"Here you go, Eddward, a special Valentine's Day hospital meal."
Edd looked down at the hospital tray. There was a small bowl of stiff, mashed potatoes, a small hamburger, and a 'special' sugar cookie with pink frosting. Edd never liked the lunches the school provided, so that's why his mother always prepared his lunch before she left for work. He always wondered if there was anything more stale or tasteless than a school lunch. Now he knew what: hospital food.
But Edd was of course too polite to say otherwise. "Thank you, Nurse Ruth," he said, taking off his oxygen mask. It had been nearly two weeks since Edd found out he would need a transplant, and in that time, his lungs of course decreased in health in that time. He now needed to be on oxygen most of the day, only taking it off to eat or get out a really bad cough.
"Enjoy your meal," said the brunette nurse, smiling as she left the door. Edd lifted up a spoonful of mashed potatoes and was about take a bite when he was interrupted.
"Food!"
Ed was suddenly by Edd's bed, drooling over the food. "Edd, please," said Edd, "the doctors say I need to eat to keep my strength up."
"Yeah, good luck eating that," Eddy said, pointing at the potatoes. Edd was going to argue, but decide not to. After all, he did have a point. Ed picked up the bowl of potatoes and held it upside down. It didn't move at all.
"I think I've lost my appitite," said Edd, pushing the tray away, "so gentlemen, how has your day been?"
"Eh, same old same old," said Eddy, slouching in the blue waiting chair as he picked up the remote.
"Same old thing for me thanks!" Ed said randomly.
"The same for me I'm afraid as well," said Edd, "Oh, and thank you Eddy for picking up those books for me yesterday."
"Yeah yeah," said Eddy, "whatever. You'd think a guy who doesn't have to go to school wouldn't study all the time."
"I do hope I'm not held back for all the school I've missed," said Edd, a little worried. Sure, he was very advanced in all his classes and had a perfect gpa, but there was still always that chance.
"Hey, at least you'd have Ed to keep ya company," said Eddy, gesturing over to Ed, who was making a statue out of Edd's potatoes.
"I hereby name you, Apollo, potato lord of buttery goodness, yum," said Ed, smiling at his work as Edd and Eddy just simply stared. Eddy then grabbed a spoon from Edd's tray.
"Hey Ed, watch Apollo, and don't blink," said Eddy, snickering as he held a spoon over the statue, getting ready to smash down on it, getting Ed covered in potatoes.
"Okay dokay!" said Ed, smiling and not knowing what would happen next. Eddy was about to smash the statue when all three boys heard a familiar voice that made them all stand up straight.
"Hi Double D," said Nazz as she walked into Edd's room. She had her hair perfectly combed, not a hair out of place. She was wearing a pink beret and a fluffy pink sweater. She looked absolutely ravishing. She was also holding a perfectly wrapped box, wrapped in shiny white foil and tied in a rose red bow.
"O-oh, um," said Double D, sweating as he gave a nervous smile, "hello Nazz. Um, excuse me." Edd quickly got on his oxygen mask, not wanting to risk having an attack and being embarrased in front of the prettiest girl in the cul da sac.
"Sorry about the lungs, dude," said Nazz as she sat down on the bed, making Edd even more nervous, "but that doesn't mean you can't still have a great Valentine's day."
"Yes, o-of course," Edd stuttered. Nazz then put his hands by Edd's, making him turn as red as Kevin's hat.
"Are you okay dude?" asked Nazz, noticing his face, "do you want me to, like, get a nurse or something?"
Before Edd could answer, he saw Eddy snickering. He shot him a glare. If looks could kill... "That won't be neccessary, Nazz," he replied, "but thank you."
"Well, I brought you a get well Valentine's treat," said Nazz, handing him the box, "I thought you could use some Valentine's brownies, so my mom and I baked you some. I hope you can still eat chocolate, dude."
"Yes, I can," said Edd, smiling and no longer nervous, "I'm sure they'll be delicious. Thank you."
"No problem dude," said Nazz smiling, "I have to go, my mom's waiting outside. Hope you get back to school soon!" And with that, she quickly gave him a kiss on the cheek, and then walked out the door waving goodbye, leaving Edd stunned and Eddy agape.
Edd touched his cheek and then smirked at Eddy. "Oh shut up!" said Eddy, glaring at his lucky friend, "Now where was I? Oh yeah!" And with that, he smashed the mashed potato sculpture.
()()()()()()()
"Nazz sure is a good cook, huh guys?" said Ed after he had licked his chocolate covered fingers.
"Agreed," said Edd as he closed the box with one remaining brownie in it (sharing food with Ed often meant barely any leftovers).
"What's on tv?" asked Eddy, his mouth full as he turned on the tv. Edd rolled his eyes. Then, he noticed something outside. Small, straight droplets. It couldn't have been snow, it was too fast, and the temperature was 40 degrees. There was a chance it was sleet, but no, it wasn't sleet. It was rain.
It struck Edd that he had been in the hospital the whole second half of winter. Spring was arriving in Peach Creek. Soon it would be raining more often, making the snow disintegrate before people's eyes until it was nothing but a memory. The temperature would be increasing, and soon the flowers would be blooming. And there was a chance Edd wouldn't live to see it. This might be the only sign of spring he would see.
"Hey Double D, blink or somethin'!" Edd blinked a few times in confusion and looked over at Eddy. "Why were you starin' out the window?"
Edd didn't answer right away, he was thinking. After another moment, the boy spoke. "I want to go outside." Ed and Eddy both stared at him.
"Why, it's raining!" reminded Eddy, "plus there's no way the doc's gonna let you outside."
"I know it's raining," said Edd, "That's why I'd like to go outside. I've always enjoyed the rain, and I..." It was hard to explain. He just needed to feel the cool touch of water. A few months ago, there would be no way he would even think about doing something like this. He was the reasonable Ed, the law abiding one. The one who always tried his best to stay out of trouble. But this was different circumstances. "Besides, I'm sure you can come up with a plan to get me out of here, just for a few minutes. Please Eddy."
Eddy looked at him like he was crazy. "You sure you don't need a new brain instead of new lungs?" Edd gave him a look. "Fine, but if we get in trouble, I'm blaming it all on you."
"Thank you, Eddy," said Edd.
"Okay, here's the plan," said Eddy.
"Listening loud and clear!" Ed shouted happily.
About ten minutes later, the three Eds were walking down the hospital hallways incognito. Ed and Eddy were wearing their jackets but now had an added hat (Eddy a baseball hat, and Ed a beret) so that there was a better chance doctors couldn't see their faces. Edd was in a total disguise. He was wearing his purple pants that he had not worn in nearly two months, and a long brown coat. He was also wearing a coat and a fedora to cover his head while his sock hat sat in his coat pocket. Ed had fetched all of the clothes from the hospital lost and found (which Edd made promise to return).
Since Edd had not walked on his own for so long, he had to hang on to Ed's arm so he wouldn't fall down. They had thirty minutes until Nurse Ruth's next rounds, and Edd could usually go with out his oxygen tank for about twenty minutes. They had that long to get back in the room to avoid getting busted.
"Okay, remember the story," said Eddy, "I'm Jack, Ed is Eduardo, and Double D is our uncle who just wants some fresh air, and we're all visiting our Aunt Mildred. That's our story if anyone asks, got it Lumpy?"
"I got it, Jack!" replied Ed. Edd didn't reply at all, he was too nervous.
I'm not sure what I was thinking, sneaking out of the hospital. All the trouble I could get in, the worry I could cause everyone, I could even make myself worse. I could make myself worse! Pneumonia, or even a simple cold could land me in the ICU. I could've slipped and fallen, or have had a coughing attack right on the street! I wanted to turn back, but after all the work he and Edd did, I'm sure Eddy wouldn't let me. But in the end I suppose, it was all worth it.
When the three were finally out the hospital doors and under the small balcony, Edd sighed. He was breathing a little hard, but he expected that. As he breathed, the smell of wet grass and rain filled his nose. The sidewalk and steps were a wet, brown color, and there were only patches of snow in the grass.
"Ed, could you please walk me forward?" asked Edd. Ed obeyed, and Edd held out his arm. Because of the size of coat, the sleeve slipped down Edd's arm, exposing it to the rain. The cold droplets made Edd flinch at first, but then it was almost therapeutic. The rain fell in a pattern that made Edd relax. It was like taking a shower, he hadn't taken a nice, refreshing shower in so long.
"Isn't it wonderful?" asked Edd, "The simple joys of nature."
"Man, your brain is gone," commented Eddy. He then ran over to a puddle on the hospital path. "Hey Ed, I think there's a fish in here!"
"Let me see!" said Ed. Edd let go of his friends arm and grabbed on to a balcony support beam as Ed ran over to the puddle. "Where Eddy where?"
"Here!" Eddy then splashed Ed right in the face. Ed was stunned for a minute, but then smiled as Eddy laughed.
"Sneaky Eddy," said Ed, "My turn now!" Ed then jumped in the puddle and made a big splash, making Eddy soaked. "Hey!" Eddy shouted, glaring at the lovable oaf as he laughed. Even Edd laughed at that one.
After ten more minutes of being in the rain, it started to slow down until there were just simply clouds in the sky. It was then Edd suggested they go back his hospital room. The three secured their disguises and walked back to the room without any incidents (although one nurse looked at them suspiciously, but Eddy claimed it was just because she was checking him out. Edd automatically rolled his eyes).
"It was so nice to get out of this stuffy room for a while," said Edd as he crawled back into his warm hospital bed, "thank you both for the assistance."
"No problemo, Double D!" shouted Ed.
"Hey, you three!" All the Eds jumped at the voice, and turned to face the nurse at the doorway. She didn't look too happy. All of them, even Ed for fear he wouldn't be allowed to visit his friend anymore, all started to sweat, thinking they had been busted. "I've told you before, you all need to be quiet when you visit. The whole floor can hear the ruckus you two create when you visit," she said, looking at Ed and Eddy.
"I assure you nurse," said Edd, "they'll be more quiet. Right?"
"Oh yeah, sure," said Eddy.
"Quiet Ed is I!" said Ed, not being so quiet.
Shortly after the nurse left, the three Eds said goodbye, and Edd helped himself to the last brownie since he hadn't ate much of his lunch. It had definitely been an interesting Valentine's day, if not a stressful one. But Edd was still happy that he was able to experience the first rain of spring first hand. It was a Valentine's day he probably wouldn't forget.
And he would Never have a Valentine's day like this again. To Edd, he was just as happy with a normal, ordinary Valentine's day. But if he did get another kiss from Nazz, he wouldn't complain.
Please review. BTW, I'm serious about the school food. I hung my mashed potatoes upside down, they didn't move at all. ...yes, as Edd would say, "That's disturbing."