Ch 2: And The Moments Gone
Meena sniffed and immediately cringed at the sterile hospital smell. Her grandpa was silent for once, smile long gone and face almost white. His big ears fold into themselves to block out the hurried yells from the hallway.
Meenas headphones hung listlessly in her hand while she leaned onto the bed side. Even in her enclosed bubble she couldn't block out the sounds and smells of misery and waste under the overpowering stench of bleach.
Meena hated hospitals with a burning passion. The burn in her nostrils was uncomfortable and the chairs were too small for even the smallest of elephants so they crouched on the glossy linoleum together and tried to stay out of the way of the smaller family's in stages of grief and happiness. The door into the room opened and her mother came in, phone drooping in her hand and eyes red with exhaustion.
Grandpa barely lifted his head to acknowledge her and instead stared at his wife wanting him to be the first this she see when the medication wears off. Meena could still remember the kind Rhinos affirmation that they were lucky. If this was what luck felt like then she didn't want it any more.
"Mom I'm going to go walk around the courtyard."
She looked like she wanted to protest but just nodded and took her daughters place. Fitting her headphones on Meena ignored the two other families in the room and as quietly as possible snuck out of the recovery hall into the general hospital building. Immediately the air lifted and she could breath without suffocating. She didn't even relax fully when a loud noise started up. Ears twitching with the racket she slipped the headphones off and almost wished she hadn't.
"We need to see them! Now!"
"Mr. Moon, I'm sorry but only family is allowed at the moment. You will all have to wait here for the family."
Coming around the corner Meena found the entire theater group there insisting on getting past and nothing could have stopped her smile. Rositta was arguing with the harried zebra on the front desk along with Buster and Eddie. Gunther was loudly crying while holding what looked like a half eaten box of chocolates from the gift shop. Johnny and Ash subtly tried sneaking in her direction, freezing like idiots every time the nurse looked their direction. The situation was almost funny. Certainly enough to make her burst out laughing.
"Meena!"
The moment Johnny hugged her tears replaced laughter and it felt good. New. Finally letting out her fear and emotional exhaustion she allowed them to lead her away with gentle words and the promise of actual food. Gunther even passed her the rest of his chocolates and stopped crying. She'll never let Johnny know, even on the threat of death, what wonders his cool British accent has on her and probably every single one of his fan girls. Never.
Leaning on the gorilla with a huff she kept her head down and walked on to the courtyard where everyone crowded around a single bench. She didn't even notice the sun was still shining, barely past lunch. Breathing in the clear air with a faintest nip of autumn she gently leaned her head down on Johnny's broad shoulder while he and Ash kept talking, keeping her mind away from the bad.
School will be starting soon. She had forgotten all about that. Rosetta's voice became background noise as she nagged Johnny about his apparent lack of application to one of the local schools and instead looking for a second job. She closes her eyes and feels the sun and wonders if tomorrow will be a better day.