I want to thank everyone who has reviewed my story and also everyone who
has stuck with me this far. And since I can't leave Bosco suffering for
long.here's part 5:
I don't know how long I sat there. Time stopped even as the hands on the clock didn't.
The next thing I remember was someone taking hold of my hands. At the time, it didn't really matter who she was. I collapsed in her arms, crying on her shoulder as she rubbed my back, trying to calm me down enough that I could comprehend what she was saying.
"She's alright Bos, she's alright," she said over and over until it finally sunk in.
Pulling myself away from her, I looked into her eyes, not thinking what a sight I must be. I'm sure I was a mess but, at the time, I didn't care. All I wanted was for her to say it again. To tell me that ma was okay. She must have realized that she finally had my undivided attention.
"Hey, listen to me.your mom.she's still with us. Okay.she's hanging on."
"She's not." I started to say before she cut me off. I guess it was obvious from my current state that I thought I'd lost her. I thought ma was gone.
"No," she said shaking her head. She continued to rub my back as my breathing started to finally return to normal. With this normalcy came the realization that I was a mess. And Alex had witnessed it all.
I tried to shake it off, wiping my face with the back of my hand while avoiding any eye contact. Realizing it was pointless; I did what I usually do. I opened my big mouth.
"Sorry about this," I said. "Not the way you're used to seeing me huh?"
She knew exactly what I was saying.
"Hey, listen Bos," she said taking a seat beside me. "Let me tell you something okay. I won't sit here and say you don't get on my nerves at times because we both know better. And you've pissed me off on more than one occasion. But you know something? When we're out there on the streets, I'm glad we're on the same side. Matter of fact, I almost feel sorry for the other guy.almost.
I never took compliments too well. Something I credit my father with since I didn't hear too many growing up. I didn't take Alex's too well either.
"Listen, I uh," I said nodding. "Make you a deal? You don't tell anyone about all this and I won't tell anybody what you said."
"Yeah, right," she said getting to her feet, offering me a hand as she did. "Besides nobody would believe either of us."
She was right about that one; even I had to admit that.
Around the corner, it was much quieter than it was last time I was there. Through the window I could see ma was sleeping. I glanced at the monitors; everything seemed to be back to normal. The nurse who was in with ma noticed Alex and I standing outside the room. She finished writing something on a chart, joining us in the hall. I nodded once more when she said she would page ma's doctor.
They returned a few minutes later. Basically what happened to ma was a complication from surgery. They'd given her some new medicine to combat it. She seemed to be responding well.
"I left my jacket in the cafeteria," Alex explained. "Why don't you walk with me while I go get it."
It wasn't until she mentioned her jacket that I remembered seeing Alex leave with Ty and Kim.
Sitting on the back of a chair was the forgotten jacket. The reason Alex was there when my world came crashing down around me.
"Listen Bos," she said with a serious look on her face. "About what I said earlier."
"You want to take it all back?" I asked in the best joking manner I could muster at the time.
"No," she said with a laugh. "Promise not to get mad?"
"Me, get mad, come on," I joked once more.
"I meant what I said. Bosco, you're one of the strongest people I know. But what just happened.you're exhausted Bos.you need to get some rest. Your reaction to your mom was perfectly normal.for anyone.male or female but it didn't help that you haven't slept in how what? Two days now?"
When I didn't reply, she continued.
"Listen, your body is exhausted. Your mind is exhausted. I think what you need is to get some sleep and I don't mean a ten-minute nap in a chair in the waiting room."
"No.I can't leave ma, not after what just happened."
"How 'bout if I stay then?" she offered, "You get some sleep. I'm sure they can find someplace for you to lie down.even for a few hours. "
"I don't know." I argued.
"Bosco, either you get some sleep or you're going to make yourself sick. And when you do that, they aren't going to let you visit your mom. It's your choice."
"Okay.okay" I said with my hands in the air, as much as admitting defeat. "I'm not gonna make any promises that I'll be able to sleep but fine, I'll give it a try."
"Good," she said pushing me from behind. "For a minute there, I thought I was going to have to kick your ass." Alex's comment brought me to an immediate halt, causing Alex to run into me.
"Hey, move it," she said pushing me forward.
"You kick my ass?" I commented with an evil smile. "Damn Taylor, I love it when you talk tough."
"Now I know you need sleep. You're delirious."
"I'm delirious?" I argued once again. "You just said you're gonna kick my ass and I'm the delirious one?"
"You're hitting on me Bos. You gonna tell me that's normal behavior for you?"
I didn't respond. Taylor couldn't resist.
"Come on, it's bedtime for Bosco." Catching the look in my eye, she continued.
"Nope, sorry Bos. You're sleeping alone this time. Sorry but I promised to keep an eye on your ma and a promise is a promise."
"Damn."
Being a paramedic must have its advantages cause Taylor was able to find a place for me to sleep.
Alex stayed with ma for four hours. By then, she'd been awake for almost 24 hours. She wasn't anywhere near my 'delirious' stage but she was exhausted.
At 5am, she opted to take the nurses up on their offer to keep an eye on ma while Alex caught a few z's. Entering the doctors' lounge, she found an open bed and crashed.
I don't know how long I sat there. Time stopped even as the hands on the clock didn't.
The next thing I remember was someone taking hold of my hands. At the time, it didn't really matter who she was. I collapsed in her arms, crying on her shoulder as she rubbed my back, trying to calm me down enough that I could comprehend what she was saying.
"She's alright Bos, she's alright," she said over and over until it finally sunk in.
Pulling myself away from her, I looked into her eyes, not thinking what a sight I must be. I'm sure I was a mess but, at the time, I didn't care. All I wanted was for her to say it again. To tell me that ma was okay. She must have realized that she finally had my undivided attention.
"Hey, listen to me.your mom.she's still with us. Okay.she's hanging on."
"She's not." I started to say before she cut me off. I guess it was obvious from my current state that I thought I'd lost her. I thought ma was gone.
"No," she said shaking her head. She continued to rub my back as my breathing started to finally return to normal. With this normalcy came the realization that I was a mess. And Alex had witnessed it all.
I tried to shake it off, wiping my face with the back of my hand while avoiding any eye contact. Realizing it was pointless; I did what I usually do. I opened my big mouth.
"Sorry about this," I said. "Not the way you're used to seeing me huh?"
She knew exactly what I was saying.
"Hey, listen Bos," she said taking a seat beside me. "Let me tell you something okay. I won't sit here and say you don't get on my nerves at times because we both know better. And you've pissed me off on more than one occasion. But you know something? When we're out there on the streets, I'm glad we're on the same side. Matter of fact, I almost feel sorry for the other guy.almost.
I never took compliments too well. Something I credit my father with since I didn't hear too many growing up. I didn't take Alex's too well either.
"Listen, I uh," I said nodding. "Make you a deal? You don't tell anyone about all this and I won't tell anybody what you said."
"Yeah, right," she said getting to her feet, offering me a hand as she did. "Besides nobody would believe either of us."
She was right about that one; even I had to admit that.
Around the corner, it was much quieter than it was last time I was there. Through the window I could see ma was sleeping. I glanced at the monitors; everything seemed to be back to normal. The nurse who was in with ma noticed Alex and I standing outside the room. She finished writing something on a chart, joining us in the hall. I nodded once more when she said she would page ma's doctor.
They returned a few minutes later. Basically what happened to ma was a complication from surgery. They'd given her some new medicine to combat it. She seemed to be responding well.
"I left my jacket in the cafeteria," Alex explained. "Why don't you walk with me while I go get it."
It wasn't until she mentioned her jacket that I remembered seeing Alex leave with Ty and Kim.
Sitting on the back of a chair was the forgotten jacket. The reason Alex was there when my world came crashing down around me.
"Listen Bos," she said with a serious look on her face. "About what I said earlier."
"You want to take it all back?" I asked in the best joking manner I could muster at the time.
"No," she said with a laugh. "Promise not to get mad?"
"Me, get mad, come on," I joked once more.
"I meant what I said. Bosco, you're one of the strongest people I know. But what just happened.you're exhausted Bos.you need to get some rest. Your reaction to your mom was perfectly normal.for anyone.male or female but it didn't help that you haven't slept in how what? Two days now?"
When I didn't reply, she continued.
"Listen, your body is exhausted. Your mind is exhausted. I think what you need is to get some sleep and I don't mean a ten-minute nap in a chair in the waiting room."
"No.I can't leave ma, not after what just happened."
"How 'bout if I stay then?" she offered, "You get some sleep. I'm sure they can find someplace for you to lie down.even for a few hours. "
"I don't know." I argued.
"Bosco, either you get some sleep or you're going to make yourself sick. And when you do that, they aren't going to let you visit your mom. It's your choice."
"Okay.okay" I said with my hands in the air, as much as admitting defeat. "I'm not gonna make any promises that I'll be able to sleep but fine, I'll give it a try."
"Good," she said pushing me from behind. "For a minute there, I thought I was going to have to kick your ass." Alex's comment brought me to an immediate halt, causing Alex to run into me.
"Hey, move it," she said pushing me forward.
"You kick my ass?" I commented with an evil smile. "Damn Taylor, I love it when you talk tough."
"Now I know you need sleep. You're delirious."
"I'm delirious?" I argued once again. "You just said you're gonna kick my ass and I'm the delirious one?"
"You're hitting on me Bos. You gonna tell me that's normal behavior for you?"
I didn't respond. Taylor couldn't resist.
"Come on, it's bedtime for Bosco." Catching the look in my eye, she continued.
"Nope, sorry Bos. You're sleeping alone this time. Sorry but I promised to keep an eye on your ma and a promise is a promise."
"Damn."
Being a paramedic must have its advantages cause Taylor was able to find a place for me to sleep.
Alex stayed with ma for four hours. By then, she'd been awake for almost 24 hours. She wasn't anywhere near my 'delirious' stage but she was exhausted.
At 5am, she opted to take the nurses up on their offer to keep an eye on ma while Alex caught a few z's. Entering the doctors' lounge, she found an open bed and crashed.