Standing in the Rain

Unfortunately I would be in the hospital four more days. Everyone assured me it wouldn’t be too bad. Ryan kept arguing that he needed to stay here with me instead of going to school incase my parents had attempted to show up again. They did once but Dave, who was currently building and donating and entire wing to the very hospital in which I was trapped, gave them strict orders to keep them out of the hospital they agreed. Ryan and his parents argued for awhile out in the hall about him staying here. I think they thought I couldn’t hear them.

“Guys!” I finally shouted lat Sunday night they opened the door and looked at me. “Come in here.” One by one the walked in shutting the door softly behind them. “Ryan, you can stay the night but you have to get up in the morning and go to school.” He began to protest but I raised my brow as if to say ‘try me’ and he closed it. “Your father will be here working. Am I right?” Dave nodded. “He can come check on me if he feels like it. Then you can come back after school and bring me the work I’ve missed. You can stay the night and do the same thing. You’re going to school.” He sighed and looked at me with sad eyes. “Linda?” I smiled at her. “Do you work this week?”

She shook her head, “Not until this weekend.”

“Ok, when I get out Thursday, hopefully in the morning, Linda can take me home and I will see you,” Turning my gaze to Ryan, “ after school and track practice. Everyone good?” The nodded. “Good, now let’s go to sleep.” Linda and Dave said goodbye and Ryan climbed into his cot beside me.

I opened my eyes to pages turning. Ryan was gone his cot folded in the corner, Linda sat in the chair by the window reading a magazine. Before I could say anything there was a soft knock, the door swung open and in walked a short slightly pudgy women who looked to be in her 60’s.

“I’m Nancy, I’m here to get your insurance information.” She smiled and pushed her little cart over to me. I didn’t have insurance and I had no idea how I was going to pay for this. I could call my parents and ask, though it may not be a good idea with everything going on.

“I have her information right here.” Linda was digging through her purse and pulled out a small stack of forms. “Just put you on this morning.” She smiled at me walking over to hand Nancy the forms. Nancy looked them over and typed away on her keyboard asking about my injuries and what happened. I gave her the short version.

“Get better soon.” She smiled pushing her car out the door shutting it behind her.

“So, how is it going?” I asked Linda, not really sure of what to say.

“Pretty well. There is something I wanted to talk to you about.” I raised my brow as she came to sit on the edge of my bed. “As you know, Saturday morning Ryan, Dave, and I, went to breakfast because he wanted to talk to us about something.” I knew this Ryan told me yesterday where they had been. “He told us you two decided to become more than friends.” She smiled warmly and patted my good arm. “You should know I couldn’t be more happy about this. Neither can Dave. We always knew you two would end up together and that if he ever ended up with another girl it would be so entirely wrong.” This could explain why in 10th grade when Ryan dated Annabelle for two weeks and brought her over for dinner, which I was there for, she had been so uncharacteristically cold to that poor girl. “Like when he brought that girl over for dinner a few years back. Don’t think I didn’t notice your face fall slightly every time he touched her. She was also so… high strung.” Linda shuddered.

“Anyway,” she grabbed my hand, “you know I love you dear sweet girl. You are right for my son in every possible way. Though when the time comes that you two decide to… progress, in your relationship there will be rules. I would really prefer you wait until you both move out, but I understand your hormones are going crazy right now. Now don’t get me wrong, I want grandchildren,” My face was burning horribly, “at least three. But right now I am too young to be a grandmother, honestly Tallie quit blushing, and you are too young to be parents. So, I have purchased condoms for Ryan. There is a Plan B box under your bathroom sink, and you my dear are going on birth control.” I honestly right then wished the fall down the stairs had rendered me comatose. Or dead. This was mortifying. “If however you do advance your relationship please refrain from doing so while we are home. I don’t need to hear the noises of my baby boy defiling the sweetest girl on earth.” And then sent down from God himself a nurse walked in holding a piece of what looked like nylon.

“Tallie, this is going to hurt but we need to put your arm in a sling, I’m going to up your pain medication. You may fall asleep.”