"Sir?" asks a woman behind me, tapping my shoulder lightly. "I have news about your son."
I shake the sleep from my eyes. "Really? Is he okay?"
She smiles and puts a hand on my shoulder. "He's fine. He's a fighter, you know."
I let out a breath and collapse against the back of my chair. It feels like my shoulders dropped two feet after releasing so much tension. "Thank god."
"He's not perfectly healthy, but he's alive and awake. The doctors have already talked to him, so you can come see him now."
She didn't need to tell me twice. I spring from my seat and follow her down the hall to Nate's room. "He's right in here," she says.
"Okay, thank you."
"Before you go in there, you should know that because he has a severe concussion, the room is being kept dark to protect his sensitive head. He is also forbidden from watching TV, reading, drawing, or listening to music. You should also try to keep your voice down."
"Of course, of course."
The nurse smiles and opens the door for me. "Go on in, sweetie. He's been waiting for you."
I nod, then hesitantly enter Nate's room. This could go in two very different directions.
The only signal Nate gives me to acknowledge my presence is his eyelids sliding open silently. "Hey, kid. How are you feeling?"
"Fine."
"Your nose was pretty messed up earlier. It looks better now."
"Yep."
"Those arms look pretty painful, too."
"Uh-huh."
I sigh and pull up a chair beside his bed. "Okay, listen Nate. I'm sorry I hit you. It was absolutely uncalled for and I shouldn't have done it, but you have to admit you were being difficult."
Nate finally stirs and shows some energy. "I was only being difficult because you were being difficult," he shoots back.
"How was I being difficult?" I refrain from yelling because it would be killer for his head.
"Really? Really?" he snaps. Apparently Nate doesn't care about the "no yelling" rule. "How is you forcing me to go to school not being difficult?"
"Kid, I told you-"
"I told you not to call me that!"
"Okay, okay. Take it down a notch. You're gonna hurt your head."
"Not you too," he groans. "My head is just fine. I don't need everyone to tiptoe around me like I'm some delicate... thing that's needs to be taken care of."
"Nate, look at me." He begrudgingly spares me a glance out of the corner of his eye. "You were in a car accident a few hours ago. You have broken bones and a severe concussion. You are injured. It's okay to be needy." I'm suddenly struck by an idea to get Nate to come home with me. "How about this? I'll stay with you while you're recovering and-" Nate looks like he's about to interrupt, but push through. "-afterwards you can decide if you want to come back with me or not. Sound like a deal?"
Nate frowns, considering my proposition. "Hm, let me think about that... Hm..." He taps his chin with a comical look on his face. It's at that point I know he's going to say- "No."
"Oh, come on, Nate. What's the worst that could happen? You can always say no."
"I did say no. I just said it a little earlier."
"What's it going to take for you to forgive me?"
"I don't know."
"Then I'm going to do everything in my power to change your mind. Do you want me to get you something to eat?"
"No."
"Do you want me to rub your feet?"
"No."
"Do you want me to sing to you?"
He finally cracks a smile. "No. I'm not allowed to listen to music, remember?"
"Is there anything I can do for you?"
"Not right now. I think I need some time alone."
I nod, then stand up and return the chair. "Okay, Nate. Tell the nurse to come find me if you need me."
I peek into the room after I leave just in time to watch Nate curl up on his side and softly close his eyes. I know it's super creepy (I'm getting several weird looks), but sit just outside Nate's room and watch over him as he sleeps. I'm sure his subconscious is going to have a field day with all the excitement that's happened in the past few days. I'll wake him before any of his dreams get too bad.
The next 24 hours, I try to get Nate to open up, but he refuses to even let me visit him. He requests minimal check ups from even the nurses. He's basically put himself in solitary confinement. How can help him if I can't see him?
In the early hours of the next day, I'm shaken awake by the culprit himself. "Sam?!"
He smiles apologetically. "Hi, I was just stopping by-"
"What the hell is your problem?" I hiss. "You abandon your brother in a car wreck and you have the nerve to show up two days later."
"I know, I know. I'm a shitty person. I just... I feel terrible. I brought his bag. I figured he would want his books."
I jam a finger into his sternum. "That doesn't make up for anything! He almost died and you just ran! You weren't even going to go for help, you selfish son of a bitch!"
Sam ducks his head with a pained look in his face. "I... I'm sorry. I was a stupid coward."
"Damn right you were."
"I know I don't deserve Nathan as a brother." He lifts his eyes to make hesitant eye contact. "But I was hoping you would let me talk to Nate. I have some things to tell him."
I pause and think for a moment. Who am I to deny Sam to see his brother? I'm not a figure of authority and I'm sure as hell not family. I'm just Nate's mentor. "As much as I'd like to say no, I won't," I say. "But I have two conditions. First, you have to apologize to him."
"Of course," he quickly agrees. I hold up my finger to ask for a few more moments of his time.
"And second, I need you to promise me you will never endanger Nate's life again." Sam's face pales, looking very uncomfortable. "He means a lot to the both of us, so naturally we're at odds by both trying to keep him in our lives. But it's all for nothing if he's dead."
He nods. "Understood." Sam puts a hand over his heart and swears, "I will never put Nathan at risk again. So help me God."
Even with the Nate-esque remark at the end, I know he's serious by the look on his eyes. I step to the side and gesture toward Nate's door, hoping that this will start to make things right.
