Destined to Explode

I listen somewhat intently as the doctor who did my surgery explains the process they went through and gives me a little more detail on what actually happened with my appendix and why it burst and the rest, wishing in the back of my head that he’d finish up and let Alex, Jack and Matt in, who’d apparently been waiting all night to be able to see me, at least, according to the nurse, not that I didn’t believe her.
Just as my train of thought ends, he stands from the chair he’d pulled over and smiles at me and I tune back into what he’s saying.

“I’m sure you’re still drowsy, but I’ll tell those friends of yours that they can see you now, before they cause themselves damage with the amount of Coffee I’ve seen them drinking.”

I smile at him gratefully as we shake hands, he telling me that someone would be in later to check on me and get my food order before he actually leaves, the door only seeming to be closed for a few minutes before Jack is rushing in and throwing himself down on to the left side of my bed, gathering me up quickly so I’m pressed against his chest, in an odd sort of hug.

“You’re alive!” He cheers, squeezing me for a few moments longer before he pulls back to grin at me, staying perched.

“Of course, I am, idiot. It was only my appendix.” I smile at the other two boys who’ve been sensible and pulled up chairs to sit by me, “Thanks for you know - bringing me in and-.”

“Really kiddo, stop acting like we’d let you suffer just to get ahead on time.” Matt grins, the piercing on his lip glinting as he pulls it into his mouth, “Just be happy that you’re actually OK, because these two have been on the verge of tears.”

“Hey!” Jack protest, flipping the bird to his manager, “I’m tired!”

“Excuses.” Is the retort, but I soon block out there little argument, my eyes switching from between the two, to rest on Alex, who is sat watching me back and I raise my eyebrows to see if he’ll respond but I only get a soft smile in return before he flicks his concentration somewhere else.
We discuss a little about what’s happening from now, and it’s already decided that my Mom is coming to pick me up tomorrow and the boys would leave to catch up with everyone else around midday, essentially missing sound check but they didn’t seem to both about it as they fill the room with the chatter that lulls me to sleep.

-----

I’m woken back up a little over an hour later by a nurse who asks about pain and other relatable stuff before she asks what I’d like for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the day before she lets my boys back in the room, well, Alex and Jack, because Matt’s gone to fetch himself more Coffee, having not slipped in a nap when I had like the others.

It’s just past 8am when Jack gets a call from my Mom, speaking to her himself a little before the phones passed over and I ensure that I’m fine and that I feel fine and that it doesn’t matter that she won’t be able to make until tomorrow afternoon, because after all, I’m not going anywhere just yet.
The boys stay and eat themselves as I’m delivered by hospital breakfast, the food as remarkably crap as people say, I having opted to just have cereal, that was already soggy by the time it got to me, but Jack sneaks me the occasional chip from his bag and I sip from the Red Bull that Alex had plonked on the wheelie table by my bed, winking at me, but still not speaking.

“Right boys, it’s about time we leave, the car’s probably outside by now.” Matt looks as unsure as my cousin and boyfriend as he stands, leaning over to press a kiss to my cheek and ruffle my hair, “Get yourself better soon, kid, your welcome back whenever, as long as your alright.”

Jack does the copy of Matt, except with an added tight hug, telling me to go see Joyce when I get home because she makes everything better and that I have to send him a picture of my stitches when I get the chance, which I find sort of gross, but hey, Jack used to eat mud.
Alex waits until last and until the other two have left to seek out the car before he steps up to the bed and takes a hold on my hand.

“I’m going to miss you.” He states with a soft sigh, “Just promise me your alright?”

I squeeze his hand tightly to get him to meet my eyes, “I’m fine. I’m all hopped up on pain meds and nothing can go wrong now, OK? I’ll back with you all in a few weeks.”

“The doctor said six at least.” He frowns, “I’m not going to risk you hurting yourself because I’m selfish and want you with me.”

I laugh at him with a shake of my head, “I’ll probably be more eager to be back, Lex. I’m bed-ridden with my Mom looking after me, I’m going to be climbing the walls before you know it.”

He lets out a snort of laughter himself, “I better go before they flip out at me. I’ll call, text, Skype, whatever, just don’t disappear on me.”

I reassure him that I’ll be on my way to Baltimore this time tomorrow and then back on that cramped bus before he knows it. I ask him quietly where my things are, to which he instructs my duffel bag is packed and under the bed, my phone, laptop and iPod in there too, but I’m not allowed to get them myself because it’ll pull on my fresh wound.
We share a few small presses of lips before he kisses the top of my head and leaves with a small wave, shutting the door quietly on the way out.

-----

“Alex, she’s already pissing me off. If I didn’t feel bad, I’d go stay with Jack’s Mom.” I sigh into the phone, sat leant up against my headboard, having somehow tired myself out on the walk from up to the kitchen and back again.

“You’ll get used to her, it’s only been a few days.” His voice is cheery on the other end, a welcome change to the dreary tone I’d heard the day before, “How’re you feeling?”

“Feeling fine, doing good. Stomach hurts every now and again, and I hate my stitches, but it’s all good.”

“Great! You know when the stitches come out?”

“They dissolve, so it‘ll be a week or something, I don‘t know.”

“Holy fuck, I thought it’d be about a month. You must heal at super speed.”

“I’m a fucking superhero, Alex, we’ve discussed this many times before. You know whenever I’m not around you, I’m fighting crime with my power. I am Kim Possible!”

Alex just guffaws in reply, mumbling something about being just as hot as Wonder Woman too before I can actually hear Matt shouting at him to get to sound check before he ‘grounds’ him and locks him in the bus hold and I wish a goodbye without argument.
Almost a minute after we’ve hung up, my phone alerts me to a new text.

Call me, beep me, if you wanna reach me! xoxo

I can’t help but burst out in laughter at my boyfriend’s remembering of the theme tune to one of the shows he’d sworn many times he’d never seen, because lets face it, a boy watching that certain Disney show was probably something to be worried about.