Chapter Sixteen
"How can you say he isn't comatose!" Nate hadn't put too much thought into things last night but now he had his head back together and was looking for answers. "Patients are pronounced to be in a coma after six hours of unpenetrable unconciousness and he's been out over triple that! Not to mention the fact that I was never informed of damage to his collarbone and he's yet to receive anything to control the swelling on his knee!" This doctor was starting to peeve him and it was taking a good deal of self control not to do or say something that would get him escorted out of the hospital.
"I was hesitant to pronounce him last night because even though we in no way got the response we were looking for he did show minute signs of discomfort. Two surgeries takes a great tole on the body and that's without calculating his personal reactions to the anesthesia and pain meds that were provided and even though it was described as vague at best the nurse did report an audible protest while she was changing the bandage on his thigh." Dr. Torland offered off handedly as he continued writing in Eliots chart.
"As for his collarbone I can assure you deep tissue bruising is the only damage there and if he continues with his progression I believe we'll be hearing from him ourselves by the end of the night."
"Progression? How is gaining a fever progression in your book!" He was yelling now yet Eliot still lay there motionless, seemingly unaware.
"It was to be expected." Dr. Toryln shrugged as he began his inspection of Eliots foot.
"Fevers are shrugged off and it's deemed acceptable for a man to "sleep" for nearly twenty hours!" The anger, skepticism, and sarcasm were clearly heard. "You know what, I want a referral cause I'm not buyin' this load you're so desperate to sell!"
"How many hours does Spencer sleep on average each night?" This is what he got for covering for Jordan last night, he wasn't even an E.R. doctor and this case would have never even been his, but this was just his luck lately.
"Three or four." He was still mad but he wouldn't hold back any information that could be of use. Glancing at Eliot he honestly couldn't say how much sleep he'd been getting lately.
When they first started sharing a bed he would sleep even less than his proclaimed 90 minutes if at all but he had eventually become accustomed to Nate being there and had not only gone back to his 90 minutes but had surpassed it.
The morning Eliot woke at Nates to find he had slept over five hours was a shocking one and Nate had begun trying to get Eliot to spend the night more often realizing he got more rest when they were together.
"He's exhausted Mr. Elliott, it sounds to me like his body's finally demanding the rest he has been denying it." Readjusting the sheet Dr. Torlyn picked up his chart as he passed Nate on the way to the door. "I'll be back to check on his progress in a few hours."
"At least send a nurse with some damn ice packs!" Nate sighed settling back in his chair, he'd give that man a few more hours but if no progress was made he'd find Eliot a new doctor.
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"Sarah hold up a minute!" Aaron called nearly running down the hospitals hallway to catch up. He had been having a celebratory lunch with Ashlee when the news had come in, from there he made the two hour drive to his sisters to tell her in person before they then hurried here.
"What room did he say?" Sarah ignored him as she turned yet another corner.
"All he said was 5th floor." Aaron explained refraining himself from telling her they'd know exactly where he was if she had taken the time to stop at the receptionist on the ground floor like all visitors were obligated to do. How they made it past without being detained said alot for the hospitals security.
"I need a room number please." Sarah stopped at the nurses station, a friendly looking black woman who had to be reaching retirement age smiling at her from behind the counter.
"What's the name hun?"
"Eliot, Eliot Spencer." Sarah didn't bother to stop the tap dance her fingers were doing as she waited.
"You're in luck dear, I was just in with Mr. Elliott and his brother. 457 is all his, it's straight behind me and three doors to your left."
"Mr. Elliott?" Sarah began to question the nurse but didn't get to finish as Aaron pulled her down the hall. "His brother? Do you think she looked up the right person?"
"Lets go find out." Aaron began counting doors, 453, 455, 457. "Here we are." Now he found himself hesitant to open the door.
Slowly pushing the door open Sarah peeked inside but found that she couldn't see much more than the very end of a bed from her vantage point.
"Parker quit messing around." She had no clue who Parker was but she recognised that voice and that was initiative enough to finally enter the room.
What she saw brought immediate tears to her eyes. "Oh my God, Eliot!" This was not the man she had just had dinner with the night before, this was not the big brother she had come to think of as nearly invinsible, no this man was very literally broken from what she could see.
"Sarah I..." Nate quickly scrambled from his seat dropping the icepack he had been holding on Eliots knee. He had asked Aaron to call when they arrived so he could give them a bit of a heads up before they faced all this but obviously he didn't think it necessary. "It's not as bad as it looks." The words had no affect as she sunk into a chair on the opposite side of the bed, tears racing down her face.
"How did this happen?" Aaron had never been one for emotions, especially not the fear and pain that were creeping up, so he did what came naturally and turned it into anger.
"He was hit by a drunk driver."
"He was in a car accident?" Aaron stood behind his sister who had a careful grip on Eliots left hand, squeezing her shoulders slightly.
Shaking his head Nate took another look at the man in the bed knowing it was too late to change his mind even if he wanted to. "He was walking when he was hit."
Sarahs gasp as she covered her mouth was near piercing. "Where were you when all of this happened?" It wasn't meant to sound accusing but the last man she had seen her brother with stood there unscathed while Eliot lay in a hospital bed.
"I was there." If asked he'd say he didn't want to lie but the truth was he wanted someone to blame him as much as he blamed himself.
"Why him, why not..."
"Me" Nate finished for her.
"She didn't mean it like that." Aaron tried half heartedly, he was busy trying to absorb everything.
"Trust me I've already asked the same question. I'd take his spot if I could." He sighed picking up the ice and redepositing it on Eliots knee.
"How long have you been here?" Aaron wanted to know how his brother was but couldn't bring himself to ask just yet.
"Nearly twenty-two hours." Now he knew exactly what Eliot had meant by long hours when he'd been kidnapped, it felt like a week had passed already.
"And you just now told us!"
"Sarah"
"No Aaron, who the hell does he think he is that he can just decide when and what we should know!" Sarah found herself snapping at both men.
"I just wanted to make sure he was safe, I never meant to keep anything from you." He could feel a headache coming on not to mention an irritable I told you so ringing in his ears.
"That's not your job! We're his family and you don't have any right to be making decisions on Eliots behalf! Now I suggest you leave before I inform the authorities that you've been impersonating family for God knows what twisted reason!" Sarah roared, ready to have this man arrested. She had invited him into her home and all she received in turn was his deception, no doubt he had brought the trouble that got Eliot hurt to begin with.
"I received Eliots permission to make decisions on his behalf long ago and the only reason I needed to impersonate his brother was because lover is still frowned upon in this southern hell hole!" Those words should have never left his mouth but the pure shock that crossed her face was worth it. He had tried for nice and it had backfired and leaving Eliots side wasn't an option so it looked like assanine would have to work.
"You're lying, Eliot wouldn't hide something like that from me." But there was no confidence in the words as they left her mouth.
"Because you really make it so easy to share! All I wanted was to let you know your brother was okay and you attack me for it! What was so wrong with me wanting to make sure he stayed alive?" He probably should shut his mouth now but he was beyond mad and not really thinking about the consequences he'd face if Eliot got wind of how he was talking to his little sister.
"You need to leave." Sarah was shacking with anger now.
"I'm not going anywhere. Whether you like it or not he's my family and you don't abandon the people you love. I've invested two years into this and I don't plan on running scared just because my sister-in-law is extra bitchy this evening." Now that was uncalled for but he had lost control of his tongue long ago.
"Sarah wait!" Aaron shook his head in disaproval at Nate before he followed Sarah who had run from the room. "Sarah!" He had to start his own jog to keep up. "Sarah tempers were high and I'm sure he's just as stressed about Eliot as we are. Come back to the room and lets get everything sorted out."
"How can you even begin to defend that jackass?" Sarah stopped outside the elevator barely refraining herself from punching something.
"He seemed like a pretty good guy yesterday and I'm pretty sure Eliot loves him so I think we should give him a chance." Aaron shared.
"You knew?" The hurt and disbelief was clear.
"He told me yesterday." Aaron admitted as he moved closer, sighing when she pulled away.
"I'm tired of this! The stories, the secrets, the damn lies! When is he going to be honest with us Aaron?"
"He's only trying to..."
"Don't you dare try to make an excuse for him! He has himself dug so deep into the lies I dion't think he can even recognize the truth anymore." Sarah had been waiting for a situation like this and now that it had come she felt all those fears closing in.
"He's doing the best he can Sarah. He's gotten alot better about contacting us and his visits are more frequent. Just give him a chance it's clear he's trying." Aaron knew first hand how difficult life could be and as long as Eliot still made a move in his direction he'd always be there to meet him halfway.
"Maybe I ran out of chances to give. It hurts to only have certain parts of him at certain times and if today didn't make it abundantly clear how much he's still holding back I don't know what will. I don't know if that's a pain I want to continue to live with Aaron." Sarah finished as she stepped in the elevator, the doors closing seconds later.
Aaron had no clue what his sister meant but as much as he wanted to run after her he wanted to stay ten times more. He'd stay with Eliot for now, get Nate to answer some of his questions but eventually they'd need to work things out with their sister and hopefully make her understand the situation better.