Chapter 4
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The early morning sun slanted through the window at Garret's left and illuminated the sterile confines of his hospital room. For the first time he noticed the small details. The clock reading 6:00 AM and the sheer number of balloons, cards, flowers setting on just about every available surface, including the top of the wall-mounted television directly across from him. Must have been Nigel, he thought, being just about the tallest person he knew offhand.
Just then, a small sound to his right brought him to face Jordan uncurling herself from the chair beside his bed. Rubbing her eyes, she yawned, stretched cat-like and made a half-hearted attempt to tame her unruly chestnut hair. She was dressed in low-rider blue jeans and a burgundy crop-top that hugged her in all the right places. On her feet were matching burgundy socks. "I could use a coffee and a toothbrush," she mumbled to herself, while searching for her shoes. "In that order."
"The room service is terrible here."
At the sound of his voice, her head flew up and he caught sight of her red-rimmed puffy eyes. "Garret! You're awake. The doctor said you'd probably sleep through the day." She looked away, smoothing down her shirt and picking at invisible pieces of lint. He then remembered her crying and everything she said. It felt like a lifetime ago, but he was certain it wasn't a post-operative dream. He tried to sit up and it was then he remembered the restraints, one velcroed to each wrist. "I could use some help here with these-"
"No, Garret. Not after what you did last night." Shaking her head and wiping her eyes, she stopped and gave him one of her looks. "What were you thinking? I mean. . .WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!?!?" She was pacing the small room, running her fingers through her hair. "That you would just. . . what? Check out?!?! Do you have any idea-" She stopped, her hands to her face breathing hard.
Seeing her this way was worse than seeing her with Woody. "Please, Jordan. . ."
"Why?"
"I don't know where to begin."
She walked over to the foot of his bed, still glaring. "Where to begin? How about last night when you decided kill yourself. You almost succeeded, you know. Is that what you really want, Garret?" That last was barely a whisper and she made no attempt to hide the tears.
I can't. She's going through too much! "Look, I wasn't in the best frame of mind at the time," to which she rolled her eyes. "I kept thinking about all of the bad decisions I've made in my life-"
"Right, and this one was SO much better!"
"C'mere Jordan." He wiggled the fingers of his right hand. "Untie my hand. I'm not going anywhere, I promise. I couldn't get up if wanted to right now." His eyes searched hers, and she slowly walked over and removed the thick velcro strap that held his wrist. He reached for her hand and she grasped it with both of hers. He pulled her closer until she gently leaned into an awkward embrace, his free arm around her, rubbing her back. Her head was cradled on his shoulder and her right hand traced soft lines on his face. "Lay down next to me. There's not much room, but you'll fit."
"I don't want to hurt you," she murmered.
"You're not," he whispered back. "The painkillers are doing their job. Just don't roll over on top of me, or start dancing on the bed."
Jordan eased herself gingerly onto the edge of the hospital bed, laying on her left side as his arm once again circled her back. Her head was in the crook of his shoulder and she could feel his breath in her hair. There wasn't a lot of room, but at the same time, she didn't feel as if she would fall either. She felt safe. Her right arm was curled across her chest, not wanting to lean it over his chest and injure him any more. Her eyes closed, the smell of him mingling with the sterile hospital smell, along with the faint fragrance of the carnations that Lily and Bug had dropped off yesterday. "I'm here for you, Garret. I"ll always be here for you."
"Thank you, Jordan." He felt the inviting pull of sleep once more, but for the first time he didn't want to surrender to it. He wanted this moment to last. He could tell by the rhythm of her breathing that she already asleep. "Thank you," he murmered once more into her hair. He then kissed the top of her head and let sleep take him.