So glad that y'all are enjoying this story, and I hope you continue to do so! This time we are in New York, and Emily and Rusty are going to spend some quality time together. There' s just one little hiccup in that plan…
"You know you could've gone to the show with them," Rusty said.
"I could've, but it's good for mom to go out without the kids sometimes. Plus, she hasn't seen Donna in years." Emily was a nice person, and even if she was unhappy about being stuck with him she wasn't showing it. She had taken him out to dinner, and now they were just eating ice cream on the balcony. New York was a big city, and Emily's apartment had a great view. Maybe he should travel more because there were definitely exciting places other than LA.
They sat out there for a while just talking and enjoying the night air. The conversation had been interrupted by a text from Sharon. The show was great, and they were going for dinner. Dinner at 11 at night was odd, even for Sharon, but he was just thankful that she was having a good time. When they were all out shopping earlier they had run into one of Emily's old dance instructors, Donna, and apparently her and Sharon went way back. One thing had led to another, and now obviously they were out running the town.
It had taken both Emily and Rusty to convince Sharon that everything would be fine, and that no he wouldn't go and get murdered tonight, and yes they would call if they needed something, and yes they were sure they would be fine. Just thinking about the whole conversation made him want to laugh. Sharon like worried way too much.
He got up to take their bowls to the sink, and to get a drink. He asked Emily if she wanted anything. But he wasn't paying attention, and he tripped over one of the rugs, dropping the bowls in the process and landing right on top of the glass. He heard Emily yell in the background, and he felt the blood run down his arm as he tried to get up avoiding the rest of the glass.
"Rusty are you ok?" she asked carefully stepping through the mess on the floor to where he was sitting.
"I'm sorry…I tripped…I will buy you new bowls I swear."
She grabbed a towel wrapping it around his arm, "Don't worry about the bowls, are you ok?"
"I-uh I think so." He didn't think that he was injured other than his arm, but he wasn't sure either. Maybe it was just his pride that was a little wounded.
"Can you stand up?" He nodded that he could, and she helped him up moving him to the sink.
After they had cleaned it up enough to see the cut clearly, there was glass stuck in it, and it was pretty deep. "I think you need stitches," she said. He shook his head no, but she continued on, "Mom is going to kill me."
"No, she's not. It was my fault…I'm the idiot who tripped over a rug. Oh man, do you really think I need stitches? It doesn't look that bad…we can like just clean it up."
"I broke her youngest child; you're the baby, and I let you get hurt." She was suppressing a giggle, and he didn't know if she was being sarcastic or not, but being called the baby was somehow surprising. The whole sibling thing was new, but he knew what she was saying. "Alright, let me grab my stuff. Keep that wrapped up; I do not need blood in my car." She gave him that pointed look that she must have inherited from her mother.
He did as he was told, and pulled the towel tighter. Sharon was going to be…well he didn't know what she would be, but he wasn't looking forward to telling her. The bloodstain was growing on the towel. He thought that pressure was supposed to stop the bleeding. Why wasn't it working?
He walked to the door where Emily was waiting, and he was beginning to feel a little lightheaded. "You look white as a ghost. Don't pass out on me either." That wasn't his plan, obviously. "Maybe you should call mom on the way to the hospital," she added.
As Emily drove, he pulled out his phone to call Sharon. It was blurry, he shook his head to see if that made it better, but it didn't. The towel was completely soaked now. "How much further?"
"A couple of blocks, are you ok?"
/
He woke up to the movement of being rolled into the hospital on a stretcher. Emily was right beside him, and she was holding his hand. He squeezed it, and she basically yelled at him, "Oh thank God! Never pass out on me again! Ever!"
He let out a small laugh, and she smiled. They wheeled him into a room, and hooked up some stuff, and then a doctor started pulling the towel off his arm, which hurt a lot. The doctor asked him some questions about how it happened and what not, but she didn't make fun of him. She just said, "I've heard of crazier things." She also told him that he definitely needed stitches. She left the room telling him she would send a nurse in to clean out the glass, and she would be back.
Someone came in talking about paperwork, and Emily told them to wait for their mom since neither one of them knew anything about the insurance. This was the exact kind of situation Sharon had been telling him about when she wanted to adopt him. It was things like this he had never thought about before Sharon. Again, with the always being right. Geez.
Emily stayed by his side the whole time they stitched him up, constantly asking if he was in pain, or did he need anything. She was rapidly turning into a mini-version of Sharon with all the worrying.
It wasn't long before he heard the familiar click of Sharon's heels in the hallway. She came rushing into the room right up to the side of his bed. He and Emily both started talking at the same time, but his voice won out, "I'm okay really Sharon, and I'm sorry I like ruined your night and you had to come here. I'm sorry."
When Emily had called her, she instantly knew something was wrong because they had both been so insistent that she go out and have a good time. Then, when she heard her daughter's voice in panic mode her heart had skipped a beat.
"Mom, he fell and there was a lot of blood, but he was fine. Then we were almost to the hospital and he passed out. We just got here, and they have him on a stretcher."
"Em, slow down. What hospital?"
"Bellevue."
"I'm on my way, stay with him."
The words blood, passed out, and stretcher kept ringing in her head; she didn't like any of those words, especially in relation to one of her children. Emily was too panicked to give her the details so she hadn't pushed her, but they were at the hospital so he was in good hands. Or he better be or the doctors might find themselves on the other side of her gun.
Now walking into the emergency room, and then seeing him lying in that bed her chest felt tight. She came into the room, and immediately felt the need to touch him, just to make sure he really was ok. She hadn't been able to say a word, but she put her hand on his head running her hand through his hair while both he and Emily tried explaining at the same time.
Finally, Rusty said, "I'm okay really Sharon, and I'm sorry I like ruined your night and you had to come here."
Ruin her night? Was he serious? He was worried about her night when he was lying in a hospital bed. She seriously didn't know what to say.
"Mom, he's okay. Say something please."
"I…" words were eluding her for the first time in a long time. She was just glad he was ok, and that her daughter was good in a crisis. "You did good Emily, but can-" She was interrupted by someone knocking on the door. The woman explained about the paperwork, and so with a pat to his shoulder she excused herself. She was thankful for another minute to wrap her head around the fact that he was going to be fine, and to form real words and sentences again. She had to tell herself several times that he was fine.
Emily was sitting in the chair looking from him to Sharon, who was in the hallway, and back to him. It was as if she didn't know what to do all of a sudden.
He had to say something, "This isn't your fault, and she's not upset about the stitches and all that." Were tears really forming in his eyes? He blinked rapidly trying to get the rest of his explanation out quickly before Sharon came back. "It has nothing to do with this. It's…"
Wait. Had Sharon told Emily about all the Stroh stuff? He didn't want to worry her if Sharon had intentionally kept it from her. He decided to go with what he knew she knew. "It's just all the stuff from before, and how worried she was about…" He couldn't say it. He couldn't say about me being almost killed by a psychopath.
Emily knew though, and she grabbed his hand giving him a tight smile. "I know how worried she was when you were almost…" she paused too, and he figured neither one of them could say it. She picked right back up though, "And I know how she is. She's a worrier. She is always going to jump to the worst case scenario."
At least they could both agree on that.
From the nurse's station she could see her children, and she was amazed that Emily was trying so hard to comfort Rusty. Emily hadn't verbally protested the adoption, but she had raised questions, rightfully so, but now looking at them…you would never know it. She hurried to finish the paperwork, and she handed over the insurance card. Before she went back into the room, she informed a nurse she wanted to speak with the doctor before he was discharged.
She didn't know the specifics, but she knew he had gotten stitches and she wanted to know the details. Details would put her mind at ease.
As she walked back to the room she caught Emily's eye, and made a subtle motion for Emily to join her in the hall. After a minute of reassuring her daughter that she did everything right, and that she wasn't angry with her, she sent Emily off to find a drink. She wanted a second alone with Rusty.
Emily went back to Rusty's bedside, and Sharon heard her say, "You want anything? I'm going to find a soda." Rusty just shook his head no.
She had to admit, she was proud of Emily for stepping up all around tonight. First, Emily had volunteered to hang out with Rusty so that she could go out with Donna, and then she hadn't left Rusty's side apparently since the whole ordeal began. As Emily walked by Sharon brushed her shoulder with a hand. She would talk to her in more depth, later, when they were back at the apartment.
Right now though, she needed to talk to Rusty. She took Emily's chair and scooted closer to the bed. She put her hands on his uninjured arm, "Are you in pain?"
"No they numbed it with a shot, but when that wears off they said it would probably hurt." She nodded her agreement. "But I'm good Sharon, really I am."
"I know that honey, things happen. When Emily called though you were unconscious." She hadn't intended to stop, but her throat was clenched and if she said one more word she might've wanted to cry. He had already witnessed that the other day, and he didn't need her burdens on top of his. She had been angry with herself that night for allowing it to happen at all, but he was right they are family. Maybe her opening up a little would cause a reciprocating action.
"It just wouldn't stop bleeding, and I was trying to call you. Then, I woke up while they were rolling me here. It was just a few minutes."
He was trying to reassure her…again. She wanted to turn the conversation around, but the doctor came into the room with Emily in tow. Obviously their talk would have to wait too.
He looked at the clock, and was shocked to discover that it was almost 3AM. Emily was blowing up the air mattress for him, and Sharon was in the shower. She had made up a lame excuse about the streets of Manhattan and just feeling like she needed a shower, but he figured she just wanted to be alone. The apartment was nice, but a little small; there was only one bedroom, and not a lot of privacy.
Emily was being overly helpful by blowing up the mattress, bringing him water, making sure he took some pain relievers, and she even covered him up when he crawled on top of the bed. He laughed to himself, wondering how long she would feel guilty. After that she slipped off to her bedroom telling him goodnight.
He was trying to stay awake to talk to Sharon, but he was just so tired. Eventually sleep won out, but he thought at some point he felt her hand stroking his hair. He couldn't seem to open his eyes though.
So I think just one more chapter in this story…unless as someone suggested you guys want to see Jack. I'm having trouble finding any sympathy for Jack given past events, but if y'all want to see it… ask and you shall receive. Thanks again for reading!