I could hear but I couldn't see anything. All I could hear was someone asking Uncle Jamie questions about me. "Sir, is this your son? What happened to him?"
Uncle Jamie responded back and said "No, he's my nephew, about a week ago he got beaten up by some kids, and they broke his right hand, and two of his ribs. He got his hand replaced by a metal one and was in a coma for about six days. He tried to run and fell and hit his head in the same place they kicked him. That's what caused him to blackout. Is he gonna be okay?" I couldn't tell if we were in a bus or I was on a stretcher. All I knew was that we were moving forward.
Uncle Jamie got a phone call and when he answered he said, "Danny, I know what you're gonna say. I'm sorry for walking out at the hospital. That isn't what you called for? Well, what's going on Danny? Dammit, how did he get out of the hospital again without someone catching him?" He paused for a moment then said, "No I haven't seen him, Danny. Yeah, I'll keep an eye out for him. He was asking for me? Is that why he ran out?" I moved a little and Uncle Jamie moved me back. "Danny, it was my fault he got beaten up. How? Cause I wasn't there Danny! I let him go out on his own and he ends up in the hospital with scars that are gonna be there for the rest of his life. He has a metal hand, Danny! That isn't going to just heal with time. I'm supposed to be there for him and protect him, but I can't even do that. I might as well just leave. He'll be better off… The hell he won't! Cause I won't be here to get his hopes up that he isn't gonna get hurt if I'm around. I've let that happen to him twice now, Danny. TWICE! He has PTSD cause I promised I was gonna take care of him and I failed him on that promise." I started to slowly gain my sight back and started to groan. Uncle Jamie looked down to me and shook his head. "I gotta go, Danny. Let me know when you find him," then he slammed his phone shut.
I looked up at him and with my raspy voice said "Why were you yelling at Dad? Uncle Jamie, it's not your fault. Is that why you ran out of the hospital? Cause you were disappointed that you let me get hurt? I was the one that screwed up. I shouldn't have even tried one of the cigarettes. If I hadn't I wouldn't be in this stupid mess." Uncle Jamie looked me over. All of my scars and bruises.
He hung his head and asked, "You heard that? I'm sorry buddy. You weren't supposed to hear that. I made you a promise four years ago when the break-in happened that I wouldn't let you get hurt. If I can't even keep that promise, what can I do?" I tried to reach over to hold his hand but I couldn't move my arm. He reached over and grabbed my hand. He looked up at me and said "On your second birthday, Danny and Joe got into a big fight. Joe was trying to fight to get you back a few weeks before. The day before, Joe had presented his case in court and won the case. He was going to come and take you home after he got back from the case he was working. But… he never came back home that night. You had to stay with me for a few nights while Danny and Dad looked for him. Heh, you even at one point tried to crawl out to the kitchen and grabbed a family picture of us all and kept pointing to him, smiling." I was still trying to make sense of it all when we got to the hospital. I was loaded off of the ambulance, and taken into my room. I fell asleep from running around all day and from the emotional stress of everything.