The Immortal

“Okay see now this is just not fair!” Frank whined childishly two days later as I was signing my release papers. “How come he gets to leave and I don’t? I came in here first and in better shape than he was!”

“Sorry Frank.” Rachel sighed, giving him a half smile as I handed her the clipboard with the papers on it. “But we can’t keep him here if there’s nothing wrong with him.”

“But there’s gotta be at least something wrong with him.” He exclaimed frustratedly as I pulled my foot up onto my lap to lace up my untied sneaker. “This isn’t fair! He didn’t even have to go to rehab!”

“Don’t worry Frank.” I laughed as I stood up from my seat on the hospital bed. “I’ll be back soon.”

“You will?” He asked, lifting his face hopefully.

“You will?” Rachel echoed in confusion as she looked over the forms in her hands.

“Well sure.” I said as I picked up my sketchbook and pencil off of the small end table beside me. “You still owe me a date.”

Her eyes stopped scanning over the release forms I had just handed her and lifted to meet my own. “I owe you a what?”

“Dude!” Frank exclaimed, his eyes widening as he stared at the both of us. “You’re taking the Doc out?”

“You said that as soon as I wasn’t your patient anymore.” I said turning to grin smartly at Rachel. “And as of right now, I’m not. So, what are your plans for Friday night?”

“I- but- wait…Friday- uh I- what?” She stammered as she tried to answer me, looking more and more flustered as she did so.

“Friday night.” I repeated smiling. “That is your night off isn’t it?

“Well…um, yes but-” She said slowly as she worked out in her head what I was asking her. “Wait a minute!”

“Oooh Gee’s got a date with the Doc.” Frank said in a singsong voice, only causing the color in Rachel’s cheeks to rise further.

“How’s seven sound?” I asked pleasantly, turning to look at Rachel once again.

“Wha- …seven?” She asked, as the color in her cheeks continued to burn.

“See you Friday then.” I said smiling sideways at her before I walked to the door of the hospital room. “Later Frank.”

“See ya Gee!” He called back.

I let out a quiet laugh, remembering the look on Rachel’s face as I walked down the hallway. It was a quite amusing mixture of shock, frustration, and embarrassment. I could have been imagining this, but I thought I saw a small smile on her face as I walked out of the room. Or maybe that was just my ego talking.

“What on earth are you doing to that poor girl Gerard? You know you can’t see her forever. Well…maybeyou can, but sooner or later you’re going to have to let her go. She’s not like you.”

I ignored the nagging, yet unfortunately right voice in my head and stopped at the nurses’ station down the hallway on my way to the elevator. I couldn’t help but smile at who I saw working busily behind the desk with various charts.

“Hey Donna.” I said, leaning casually over the counter to smile down at her at her desk. She looked up from her charts to see who was talking to her but then smiled and tucked her pencil behind her ear before answering me.

“Hello dear, where are you off to?” She asked as she tossed the chart she was looking through and picked up another.

“I’m out of here.” I answered brightly.

“So soon?” She asked, raising her eyebrows in surprise at me. “You only came in here a few weeks ago.”

“I’m all healed.” I said, lifting my once injured arm to show her the cast and bandages were gone. “So they said that I could go home.”

“Well congratulations dear.” She said as she continued to shuffle more papers and charts around her desk in search of something. “Try not to get hurt too bad the next time you’re being a hero.”

“I won’t.” I laughed, pushing myself away from the counter to walk away. I took a few steps down the hall before I remembered why I had actually stopped at the nurses’ station to begin with.

“Hey Donna?” I asked, walking back up to lean over the counter again.

“Back so soon?” She laughed as she looked back up at me.

“Yeah…I kind of need a favor.” I said as I looked over at her computer screen. “Are all of the hospital records on that computer there?”

“Most of them.” She nodded. “Why, what do you need?”

“Do you have files on your doctors?” I asked, trying to dodge her question. “Like an address…or a phone number?”

She smiled and I knew in that moment she knew what I was asking of her. Drawing her pencil from behind her ear, she reached over with her other hand for her pocket notebook she had open on the desk.

“How do you know who’s number I want?” I asked as she started scribbling down a number down on the notepad.

“I know.” She laughed as she tore the small sheet of paper out and held it out for me. “Take Rachel out some place nice.”

“Thanks again Donna.” I said, returning the smile before walking down the hall towards the elevator with the piece of paper in my hand.

“Oh, dear they’re fixing something on the elevator right now.” Donna called after me down the hall before I reached the elevator doors.

“That’s fine.” I called back as I passed the doors. “I can take the stairs. Bye Donna.”

Walking past the elevator, I went to the end of the hall and made the turn that led to the door to the stairwell. I folded the piece of paper and tucked into my pocket as I went.

“Selfish bastard.”A voice in my head thought spitefully. “This is wrong and you know it.”

But I ignored this voice and pushed through the door of the stairwell. I didn’t care how selfish I was being at that moment. I was tired of being alone. And if I was going to be stuck here forever on this planet, I might as well enjoy myself right? I just hope Rachel won’t get too attached to me before I’m forced to go.

I tired to not let that thought bother me too much as I started down the stairs. I had only taken a few steps down when I noticed that my shoelace was untied. Unfortunately I noticed this just a step too late and I was now falling headfirst down the large staircase to the bottom.

Now I enjoy humor and irony as much as the next guy but this is just ridiculous. Not only was I almost out of this stupid hospital, I had Rachel’s number too. But now I’m lying at the bottom of the staircase in a heap with most of my limbs sticking out at odd angles.

Fan-freaking-tastic.