Robert Jefferson pushed the hospital door open weakly. "Um—" He cleared
his throat and blinked, his vision a bit hazy. "Ex-excuse me...miss?"
The nurse filling in temporarily for Mrs. Barracks looked up at the newcomer. She wrinkled her small nose slightly, taking in his haggard, unwashed appearance and foul smell. "May I help you?"
Robert swallowed. "Yeah, uh, I'm see to here my family." He paused; looking confused for a second. "I mean, I'm /here/ to /see/ my family."
"Sir, maybe you should go sit down, or better yet, go home for a while. At least until you're sober enou--"
He banged a heavy fist against the counter and swayed slightly, as if surprised at his action. "I'm not drunk!" He hollered, flecks of spittle flying out of his mouth.
"Of-of course not sir, I merely meant that—"
He crept closer to the young temp. "I want...to see...my family." He cocked a bushy eyebrow. "Is that clear?"
The nurse glared at him for a second, then considered calling security, or the police. "Fine. Name?"
Robert thought for a second.
"Sir," She sighed. "Do you remember your name?"
"Of course I do!" He insisted, knowing it was a lie. "I'm named the same as that...that guy...from...that war..." He furrowed his brow, even more confused. "My first name's Bob." He said, as if the nickname would help.
"Why don't you go sit down? Then, when you remember your name, come over and tell me. Okay?" She suggested again, a little more forcefully this time.
Robert nodded passively and retreated to a seat near the door.
-----
Jeff wiped his sleeve across his eyes and sniffled loudly. One last dry sob shook his body. He held his arm up to his nose and mouth, in an attempt to stifle the cries. He took three shaky step towards the door and placed his hand on the knob. Inhaling waveringly, he opened the door, grinding the heel of his free hand into his eyes. He sighed, less shakily this time, and went out into the hallway. He gathered his remaining strength and turned to his right, preparing to go find Lucy's room. He stopped dead in his tracks as his gaze fell upon the straggling visitors in the waiting room. A single word fell from his weak lips. "Dad?"
Robert jerked himself awake. "Huh? Wha-?" He snorted as he regained consciousness. He gazed down at the floor, and followed it until his eyes reached a lean figure standing in front of him, staring. He blinked, as if the image would dissipate if he did so. "Jeff?" Tears welled up behind Robert's bleary eyes.
"Dad." The word was void of all emotion. Jeff clenched his fists, itching to get out all the things he had been holding back for 16 long years.
Robert swallowed, easily recognizing the hate flashing in his son's eyes. "How ya, how've ya been son?" He asked quietly.
Jeff considered turning on his heels and running, but found that he couldn't move his legs. Stiffly, he unclenched his fists and stretched out his long fingers. "How've I /been/?" He hissed. "Ya disappear from me life, ruin Mom's, spend every las' cent we's got on beer and women, and youse comes crawlin' back askin' me /how I've been/?!" Jeff tried his best to keep his voice steady, but failed, drawing warning glances from the nurse behind the counter. "Look," He sighed, clearly annoyed. "I'se got people ta see. I ain't got time fa' dis." Jeff turned on his heel and stalked down the corridor, fuming the entire way.
-----
Jeff threw open Lucy's door, immediately remembering her current condition and catching the door before it hit the wall.
"Holy—"
He stepped out of the doorway and poked his head around the corner. "Hey." He said, rather sheepishly.
"Oh...it's jus' you." Lucy settled back down on her pillows. "I /was/ asleep ya know."
Jeff stuck his hands in his back pockets. "Sorry..."
A smile broke out on her face. "So, heah ta rub it in?"
He sat down on the end of her bed and grinned. "Yeah, t'ought I might have a few more cracks atcha befoah ya..." The smile slipped off his face as he realized what he had almost said. "Me pop's out dere." He said quietly, studying his ragged fingernails.
Lucy raised her eyebrows and turned to him. "Really?"
He nodded, not looking up. "Yeah...din't t'ink he'd have da guts ta show up again...guess I was wrong." He gazed at her with serious eyes. "Ma ain't doin' so good, Luce."
"She ain't da only one." She scoffed quietly.
Jeff shot her a warning glance, obviously not wanting to talk about their present situation.
"Jeff?"
"Hmm?"
"Can we tawk like we always do?"
"Whadda ya mean?" He asked, picking at a loose thread on her blanket.
"I'll start. Heya Jeff, how ya been?"
"Not dat great Luce...dey say it'll rain tamarra." He continued, gazing out the window next to her bed.
"Really? Dat's a shame, but maybe we's can go outside aftahwoids an' splash in da puddles."
A smile tugged at Jeff's thin lips. "Yeah...dat sounds nice."
The two sat in silence for several minutes. "Jeff...I'se scared." Lucy whispered after a while.
"I know Luce...I know. Ya want me ta leave?"
She shook her head, and leaned back on her pillows, closing her eyes languidly. "So tired." She mumbled.
Jeff rose from off the bed and pulled the covers tight around her. He sat and watched her sleep for a while, wishing he too could rest. He sighed and stood over her, hands in his pockets. On a whim he bent down and brushed a strand of hair from her face, as his mother had done many times to him.
Lucy stirred, and her hand grabbed his. Her eyelids fluttered open. "Jeff?" She whispered.
His heart began to pound. /Mus' be still scared./ He thought, trying to rationalize it.
She lifted her head slightly and he bent down further. Their lips touched briefly, sending a shiver down both spines. She lifted her hand to his face and caressed his cheekbone with her thumb.
He put a hand on the bed to balance himself, her arms wrapping around his neck, and kissed her.
-----
Jeffery Jefferson pulled back and caught his breath. He stared down at Lucy Peters, wide-eyed as a baby foal. He gulped down a lung-sized gulp of air and sat up quickly.
Lucy sat, unmoving in the bed. She coughed without warning, adding to the awkwardness of the situation.
He jumped up and wiped his palms on his shirt. "I'm—I---I'm sorry! I didn't mean ta—"
She smiled sweetly up at him, cutting him off by attempting to grab at his hand. "Do you know how long I've been waitin' for you ta do dat?" She questioned softly, knowing the answer.
Jeff's scared look deteriorated, and was replaced by a relieved grin. "Pro'bly 'bout as long as I've been wantin' to."
-----
Jeff paced madly outside of Lucy's door. He knew full well what was going on inside, and he wanted to have no part in it. But at the same time, he wanted to be there for her. He planned on barging past the nurse as she approached the doorway.
He put his palms together and pushed, trying to ease up the stress that had built up in his shoulders. He let up, then did it again. He continued to do so until the he heard the door behind him swing open.
Spinning around, he attempted to rush the nurse. And succeeded. He burst into the room, the nurse's cries following him shrilly. Lucy was asleep again. He watched her face as he sat next to her. He gently took her hand and placed it in his.
"Lucy, I'se got so much ta say an' so little time ta say it in. I dunno where to start." He whispered to her sleeping form. "We'se been friends since I can remembah. You taught me more things then I coulda evah dreamed of. You showed me da beauty of da woild...I nevah sat an' watched da stars 'til I watched 'em wid you, Luce. I hope you know dat. Ma's real sick. You're sick. God only knows what they're doing wid me new brother..." He paused, then smiled a small, teary smile. "Or sister." He took a shuddering breath and looked up at the ceiling. Tears dripped off his cheekbones and fell to the cold floor. "Oh, God, Lucy..." The sobs racked his body. He lowered his head to hers and kissed her one last time.
Lucy moved slightly, shifting in her sleep. "I love you Jeff..."
"I love you, Lucy. Don't leave me."
-----
Mrs. Jefferson was still asleep when Jeff entered the room to say goodbye. He kissed her lightly, clutching her in his arms one last time before nearly running out the door. All of his words had been said. His love had been expressed. He didn't want her to wake and see him crying.
The nurse filling in temporarily for Mrs. Barracks looked up at the newcomer. She wrinkled her small nose slightly, taking in his haggard, unwashed appearance and foul smell. "May I help you?"
Robert swallowed. "Yeah, uh, I'm see to here my family." He paused; looking confused for a second. "I mean, I'm /here/ to /see/ my family."
"Sir, maybe you should go sit down, or better yet, go home for a while. At least until you're sober enou--"
He banged a heavy fist against the counter and swayed slightly, as if surprised at his action. "I'm not drunk!" He hollered, flecks of spittle flying out of his mouth.
"Of-of course not sir, I merely meant that—"
He crept closer to the young temp. "I want...to see...my family." He cocked a bushy eyebrow. "Is that clear?"
The nurse glared at him for a second, then considered calling security, or the police. "Fine. Name?"
Robert thought for a second.
"Sir," She sighed. "Do you remember your name?"
"Of course I do!" He insisted, knowing it was a lie. "I'm named the same as that...that guy...from...that war..." He furrowed his brow, even more confused. "My first name's Bob." He said, as if the nickname would help.
"Why don't you go sit down? Then, when you remember your name, come over and tell me. Okay?" She suggested again, a little more forcefully this time.
Robert nodded passively and retreated to a seat near the door.
-----
Jeff wiped his sleeve across his eyes and sniffled loudly. One last dry sob shook his body. He held his arm up to his nose and mouth, in an attempt to stifle the cries. He took three shaky step towards the door and placed his hand on the knob. Inhaling waveringly, he opened the door, grinding the heel of his free hand into his eyes. He sighed, less shakily this time, and went out into the hallway. He gathered his remaining strength and turned to his right, preparing to go find Lucy's room. He stopped dead in his tracks as his gaze fell upon the straggling visitors in the waiting room. A single word fell from his weak lips. "Dad?"
Robert jerked himself awake. "Huh? Wha-?" He snorted as he regained consciousness. He gazed down at the floor, and followed it until his eyes reached a lean figure standing in front of him, staring. He blinked, as if the image would dissipate if he did so. "Jeff?" Tears welled up behind Robert's bleary eyes.
"Dad." The word was void of all emotion. Jeff clenched his fists, itching to get out all the things he had been holding back for 16 long years.
Robert swallowed, easily recognizing the hate flashing in his son's eyes. "How ya, how've ya been son?" He asked quietly.
Jeff considered turning on his heels and running, but found that he couldn't move his legs. Stiffly, he unclenched his fists and stretched out his long fingers. "How've I /been/?" He hissed. "Ya disappear from me life, ruin Mom's, spend every las' cent we's got on beer and women, and youse comes crawlin' back askin' me /how I've been/?!" Jeff tried his best to keep his voice steady, but failed, drawing warning glances from the nurse behind the counter. "Look," He sighed, clearly annoyed. "I'se got people ta see. I ain't got time fa' dis." Jeff turned on his heel and stalked down the corridor, fuming the entire way.
-----
Jeff threw open Lucy's door, immediately remembering her current condition and catching the door before it hit the wall.
"Holy—"
He stepped out of the doorway and poked his head around the corner. "Hey." He said, rather sheepishly.
"Oh...it's jus' you." Lucy settled back down on her pillows. "I /was/ asleep ya know."
Jeff stuck his hands in his back pockets. "Sorry..."
A smile broke out on her face. "So, heah ta rub it in?"
He sat down on the end of her bed and grinned. "Yeah, t'ought I might have a few more cracks atcha befoah ya..." The smile slipped off his face as he realized what he had almost said. "Me pop's out dere." He said quietly, studying his ragged fingernails.
Lucy raised her eyebrows and turned to him. "Really?"
He nodded, not looking up. "Yeah...din't t'ink he'd have da guts ta show up again...guess I was wrong." He gazed at her with serious eyes. "Ma ain't doin' so good, Luce."
"She ain't da only one." She scoffed quietly.
Jeff shot her a warning glance, obviously not wanting to talk about their present situation.
"Jeff?"
"Hmm?"
"Can we tawk like we always do?"
"Whadda ya mean?" He asked, picking at a loose thread on her blanket.
"I'll start. Heya Jeff, how ya been?"
"Not dat great Luce...dey say it'll rain tamarra." He continued, gazing out the window next to her bed.
"Really? Dat's a shame, but maybe we's can go outside aftahwoids an' splash in da puddles."
A smile tugged at Jeff's thin lips. "Yeah...dat sounds nice."
The two sat in silence for several minutes. "Jeff...I'se scared." Lucy whispered after a while.
"I know Luce...I know. Ya want me ta leave?"
She shook her head, and leaned back on her pillows, closing her eyes languidly. "So tired." She mumbled.
Jeff rose from off the bed and pulled the covers tight around her. He sat and watched her sleep for a while, wishing he too could rest. He sighed and stood over her, hands in his pockets. On a whim he bent down and brushed a strand of hair from her face, as his mother had done many times to him.
Lucy stirred, and her hand grabbed his. Her eyelids fluttered open. "Jeff?" She whispered.
His heart began to pound. /Mus' be still scared./ He thought, trying to rationalize it.
She lifted her head slightly and he bent down further. Their lips touched briefly, sending a shiver down both spines. She lifted her hand to his face and caressed his cheekbone with her thumb.
He put a hand on the bed to balance himself, her arms wrapping around his neck, and kissed her.
-----
Jeffery Jefferson pulled back and caught his breath. He stared down at Lucy Peters, wide-eyed as a baby foal. He gulped down a lung-sized gulp of air and sat up quickly.
Lucy sat, unmoving in the bed. She coughed without warning, adding to the awkwardness of the situation.
He jumped up and wiped his palms on his shirt. "I'm—I---I'm sorry! I didn't mean ta—"
She smiled sweetly up at him, cutting him off by attempting to grab at his hand. "Do you know how long I've been waitin' for you ta do dat?" She questioned softly, knowing the answer.
Jeff's scared look deteriorated, and was replaced by a relieved grin. "Pro'bly 'bout as long as I've been wantin' to."
-----
Jeff paced madly outside of Lucy's door. He knew full well what was going on inside, and he wanted to have no part in it. But at the same time, he wanted to be there for her. He planned on barging past the nurse as she approached the doorway.
He put his palms together and pushed, trying to ease up the stress that had built up in his shoulders. He let up, then did it again. He continued to do so until the he heard the door behind him swing open.
Spinning around, he attempted to rush the nurse. And succeeded. He burst into the room, the nurse's cries following him shrilly. Lucy was asleep again. He watched her face as he sat next to her. He gently took her hand and placed it in his.
"Lucy, I'se got so much ta say an' so little time ta say it in. I dunno where to start." He whispered to her sleeping form. "We'se been friends since I can remembah. You taught me more things then I coulda evah dreamed of. You showed me da beauty of da woild...I nevah sat an' watched da stars 'til I watched 'em wid you, Luce. I hope you know dat. Ma's real sick. You're sick. God only knows what they're doing wid me new brother..." He paused, then smiled a small, teary smile. "Or sister." He took a shuddering breath and looked up at the ceiling. Tears dripped off his cheekbones and fell to the cold floor. "Oh, God, Lucy..." The sobs racked his body. He lowered his head to hers and kissed her one last time.
Lucy moved slightly, shifting in her sleep. "I love you Jeff..."
"I love you, Lucy. Don't leave me."
-----
Mrs. Jefferson was still asleep when Jeff entered the room to say goodbye. He kissed her lightly, clutching her in his arms one last time before nearly running out the door. All of his words had been said. His love had been expressed. He didn't want her to wake and see him crying.