Lewis was sitting anxiously, practically bouncing on the bed with anticipation. Today was the day he was supposed to be released, and he could hardly wait to get out of the hospital. Every time a doctor appeared outside the door he looked up eagerly, only to be left grumbling when the doctor passed by. Finally he picked up his book and began reading to distract himself, although he was so impatient he found it hard to focus.
"Hey buddy." Lewis jumped at the voice and reflexively tucked his book out of sight.
"Hey Oswald," Lewis replied, smiling when he saw his best friend standing in the doorway.
"Ready to get out of here?" Oswald asked with a grin, dropping into the chair by the bed.
"You've no idea," Lewis answered. "You here to bust me out?"
Oswald laughed. "Why else would I be here? Your food's not worth stealing." He glanced at the remains of Lewis' breakfast. "Not that there's anything left to steal. You've given in to eating this junk I see."
"Yeah. Tastes awful, but I was able to stomach it because it tastes a lot like your cooking," Lewis said with a smirk.
"Hey!" Oswald said, although he found it hard to fight a smile. "So has the doctor come to sign you out yet?"
"Not yet," Lewis said with an obvious grumble. "She's taking her time, apparently."
"Well I'm sorry, Mr. Kiniski, but I have other patients to tend to as well." Both men looked up as the doctor strode into the room with a sardonic smile. She gave him a meaningful look before glancing down at her clipboard.
"You couldn't have told me I could leave before talking to them?" Lewis asked, returning her smirk.
"Sorry, but since they still need my attention they took priority," the doctor said. "How's your arm?"
"Itchy," Lewis answered. Then his smile twisted again. "Oh, I see what it really is. You just don't want me to leave."
The doctor laughed. "Don't flatter yourself, Mr. Kiniski. How is your ankle?"
"You've fallen for me and that's why it took you so long," Lewis continued. "You had to steady yourself to let me go."
"How is your ankle, Mr. Kiniski?" the doctor repeated, rolling her eyes.
"It's fine."
"No swelling? Stinging? Pain if you move it?"
"No, it's fine," Lewis pressed. "Can I leave yet?"
"Anxious to leave?" the doctor asked with another smile, glancing at him over the edge of her clipboard. "I'm sure your girlfriend will appreciate it. She shouldn't be hiking up here every day as heavily pregnant as she is."
"What? Oh, Kate? No, she's not my girlfriend," Lewis said hastily. "She's just one of my best friends. She won't date me. Kinda like you, doc."
"Lewis, you keep harassing her and she's gonna keep you longer as punishment," Oswald warned with a grin.
"Hardly," the doctor laughed. "I wouldn't put myself through that sort of torture. No, I am going to sign his papers and hand him off to you to deal with. If you'd just sign these forms." Oswald stood and took the clipboard from her, signing at the places she pointed to.
"Finally," Lewis gasped dramatically. "Does this mean I can go change my clothes?"
"Please do," the doctor said, glancing over at him. "I'm tired of seeing your butt."
"And I never tire of seeing yours," Lewis answered as he climbed out of the bed. He grabbed the clothing bag beside the bed and then hobbled into the bathroom to change.
"Alright, is that all of it?" Oswald asked, eyes panning down the paper. The doctor scanned over the papers once again and then nodded.
"Yes, that's everything," she said. She took the clipboard back and then extended her hand. "Good luck with him, Mr. Harvey."
"Oswald," Oswald said instinctively. "Just call me Oswald. Being called formal names makes me feel awkward."
"Alright then, good luck, Oswald," the doctor said, giving him a kind smile.
"Thanks, doc," Oswald said, shaking her hand.
"Here are some numbers to call if you need anything," the doctor said, pulling out a business card. She hastily scribbled a phone number on the back of it and then handed it to him. "The first two are hospital numbers, but if there's ever something after hours or you have any questions, my personal cell number is on the back."
"Thanks," Oswald said in surprise, glancing down at the printed digits. He tucked the card into his pocket carefully. "I hope Lewis hasn't given you too much trouble."
"No, it was fine," the doctor said with a laugh. "I have had worse patients. It at least added a little flavor to the day." She glanced at the door to the bathroom that concealed Lewis and shook her head, an amused smile on her face. "Well, it was a great pleasure to meet you, Oswald."
"Yeah, you too," Oswald said. "I mean, to meet you too. Thanks for everything, Doctor Carter."
The doctor paused in the doorframe and glanced over her shoulder at him. "It's Jenna," she said. Then she flashed him another smile and disappeared out into the hall. Oswald stared at the empty doorframe in silence, his mouth slightly open. Had the doctor just flirted with him?
The sound of the bathroom door opening made Oswald jerk his attention away from the spot where the doctor had been standing. Lewis was shuffling out of the bathroom, now wearing a pair of jeans and a loose tee-shirt. There was a large black brace on his left ankle and he had slipped his casted arm back into the dark sling around his neck. "Feels good to be in pants again," Lewis commented when he spotted Oswald standing in the middle of the room.
Oswald laughed at this. He walked over to the bed and gathered the few personal belongings from Lewis' bedside table. He was surprised to spot a book on the edge of the bed. "Taken up reading?" he asked in interest, lifting up the book.
Lewis' eyes widened at the sight of the book but he laughed. "Oh, that's Kate's," he said. "She forgot it when she was here yesterday. I was looking through it earlier. I was curious what kinds of books Kate would read."
Oswald stared at the cover with a concentrated expression and he suddenly smiled. "I think I've heard of this book before," he said. "They talked about it a lot when we were back in high school. Something about being racist."
"Yeah, it's from back in the slavery times," Lewis agreed, grateful that Oswald didn't seem to be looking too much into the fact that he had a book. "Anyway, should we get out of here before doc comes back and tries to keep me here?"
"Sure," Oswald said, following Lewis carefully out of the door. He kept an eye on his friend while they walked, checking for any signs of his ankle hurting him. "You know, I think your doctor likes me," he added as they stood in the elevator.
"Doc Carter? Really?" Lewis asked, glancing down at Oswald and raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, she's just always been real nice to me," Oswald said, shrugging self-consciously. "We've talked a lot since you've been here. And just today, she told me to call her Jenna."
"Shame, I thought she liked me," Lewis said unconvincingly. Oswald laughed, knowing that his friend had been joking. "So what you going to do about it?"
"I don't know," Oswald answered. They stepped out of the elevator and crossed the lobby towards the entrance doors.
Outside of the doors, Lewis paused and took a deep breath. "Sweet freedom," he murmured with a smile.
"Your ankle still okay?" Oswald asked. "The car's just over there."
"Yeah, I'm fine," Lewis said. Nothing was going to dampen his good mood today. "I think you should go for it."
Oswald looked up in confusion. "Go for what?"
"Doc Carter," Lewis answered with a meaningful look. "Buddy, if you can get a girl like that interested in you, there's no reason not to take that chance." Oswald grinned sheepishly, but didn't answer as he opened the passenger door of the van for Lewis. When Lewis had settled himself in, Oswald went around and climbed into the driver's side. As they drove along, Oswald glanced over at Lewis again.
"You really think I should go for it?"
Lewis looked at Oswald and laughed. "Yes," he said firmly. "And if you don't, I'll bust your arm. Then she can take care of you for a few weeks and you won't have any excuse not to talk to her."
"Yeah, I would," Oswald countered. "Doctors aren't supposed to have relationships with patients."
"Oh, so that's why she kept telling me no," Lewis mused.
"No, that's 'cause you were being annoying," Oswald said. "Besides, we both know you didn't really want to date her."
"What makes you think that?" Lewis asked. "She's hot, sassy, has a good sense of humor. Why wouldn't I want to?"
"She's not Kate," Oswald said simply. There was a moment of awkward silence. As Lewis opened his mouth to answer, Oswald cut over him. "Look, Lewis, you can deny it all you want but we both know it's true. You love Kate." Lewis closed his mouth, knowing that argument was pointless.
"It doesn't matter," Lewis said with a small, one-sided shrug. "Nothing's going to come of it."
"What if something could though?" Oswald asked gently, recognizing the defeat in his best friend's voice. "Shouldn't you at least try?"
"She doesn't want to," Lewis said, his tone suddenly turning emotionless. "She doesn't want to try it. There's not much I can do. I'll just have to live with it." Oswald felt bad about having brought the topic up. He took one hand from the steering wheel to grip Lewis' shoulder briefly and they rode the rest of the way in silence.