A/N: Now, I feel like I've held off things a little too long. By that, I mean Eileen asking Skips for help. But as if she's going ask it in front Margaret and CJ. Because they'd be completely against the idea. Anyway, time to continue.
Mordecai slowly blinked as tried to find some coherent thoughts form in his head. Before he could remember the impact from the car crash.
"Where's Eileen? Is she alright? Did she get away?" Mordecai though, his thoughts erratic.
Mordecai wiped a bit of sweat from his brow and tried to calm himself down, but was failing miserably at trying. He heard the beeping from his heart monitor getting louder. He held his arms out in front of him and took long, deep breaths to calm himself.
"Looks like you're finally awake. You had a bunch of people come visit you the other day," the nurse said.
He knew she meant everyone at the park. They're quick to visit when one of 'their own' in a way, gets hurt.
"I also distinctively remember two women being here as well. Care to explain that?" the nurse said, raising an eyebrow.
"Margaret and CJ were here too? Aw, crap," Mordecai thought, trying to fight back the blush on his face at her implications.
"It's nothing like that..."
"Sure, and I'm going to retire in the next 5 years," the nurse said sarcastically.
She didn't look a day over 20. Retirement was not happening anytime soon for her. Unless she suddenly wins the lottery.
"Do people always have to be so quick to jump to conclusions?" Mordecai asked, throwing his hands up.
"Hey, it's none of my business either way. Plus I'm paid not to agitate the patient, so yeah. Anyway, they caught the people that ran you off the road, so you can rest easy for now," the nurse said.
Mordecai sighed in relief.
"Good. How did they catch him?" Mordecai asked.
"They went to a mechanic to get their car fixed, but the crash had just came on the news, and the man was able to match the dents on their car with the ones on your car. So he called the police, lollygagged enough for them to arrive and then they arrested them. Likely they'll go down for attempted murder," the nurse explained.
"And Eileen?" Mordecai asked, worried.
"The girl you were in the car with? She's fine, worried about you, but her injuries weren't as severe as yours were. Uh, all your ribs were broken, one of your legs was broken, and you have a concussion. But you're healing quickly nicely. Unnatural almost. You'll likely be on workers comp for the next few months," the nurse said.
"Workers comp?" Mordecai asked.
"Workers compensation. When you get paid for sitting at home from being hurt on the job. Since these thugs involved you just doing your job, you boss has to still pay you while you're injured," the nurse explained.
"How many months we talking about here?" Mordecai asked eagerly.
The nurse grinned at his eagerness.
"I'd say about 3 1/2 months. Do the math of your income," the nurse said.
Mordecai quickly went over the details in his mind. Forty two hundred times three was Twelve thousand and six hundred dollars. Half of forty two hundred was 2100, and twelve thousand six hundred plus twenty one hundred was fourteen thousand seven hundred dollars. Mordecai's eyes widened. He would have plenty of money for college and then some. And then some. And then some.
"Over 14,000 dollars," Mordecai said in a subdued voice.
"Have fun in figuring out what to do with all of that money," the nurse said.
"Well, I know where three thousand of it is going. Toward school," Mordecai said.
"Ah, going back to school, huh? Smart man. Also, you have a visitor. Another female. How about that?" the nurse said grinning.
Mordecai groaned and slammed one of his pillows on his face. He could hear the nurse laughing all of the way out of the door.
"I can smell your frustration from here," he could hear the voice of Stacey say.
"I'm pretty sure you can," Mordecai said simply.
"You alright?" Stacey asked, her voice worried.
Mordecai removed the pillow on his face and saw her worried face.
"I'm fine. I've dealt with worse," Mordecai said.
"No kidding. That mannonball was all over the news," Stacey said, grinning.
"Wait, we were on TV when that happened?" Mordecai asked.
"Uh, yeah! You were with the dude from Chopper 6. Of course it would be on TV," Stacey said.
"How come I was not informed of this?" Mordecai asked.
"I don't know. Anyway, this may seem in bad taste, but do you want to go out?" Stacey asked.
"Well, since I don't have to go to work, we can finally catch up," Mordecai said, ignorant of the meaning.
"No, I mean 'a date' type of going out," Stacey said.
Mordecai's eyes widened and he looked kind of startled. This he was not expecting. And the last thing he needed right now.
"Oh. Well... that's awfully straightforward," he said. Stacey blushed at his implication.
"Well, yeah. You nearly died. I really don't think I need to beat around the bush," she said.
"Well, I don't know..."
"You going out with someone else right now? If you are, I completely understand. If it's that girl you were with at Pancake Planet, injured or not, I will punch you in the arm for lying to me," Stacey said furiously.
"No, no! I wasn't lying about that part. Things are just complicated right now," Mordecai said.
"A Mordecai complicated?" Stacey asked.
Mordecai scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.
"Yeah," he mumbled.
"How about this. Give me one date, and we'll see if it's complicated soon after. Likely if you're dealing with some jealousy, things might get messy, but that was high school to the book. What do you say?" Stacey asked.
Some small part of Mordecai wanted to say no because he felt like he was being a cheater. But there's was another voice whispering in his head. A more primal voice.
"You and Margaret are not dating, and you are not officially dating CJ anymore. In truth, neither have claim over you. Don't hook yourself in all of this complication. You need to do what's best for you for once," the voice said.
As much as Mordecai wanted to say it was wrong, he knew it was right. And he was not being unfaithful. He just finally had enough.
"Alright. We'll see where it goes," Mordecai said, nodding in approval.
Stacey gave him a kiss on the cheek before giving him a warm smile.
"You won't regret the decision. It'll be just like old times. But with benefits," Stacey said, sitting in the chair next to his bed. "So how about we catch up a little right now. I got a few minutes before I have to be at work."
With a new sort of eagerness, he began to tell her his various adventures at the park.
"That guy has no clue what of the backlash that's coming for him," the nurse muttered to herself.
A/N: Well, looks like Mordecai took a turn from all of the drama and decided to take an easy route. The thing is, what will everyone else think of his decision?