.
"About dinner..."
"Don't worry, we'll talk about it later." Richard took Asbel's hand, squeezing it lightly. Why is he so cold...?
"Love... I wanted... To tell you... I... I love... Love you..."
"I-" Richard had to choke back a sob as the heart monitor started to slow. "I love you too." His own heart felt broken. The person he cared about most, the one he had pushed his feelings away for... That person was dying right in front of him.
The beeping continued to slow and Richard felt the panic begin to set. "Asbel I'm not letting you die." He whispered, leaving his side to exit into the hallway. "I need a nurse!" Richard shouted, catching the attention of several passing people just as he heard Asbel flatline.
...
Weeks passed, and yet Asbel did not. His strength grew little by little. Breathing became easier. He stabilized. No threat to his life. Sophie regained a semblance of happiness as she watch Asbel progress, as did Hubert, Malik and Pascal. Richard held nothing but hope for the happy ending he had always wanted but had been too afraid to pursue. As far as he knew, Asbel had no recollection of what he said that morning. He still spoke of the missed dinner and that he needed to tell Richard something.
That was, until the day Richard visited Asbel alone, bringing with him a bouquet of roses, all varying in color.
"What's this?" Asbel asked, bewildered.
"About that dinner you missed, let's make it a date?"
Richard was satisfied with the way Asbel's face flushed and his quiet acceptance to the plan. He even managed to steal a kiss before he left.
Please don't miss this one. Richard thought, pulling out of the parking lot.
And Asbel wouldn't miss it... He would still go even after he heard Richard's name over the news and saw scenes from the fatal car crash that dealt too much damage to both Richard's body and Asbel's heart.
Afterwards, Asbel gave up on happy endings.
AN: So I just randomly made this and then had no clue how to end it so... here ya go! Sorry it's so flippin sad, but I was just feeling it. Inspiration come from the Death Cab for Cutie song "What Sarah Said." Good song.