Another day, another update. I absolutely LOVE the reviews I have been getting. Please keep them coming! :)
A few days later, Kendra was at the hospital with her husband and child, and so was a few of Joelle's closest friends. She was tired, but needed to see her friends to help get her mind off of things.
"When you get out, we need to have another bonfire. It hasn't been the same without you around." Charissa said, smiling at Joelle.
"If you want to push my ass in a wheelchair, give me a couple weeks. I will be there." Joelle said with a smile.
"How's the boat? I had been meaning to ask. Isn't most of the fleet back by now?" Ryan asked. He was taking more and more of an interest in the fishing business, especially since his job seemed to be more and more on the line each year.
"From what I understand, the Northwestern is the only boat still out there. Hopefully they will be done soon. I want to see the guys. I miss them."
"Has any of the other guys stopped by to see you yet?"
"No. They haven't quite finished up there, doing last minute things before heading home. Have to make sure their boats are safe and secure and ready for Opie season. They should be in town any time now though. I would love to have enough strength to be on the boat by then, even if it was to just hang out and watch, or possibly learn what Sig does. I don't have to be on deck, because I know my uncles will be 100% against it at this point, but I would love to still go out and be with them."
"Do you think they would take me out for a spin, just to see if I could do it?" Ryan asked.
"What the hell are you talking about?" His wife angrily asked.
"Rumor has it, I'm being axed at the end of the month anyway. I'd be ready to go out. They wouldn't have to pay me if I did a shitty job, but if I did well, and they didn't want to kill me, then they could pay me whatever they normally pay a greenhorn."
Joelle contemplated it for a moment.
"I mean, they are down a person, aren't they?" He asked.
"I guess, since I'm not around. I mean, they have that kid Jake, but I think he was there when I was around. And then they have some chick on board now filling in to help since Edgar, Norman, and myself are gone. I mean, it's worth bringing up to them."
"Can you put a bug in their ear?" He asked.
"You know if I were to go to them, they would immediately dismiss you out. You need to go to them first. Otherwise, you are shit out of luck."
"I am still wondering in what world you think I'd be okay with this." Jackie asked her husband.
"Hun, we need money when I lose my job. You and I both know it is coming. I am just looking out for us."
Little Hank started to fuss a little, causing everyone to forget about the conversation at hand.
"So, where is Crosby at?" Hank asked, looking around the room. "I thought he was part of this group too."
"I don't know. I think he's home, taking a break from the hospital." Joelle said, slightly shrugging her shoulders.
"Do you not remember him at all?" Lindsay asked.
Joelle shook her head slightly.
"We brought pictures." Charissa said, watching her husband Eric bring out the photo album. Charissa sat on the bed next to her friend and opened the book up.
"Oh wow, look at how much we have all changed. But this is how I remember everyone." Joelle said, smiling at the pictures. "I wanted to say how different you all looked, but I knew that I was the one who was crazy, so kept quiet."
"Here is the first night that you met Crosby." Charissa said, pointing to a picture of their group at a bar, and Joelle and Crosby were sitting next to each other. She looked at it for a moment.
"I do kind of remember that night." She said. "I thought his name was Cory."
"Nope, it's Crosby himself. It was the beginning of your guys' friendship. You two were inseparable after that."
"I just don't know what to say to him." Joelle confessed. "I mean, he thinks of me one way, and I don't even know the guy. I feel awkward when he is here, but don't want to say anything to him."
"You two have a shit ton in common. Just talk to him, and things will start flowing out."
"Yeah, maybe…" She said, trailing off.
Jackie looked at her watch, then stood up.
"The kids are getting out of school here soon, and we gotta' go pick them up. Plus, me and Ryan, by the sounds of it, are going to be having quite the talk here on the way to the school."
Ryan shrugged his shoulders, walking over to Joelle. He gave her a kiss on the forehead.
"You get your strength up quick. We miss you." He said, smiling at her.
"Thanks, Ry." She said, smiling at him.
"We gotta' go too." Charissa said, as her and Eric stood up.
"And we have to catch our flight." Kendra said, making a face.
"I am so glad you guys came to visit me. I may not remember you Hank, but I can already tell how perfect you are for Kendra."
"I definitely appreciate that." Hank said, smiling at her.
Joelle watched as her friends slowly left the hospital room, and as sad as she was to see them leave, she was exhausted. She was able to lift her arms, but only enough to lay them on her stomach, but even that was a task.
"Hey gorgeous." Someone said, walking into her room. She opened her eyes, unwillingly, but was pleased when she saw Jonathan, Neil, and Andy walk into her room.
"Hey, how are my sexy men?" She asked with a smile.
"Very happy to see you awake." Andy said, giving Joelle a kiss on the cheek in greeting.
"You look great." Jonathan said, giving her a kiss on the cheek as well.
"I'm tired, and weak still, but I'm getting there. I can move my lower arms now, which is a huge improvement from a few days ago."
"Babe, we are just happy to see you alive." Neil said with a smile.
"Do you guys know what happened to me? My uncles won't tell me." She asked, getting quiet.
"Nope, not a clue." Jonathan said, shaking his head. "We just know it was pretty bad."
"Honestly, gorgeous, I wasn't expecting to come back to you being alive." Andy added, shaking his head.
Joelle frowned at the comment.
"But hey, why are we talking about bad shit. We are here to celebrate."
"Where are the rest of my favorite guys?" She asked.
"Mike, Scotty, and Eddie should be here soon. We all finished up there yesterday, and you were the first place we wanted to go." Neil said, smiling at her.
"Even before your own families?"
"Yeah. They know where we are. They understand. They know we are heading home after this. That's all that matters." Jonathan said.
"You guys are too much."
Before they knew it, the rest of the guys walked into the room, all smiles when they saw that Joelle was awake.
"Joelle, where have you been all my life?" Mike asked, giving her a kiss on the cheek, then took a seat next to her on the bed.
"Stuck in this bed, unable to get up." She said, smiling at her friend. "How are you guys?" She glanced at Scotty, not sure as to who he was, but she didn't say a word, knowing by the way he was looking at her, she should know who he was.
"We're doing great. The season was shit, but it's over. That's all that matters." Eddie said.
"Our minds were everywhere but on the job." Scotty said, taking a seat in one of the chairs.
Joelle watched him, and she glanced over at the Hillstrands, and she figured that he was one of them, by the way he looked. She figured it was one of Neil or Jonathan's sons, but wasn't sure which one.
"When are these guys releasing your ass? You need to get better to get out for opies. Need to get that little shit off your boat as soon as we can."
"Who are you talking about? That guy Jake I heard about? I thought he wasn't that bad?" Joelle asked.
"No, that chick Katrina that they have on board helping them. She's bad news."
Joelle frowned at the comment.
"Nobody will tell me about her. Is she really that bad?"
"She has some grudge against you for some reason. The sooner you get on that boat, the better. She needs put in her place."
"Why is she even on the boat then if she is so against me? I don't see my uncles agreeing to that."
"Yeah, I kind of tricked her way onto the boat." Jonathan said, smiling a little.
"Why'd you do that?"
"They needed help, and we wanted her gone. Seemed like the perfect time to pawn her off. Hated doing it, but I knew you guys needed the help."
Joelle frowned.
"I just have one question." Joelle said.
"What's that?" Mike asked.
"Could I take her?"
"Oh yes, definitely. No questions asked. May not want to try now when you are bedridden, but when you are back to normal, definitely."
Joelle smiled at the comment.
"Then I will just have to work harder to getting back on my boat. The bitch is going down." She said with an evil smile.
"Hey, you may not remember shit, but you still have the attitude I love. My bitch is back!" Andy said with a grin.
There you have it! Please keep them reviews coming! :)