Second Chances, Bad Habits

The anesthesia was supposed to be wearing off by now. Thankfully Deli didn’t need any surgery or something like that all she needed was a cast put on, but they still put her to sleep and gave her a serious amount of meds just to be safe and to keep her comfortable. Even though I was sitting here pretty much in tears I still found it slightly funny that the doctor telling me they were keeping her comfortably numb made me thing of the Pink Floyd song.

A nurse who must have been assigned to this room or something popped back in the room and smiled at me. I don’t think she has anything better to do than be here.

“So she’s going to be okay?” I’ll admit it, I’m scared shitless right now. No amount of doctors telling me that she’s going to be okay will put me at rest until that heart monitor of hers shows a normal awake heart beat, well, that and when she’s back in my arms would be nice as well.

“She’ll be fi-” The nurse stopped talking and pointed toward a waking Deli. I felt my heart soar.

“Deli? Can you hear me?” Shaking her arm softly I watched her try to pull herself out of the anesthesia induced sleep/coma thing she had been in.

“Deli, calm down. Eveything’s going to be okay.” Her heart monitor raced, so running my hands through her hair I tried my best to relax her, and I guess it worked because the beeping slowed slightly. I sighed happily. Well at least I can calm her down. That’s always a good thing.

I smiled this huge ass smile when Deli’ opened her eyes and turned to look at me.

“Hey.” I really want to kiss her but I know I shouldn’t…

“What happened?” She looked down at her body slightly disappointed, hey, she has nothing to be disappointed in. She’s damn right beautiful if you ask me.

“Your ribs weren’t bandaged right, they were putting too much pressure on them, so…erm….well they snapped.” I feel really guilt about this, I think I may have hugged her too hard or when she was crying because of me she sat funny and now she’s in a cast. Deli just started at me in disbelief.

“But….I’m going to be ok, right?” She’s freaking out in the head of hers, and the heart monitor is my way of knowing, thank god for that thing.

“Yes, you’ll be fine, but you’ll just be in a cast for a few weeks.” Looking from her to the monitor I thought, how easy would it be if she just had one of these all the time that way I know when I’ve fucked up or something is wrong with her. Do you think they’d let her leave with it?

“They said you can go home today, IF, you can calm down and are able to walk.” I know she wants to go home, I mean who wouldn’t? Hospitals are scary ass places.

The nurse that had been standing behind the monitor turned to face us.

“We could try walking now if you would like?” It made me laugh just how excited she looked at the nurses words.

Helping her to sit up again I resisted the urge to kiss her. I don’t really know much about her other than where she lives and a few random facts I got out of her but I feel like I’ve known her my whole life. Is that normal? Note to self, ask Andy later.

“Are you ready?” Deli nodded. I don’t know how OK I am with her walking so soon. What happens if she falls and gets hurt more? Deli held onto my arms tightly as she pulled herself out of bed and stood up. I know she’s supposed to do it all on her own, but I helped a little with the standing up thing. Surprisingly she didn’t lean up against me like I thought she would have.

The nurse who had stood in front Deli turned away from us and took about five steps ahead of us before she pivoted to a stop.

“If you can walk to here with no problem, then I’ll sign your papers to go home.” This nurse must have popped some happy pills or something because the over excitedness about Deli walking scares me a little.

I couldn’t help but gasp silently as she let go of me and walked to the nurse. That was amazing. When she turned around and smiled I walked over to her and carefully placed a small kiss on her lips before pulling her into a not overly big hug. Nurse Happy over there clapped and jumped as if on cue. I was pretty damn glad when she left the room leaving me and Deli alone for a second but I groaned a little when she returned quickly when a clipboard and a bottle of pills. Hmm… I thought you had to get a prescription and wait like four hours at a drug store before they’d give you pain pills… Whatever as long as they’ll make her feel better I don’t give a fuck how she gets them.

“Right Miss Silvings, you can go home. I’ve signed your papers, and these are some pain-killers. Take 2 every four hours, and you’ll be fine. Any more problems come back and see me.” It scared me how happy this nurse was as she smiled at Deli who was filling out the paper to leave. She waved goodbye before she left the room.

“Don’t ever scare me like that again.” Turning her to face me I meant what I had said. She scared the fuck outta me!

“Sorry.” Awww, it made my day how she wrapped her arms around my neck.

“C’mon, let’s get you home.” Talking into her hair I pushed all the thoughts or signs of tears out of my eyes and thoughts.

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After dropping Deli off promising and swearing on Andy’s life that I would be back later I drove to Andy’s house and knocked on the door.

“Hey Man. Where ya been?” Andy let me into his house where Jake and CC already sat watching an old rerun of Tales From The Crypt.

“With Deli. She was in the hospital.” I know for a fact that for some reason Andy doesn’t like Deli but none the less his eyes popped out of his head. So did Jake and CC.

“What happened?!” Andy was the first to speak.

“Her rib was fractured and it broke because like a fool she went to work. And I think me hugging her after she came out from being mad at me only made it worse.” Again they all looked shocked.

“Um, Ash would you care to explain everything that happened today between Deli and yourself?” CC looked at me sternly and turned off the TV. Jake pulled me down next to him and raised an eyebrow at me.

Groaning a little I went into the tale which they all got mad at me, felt bad for Deli, got mad at me again, and then finally sighed in relief that she was okay.

“And those guys did all that?” Nodding at Andy’s comment I was shocked when he stood up and began to make a move to the door.

“Yeah they did. But where the hell are you going Six?”

“Um, to make them pay again?” No! I’m not beating a bunch of guys up again! I’m still slightly sore from before.

“No Andrew, we’re not doing that again!” Jake slapped Andy on the back of the head.

“No not like that stupid! Just come with me!” Andy grabbed my hand and lead me, Jake, and CC out to his car.

“Where the hell are we going?” C mumbled staring out the window unhappily. He hates violence so the thought of another fight must make him sick.

“We’re going to get those guys and make them formally apologize to her.” Smiling matter of factly at the dash board Andy parked the car near the boardwalk.

“Andy, its not really worth it. What’s done is done. And the last thing she needs is to see them again. They’ll only cause her more pain.” Jake and CC nodded and made comments in agreement with me.

“I think it is worth it.” I sighed as I followed Andy in his search of jocks. I can see what he’s thinking and believe me I’ve thought about making them do it too, but with the way I left her earlier and the way I found her the day before I don’t think this would help her healing at all.

When we spotted them I put Angry Ashley Purdy face and stepped ahead of the group.

“Hey. You.” Motioning towards the lead guy, Josh I think his name is I noted just how scared they all looked.

“Y-Yes Mr. Purdy?” Oh, now that’s how I like it.

“You remember my girl?” Shifting my gaze back to Andy, CC, and Jake they all crossed there arms over their chest and put on their bad boy bravados just as I had.

“Y-yes. How-how is she doing?” They all swallowed hard when I looked off into the distance pretending to think my words over.

“Well, not very well. All of you put her in the hospital.” I couldn’t help but smile when they all but shit themselves at my words.

“I-we-we’re so sorry Mr. Purdy.” Holding my hand up to them I nodded as if I had listened, which I didn’t. God damn, I feel like the god father right now. I like it.

“I know you are. And to make things better I want you guys to say you’re sorry. Come with me.” Holding my hand up I waved my hand telling them to follow, and just like lost puppies they did so.

“So, what’s the plan now Six?” My words were quite hisses at Andy who just shrugged.

“Make them get her a gift or something. Like a Hello Kitty or something.” Hmm… well I like Hello Kitty, and I like Deli so she must like Hello Kitty too right?

“Sounds good then.”

Taking the jocks to the mall I laughed that all of their friends saw just how whipped they were by us. By the end of the shopping trip they had picked out an adorable punk Hello Kitty that I did my best not to steel, a star necklace and a box of candy. They didn’t do half bad.

*************************

I lined the jocks up and looked them over one last time.

“Okay, now go in give her the gifts and say you’re sorry then come back out. Got it?” They all nodded. Turning around I knocked on the door and quickly ran around the corner so that Deli’s little sister didn’t see me.

But it hadn’t been her sister it was her mum. I chewed on my lip. Shit! I didn’t think she’d be home, at best guess I would have thought she was at work. Leaning against the wall I waited until they came out.

“Okay. You did good. Now get out of my site.” They all looked at me terrified as I dismissed them. Smiling to myself a little I cracked my knuckles before knocking on her door again. But this time I didn’t run.

“Hello?” Deli’s mum I swear just had a heart attack. From behind her I could see her sister. She smiled a little seeing me.

“Hello. Um, I was wondering if I could see Deli?” She didn’t look too certain but thankfully her little sister came to m rescue.

“Mum, that’s Deli’s boyfriend Ash.” And I thought she was going to be nice! Brat.

“Her what!?” Deli’s mum didn’t look to happy.

“I’m not her boyfriend. I’m just her friend. I was with her when she passed out at work.” Her mum just shook her head silently and let me in the house and pointed towards Deli’s room.

What? I can’t be that scary. Can I?

Knocking on Deli’s door softly I waited for her okay to come in.

“Come in…” Even from behind the wood of the door I can hear just how confused she is.

“Hey Sweetheart.” Deli’s eyes widened at the pet name. Damn it Ash! Too soon.

“H-Hey Ash.” She held the Hello Kitty tightly to her chest.

“How are you feeling?” Sitting down on her bed next to her I tried to smile at her a little.

“Um, erm.. Okay.” I chuckled a little.

“You don’t sound too sure about that.” She sucked on her cheek and blushed a little.

“I’m fine I swear.” Rolling my eyes I patted her knee. Like I believe that.

“Okay, if you say so.” Not really knowing what to say next I pulled Deli into my lap and kissed the top of her head.

“Ash?” Breathing in deeply I sighed contently… if only a moment like this didn’t have to end.

“Yes?” Closing my eyes I smiled a little.

“What are you doing?” I think I crosses a line… fuck…

“Oh. Well. Um. I.” Deli rolled her eyes and hugged me tightly. But that didn’t stop my crazed babbling. “Well, I wanted to see if maybe later if you were feeling better if just maybe you’d want to go out on a date with me….” Holding my breath I waited for her response. She’s going to say no. She jus got out of the hospital because of you. Why would she want to go out on a date with you?

“I’d love to.” Sighing relived I smiled at her.

“Really?”

“Um… yes.” I couldn’t contain it any longer I pressed my lip to hers softly waiting for her to kiss back before I deepened it. I’m so going to officially make her mine tonight.