GOODNIGHT, SWEET PARTRIDGE
CHAPTER 19
While Reuben and her parents held their press conference in her defense, Carly was being sneaked into the hospital to say her goodbye's to Keith. With Shirley and Laurie waiting for her in the lobby, she stepped off of the elevator this one last time. She'd been told that Danny was already there, which made her even more apprehensive, but she knew she couldn't go home without talking to Keith, so she braved it.
As she approached the room, she was surprised to find it empty and she nearly panicked. Had they taken him back in for surgery?
"Hey, Carly, look at this!"
Carly whirled to see Keith and Danny walking, be it slowly, toward her. Danny guided the I.V. stand and Keith had hold of his brother's shoulder to keep him steady. She didn't know what shocked her more, the fact that Keith was on his feet or the smile that Danny had on his face. Shirley was right; he HAD forgiven her!
"Keith, what are you doing? You get back in that bed!" Carly cried.
"I'm going, I'm going…" Keith grinned wearily, passing her in the doorway, Danny right beside him with the tall metal stand.
"This is the second time. He's getting farther and farther down the hall each time," Danny said proudly.
Keith literally crawled into the bed, and Danny grabbed the covers, helping him in. He moaned tiredly as Danny fixed the I.V. stand and Carly stood in the doorway.
"I can come back if you'd rather rest. Our plane doesn't leave for another two hours." She said, watching him painfully adjust in the bed.
"No," Keith breathed. "I'm okay. Come on over and give me my hug…"
She went forward, doing her best not to cry, but she couldn't help it. She knew it would be the last hug for a very long time, if not forever. She tried to do it gently, even though she wanted to squeeze the stuffing out of him.
"I wish you didn't have to leave…" He said, taking her face in his hands as she dropped to her knees by the bed.
"I know, me, too, but I've caused you enough trouble, don't you think?" She smoothed the hair on his forehead.
"I'm gonna miss you, Carly."
"Oh, and I'll miss you, Keith. More than you will ever know."
"He knows, he knows," Danny sighed from the far end of the room.
Keith looked over at him. "Out."
"Aw, Keith, it was just getting good."
"Danny…"
"Nuts," Danny muttered, shuffling toward the door.
"Danny, wait," Carly said to him.
He stopped, and reached up, hugging him tightly and pecking his cheek.
His reaction was that of any typical eleven-year-old boy. He made a face and wriggled away. "Jeez, what was that for?"
"For loving your brother enough to be so mad at me."
Keith chuckled at the look on Danny's face. "Yeah, I'd say you earned it, pal."
"Women…" Danny muttered, yanking the door open and going out.
Keith and Carly laughed as she turned back to him.
"Remember what I said, Carly. If you ever feel that low again, I want you to call me. Any time, day or night. I'll help you through whatever it is." He said seriously.
She nodded, tears springing back into her eyes. "I will, Keith, I promise. You're so good to me. I realize now that I need a lot of help to deal with my life, and I'm going to take care of that the second we touch down in Muncie."
He reached up, petting her hair. "That's great news." He paused, his eyes scanning her face. "I love you, Carly Stratton."
"And I love you, too, Keith Partridge." She went forward into his arms again and he held her as she wept against his chest.
He closed his eyes. They would both get better; together. Some day, he prayed. Some day…
THE END
CHAPTER 19
While Reuben and her parents held their press conference in her defense, Carly was being sneaked into the hospital to say her goodbye's to Keith. With Shirley and Laurie waiting for her in the lobby, she stepped off of the elevator this one last time. She'd been told that Danny was already there, which made her even more apprehensive, but she knew she couldn't go home without talking to Keith, so she braved it.
As she approached the room, she was surprised to find it empty and she nearly panicked. Had they taken him back in for surgery?
"Hey, Carly, look at this!"
Carly whirled to see Keith and Danny walking, be it slowly, toward her. Danny guided the I.V. stand and Keith had hold of his brother's shoulder to keep him steady. She didn't know what shocked her more, the fact that Keith was on his feet or the smile that Danny had on his face. Shirley was right; he HAD forgiven her!
"Keith, what are you doing? You get back in that bed!" Carly cried.
"I'm going, I'm going…" Keith grinned wearily, passing her in the doorway, Danny right beside him with the tall metal stand.
"This is the second time. He's getting farther and farther down the hall each time," Danny said proudly.
Keith literally crawled into the bed, and Danny grabbed the covers, helping him in. He moaned tiredly as Danny fixed the I.V. stand and Carly stood in the doorway.
"I can come back if you'd rather rest. Our plane doesn't leave for another two hours." She said, watching him painfully adjust in the bed.
"No," Keith breathed. "I'm okay. Come on over and give me my hug…"
She went forward, doing her best not to cry, but she couldn't help it. She knew it would be the last hug for a very long time, if not forever. She tried to do it gently, even though she wanted to squeeze the stuffing out of him.
"I wish you didn't have to leave…" He said, taking her face in his hands as she dropped to her knees by the bed.
"I know, me, too, but I've caused you enough trouble, don't you think?" She smoothed the hair on his forehead.
"I'm gonna miss you, Carly."
"Oh, and I'll miss you, Keith. More than you will ever know."
"He knows, he knows," Danny sighed from the far end of the room.
Keith looked over at him. "Out."
"Aw, Keith, it was just getting good."
"Danny…"
"Nuts," Danny muttered, shuffling toward the door.
"Danny, wait," Carly said to him.
He stopped, and reached up, hugging him tightly and pecking his cheek.
His reaction was that of any typical eleven-year-old boy. He made a face and wriggled away. "Jeez, what was that for?"
"For loving your brother enough to be so mad at me."
Keith chuckled at the look on Danny's face. "Yeah, I'd say you earned it, pal."
"Women…" Danny muttered, yanking the door open and going out.
Keith and Carly laughed as she turned back to him.
"Remember what I said, Carly. If you ever feel that low again, I want you to call me. Any time, day or night. I'll help you through whatever it is." He said seriously.
She nodded, tears springing back into her eyes. "I will, Keith, I promise. You're so good to me. I realize now that I need a lot of help to deal with my life, and I'm going to take care of that the second we touch down in Muncie."
He reached up, petting her hair. "That's great news." He paused, his eyes scanning her face. "I love you, Carly Stratton."
"And I love you, too, Keith Partridge." She went forward into his arms again and he held her as she wept against his chest.
He closed his eyes. They would both get better; together. Some day, he prayed. Some day…
THE END