The bus rolled along the empty eastern highway. On the lower bunk Carey tried his hardest to ignore the pain radiating from his smashed up arm. He couldn't move it or even gesture with his fingers. Jack and Fi tried their hardest to amuse him while they drove to the hospital.
"Then there was the time Clu walked into the wall because he was watching that girl on the beach in Florida last summer!" Fi's mention of Clu's fumble last year brought about a chorus of laughter and Carey was able to smile despite his pain.
"That's my brother for you, such a ladies man." Carey grimaced as the pain hit him again but he hid it from Jack and Fi's watchful eyes. "How long till we get there?"
"I'll go find out." Fi replied as she got up to go check with the adults.
"How are you doing Carey?" Jack asked hoping that Carey might be more honest with him.
"Well, my arm is in a very unnatural position and I have no pain medication or ice. I'm great." Jack seemed taken aback by Carey's sarcasm and Carey felt horrible right after he said it. "Sorry. I'm just, uncomfortable and in pain."
"It's okay Carey. Hopefully we'll be there soon and someone can do something for your arm before it falls off." Jack joked.
"Thanks Jack. Great mental image there for me." Carey threw one of his spare pillows at Jack with his good arm.
"Just helping the time go bye." Jack replied as he dodged the pillow. "Be glad you're a cripple Bell or else I would have creamed you."
"The minute I'm healed Jack. You're going to get it." Carey threatened. Jack just laughed at him. They both looked at the doorway as Fi returned with Irene.
"Ned says we're only a few miles from the exit to hospital." Fi spoke in an effort to give Carey some hope.
"Excellent." Carey sighed as he dropped his head back against the pillow.
"How are you doing sweetie?" Irene gently prodded as she sat on his bed and stroked his hair.
Carey let his mother coddle him as he replied, " The pain is pretty constant and the idea of a hospital within the next fifteen minutes is beautiful."
"We should be there even sooner than that." Irene reassured him. She stood up and gazed around the room. Suddenly the bus began slowing. "This must mean we're getting off."
"I'll go find out." Jack volunteered. He left the room to seek information.
"Well I should get up and get ready for this." Carey spoke, dreading the impending process. He only had use of his right arm and he wasn't used to not using his left arm. Any time he even tried to do anything with it sharp pains shot up his arm and through his shoulder.
"Be careful Carey, I don't want to hurt yourself more or aggravate the injury." Irene cautioned him. She watched as he sat up using his good arm and stood up off the bed. The bus swayed as it stopped and Carey was barely able catch onto the bed pole with his right arm. "I think you need to sit until we're there."
Carey eased himself down onto the bed. "I think you're right Mom." The bus rocked gently as it started moving again and Jack came back into the room.
"We're only a block from the hospital. Sorry about that last stop but my Mom is driving." Jack smiled as he delivered the news.
"That is the best news I have heard all day." Carey spoke in a lethargic tone associated with the pain he was experiencing. "This is kind of déjà vu with all of us going into a hospital for a while because of me." He remembered when they had forced him to go have his tonsils looked at after his fever and sore throat had become so harsh.
"I don't think we have to force you to see a doctor for this one." Fi joked. They felt the pull of the bus as it came to a complete stop. Fi peered out the window and saw the signs for the hospital entrance. "I think we're here. Emergency Medicine. I think you qualify Carey."
"I sure hope so." Carey grumbled as he once again eased himself off of the bed. He denied help from anyone as his pride was returning to him. Jack and Fi proceeded out ahead of him into the main room while Irene followed behind like a concerned mother hen. Ned was waiting for them in the main room.
"Molly, Irene, you guys go on in with the kids and I'll go park the bus where it's legal." Ned told them. "You can drive the bus fine Molly but parking it around here is work for a true bus master."
"Okay Ned. We'll meet you inside emergency." Irene replied as they began to exit the bus. Molly got up form the driver's seat after she opened the door and followed them out. They all watched as Carey careful descended the bus stairs.
"Stop watching me!" Carey semi-snapped. He wasn't a big fan of lingering attention. He caught the look in his mom's eyes and quickly looked at her apologetically.
"We're sorry Carey, you just look like you're in so much pain." Irene replied to his sorrowful glance.
"Well why don't we go in there and get this taken care of." Carey took the initiative and led them through the doors to the ER.
"Then there was the time Clu walked into the wall because he was watching that girl on the beach in Florida last summer!" Fi's mention of Clu's fumble last year brought about a chorus of laughter and Carey was able to smile despite his pain.
"That's my brother for you, such a ladies man." Carey grimaced as the pain hit him again but he hid it from Jack and Fi's watchful eyes. "How long till we get there?"
"I'll go find out." Fi replied as she got up to go check with the adults.
"How are you doing Carey?" Jack asked hoping that Carey might be more honest with him.
"Well, my arm is in a very unnatural position and I have no pain medication or ice. I'm great." Jack seemed taken aback by Carey's sarcasm and Carey felt horrible right after he said it. "Sorry. I'm just, uncomfortable and in pain."
"It's okay Carey. Hopefully we'll be there soon and someone can do something for your arm before it falls off." Jack joked.
"Thanks Jack. Great mental image there for me." Carey threw one of his spare pillows at Jack with his good arm.
"Just helping the time go bye." Jack replied as he dodged the pillow. "Be glad you're a cripple Bell or else I would have creamed you."
"The minute I'm healed Jack. You're going to get it." Carey threatened. Jack just laughed at him. They both looked at the doorway as Fi returned with Irene.
"Ned says we're only a few miles from the exit to hospital." Fi spoke in an effort to give Carey some hope.
"Excellent." Carey sighed as he dropped his head back against the pillow.
"How are you doing sweetie?" Irene gently prodded as she sat on his bed and stroked his hair.
Carey let his mother coddle him as he replied, " The pain is pretty constant and the idea of a hospital within the next fifteen minutes is beautiful."
"We should be there even sooner than that." Irene reassured him. She stood up and gazed around the room. Suddenly the bus began slowing. "This must mean we're getting off."
"I'll go find out." Jack volunteered. He left the room to seek information.
"Well I should get up and get ready for this." Carey spoke, dreading the impending process. He only had use of his right arm and he wasn't used to not using his left arm. Any time he even tried to do anything with it sharp pains shot up his arm and through his shoulder.
"Be careful Carey, I don't want to hurt yourself more or aggravate the injury." Irene cautioned him. She watched as he sat up using his good arm and stood up off the bed. The bus swayed as it stopped and Carey was barely able catch onto the bed pole with his right arm. "I think you need to sit until we're there."
Carey eased himself down onto the bed. "I think you're right Mom." The bus rocked gently as it started moving again and Jack came back into the room.
"We're only a block from the hospital. Sorry about that last stop but my Mom is driving." Jack smiled as he delivered the news.
"That is the best news I have heard all day." Carey spoke in a lethargic tone associated with the pain he was experiencing. "This is kind of déjà vu with all of us going into a hospital for a while because of me." He remembered when they had forced him to go have his tonsils looked at after his fever and sore throat had become so harsh.
"I don't think we have to force you to see a doctor for this one." Fi joked. They felt the pull of the bus as it came to a complete stop. Fi peered out the window and saw the signs for the hospital entrance. "I think we're here. Emergency Medicine. I think you qualify Carey."
"I sure hope so." Carey grumbled as he once again eased himself off of the bed. He denied help from anyone as his pride was returning to him. Jack and Fi proceeded out ahead of him into the main room while Irene followed behind like a concerned mother hen. Ned was waiting for them in the main room.
"Molly, Irene, you guys go on in with the kids and I'll go park the bus where it's legal." Ned told them. "You can drive the bus fine Molly but parking it around here is work for a true bus master."
"Okay Ned. We'll meet you inside emergency." Irene replied as they began to exit the bus. Molly got up form the driver's seat after she opened the door and followed them out. They all watched as Carey careful descended the bus stairs.
"Stop watching me!" Carey semi-snapped. He wasn't a big fan of lingering attention. He caught the look in his mom's eyes and quickly looked at her apologetically.
"We're sorry Carey, you just look like you're in so much pain." Irene replied to his sorrowful glance.
"Well why don't we go in there and get this taken care of." Carey took the initiative and led them through the doors to the ER.