Take Me From This Hospital Bed

Rowan walked back into the room to find Kadence had fallen asleep. She must’ve really thought that he left for good after that. Rowan sighed and set the food up on the tray. He didn’t spend money for the girl just to sleep and not eat. Rowan leaned over the bed and shook Kadence lightly. She stirred, only to smack him away. Rowan flicked her forehead a couple times. Kadence shot up and looked around the room to see Rowan next to her with a grin.

Kadence narrowed her eyes on him and started to curse him out but Rowan cut her off and said, “You better eat before it gets cold.”

Kadence noticed the food. She yawned and stretched, setting her bed up right. Rowan sat next to her and brought the tray in front of the both of them. He handed Kadence her roast beef sandwich with curly fries and a coke. Kadence smiled appreciatively at him. It made Rowan’s heart pang. Rowan got out his food. The two ate silently. When they were finished, Rowan tossed out the garbage. He stood up and sighed.

“Are you leaving?” Kadence asked.

“Maybe,” Rowan replied, staring down at Kadence with his dark eyes. “Why?”

“I just…” Kadence wondered what she should say, what she could say. It was risky. She wasn’t sure what might result of it, if she wanted the result of it. “I haven’t been in the hospital enough to have a time when I was alone and…”

“I’ll stay with you,” Rowan said so kindly it made Kadence suspicious. “If you let me sleep with you.”

“I don’t think I’m going that extreme,” Kadence argued.

“All you have to do is scoot over and share the bed,” Rowan explained.

Kadence’s cheeks flushed and she said out loud, “Oh, that’s what you meant.”

“Of course, that’s what I meant,” Rowan laughed.

Rowan climbed into the bed next to Kadence and she covered him up with her. Rowan sighed and leaned back. Kadence smiled up at him, as if she didn’t realize his suggestion would have made others cringe. She pulled Rowan’s arm around her shoulders and leaned into his side more. The gesture made Rowan’s heart clamp. He noticed the arm around her was the arm with the rash. Kadence hadn’t squirmed or objected to it. She just ran her fingers over the slightly raised skin, making Rowan's heart jump. Kadence settled and sighed.

“Thank you, Rowan,” she said.

“If you really wanna thank me, get better,” Rowan replied.

“Okay,” Kadence agreed as she closed her eyes.

Nurses made their morning rounds. When the nurse walked into Kadence’s room, she noticed Rowan asleep next to her. The nurse smiled and checked Kadence’s IV’s. She couldn’t help but peek at the two. The nurse left only to come back with company. Another nurse gawked at the sight. It was too cute and too shocking.

“Has Rowan found a girlfriend?” she asked her friend.

“Who knows,” the other nurse whispered back. “They are rather cute together.”

“I just hope he doesn’t hurt the poor girl.”

“I’m worried he’ll hurt himself.”

The nurses looked at each other and nodded. They walked back out the room. Kadence’s awareness perked up. She slowly opened her eyes to see a pink tint coming through the window as the sun began to rise. She sighed. The arm around her held her firmly, as if afraid to lose her. Kadence looked at the arm, no longer red or bumpy. Kadence ran her hand over it. Rowan stirred a little, making Kadence smirk. She looked up at the sleeping face. Rowan’s expression was almost peaceful. His features were softer now. His pale lips were parted slightly and overgrown strands of his ash blonde hair fell about his eyes. Being so close to him like this made her heart sputter.

The shivers were far gone now. The nausea had long since passed. The head ache was nonexistent. Kadence felt as good as new. Kadence felt like she could run through the hospital walls. But all she wanted to do was stay cuddled in Rowan's arms and feel safe, watching him sleep. Kadence reached up to brush some of Rowan's loose strands from his face when the door creeked. She dropped her hand in her lap quickly and watched as the door to her room opened and her dad walked in. His eyes widened at the sight of his daughter lying next to some guy. Kadence waved to him sheepishly. Her dad approached her foully.

“Before you say anything, I just want to comment on how spiffy you look for work,” Kadence tried.

“What is going on?” her dad asked harshly, pointing to the sleeping body next to Kadence.

“What's this? This is just a friend sleeping harmlessly next to another friend because she was scared to be alone,” she explained.

“Having your mother stay wasn’t good enough?”

“She had to go to work, dad,” Kadence huffed.

“I don’t like this situation you put yourself in,” Kadence’s dad admitted.

“It’s not a situation, dad,” Kadence explained. “We didn’t do anything, trust me. Besides, you can’t be mad. This guy got me a midnight snack and kept me company. You know there are some real creeps that come into the hospital. Maybe one would’ve tried something with me if Rowan hadn’t been here.”

“You’re dramatizing,” Kadence’s dad shook his head.

“I’ll kick him out when he wakes up, okay?”

“I’ll have to tell your mother about this.”

“Go to work already, dad,” Kadence sighed, rolling her eyes. “I don’t understand how they haven’t fired you yet after how many times you were late.”

“I have good reason this time,” Kadence’s dad said. He pecked Kadence’s cheek. “How are you feeling anyway?”

“A lot better than the other day,” Kadence laughed.

“I’ll see you soon. No more boys in your room without supervision.”

“One time I had a guy in my room and mom blew it out of proportion,” Kadence complained, shaking her head. Kadence watched her dad walk out the room, eyeing her.

“Why couldn’t we get caught doing something other than sleep?” Rowan asked sleepily.

Kadence grimaced at the thought and said, “That’s gross. Never. Not with you. And not with anyone else I just met. And stop being so perverted. I think I liked it better when you were smart with me.”

Rowan chuckled and opened his eyes. He yawned and sat up, looking around. Rowan asked, “Where’s breakfast?”

“Down the street,” Kadence teased.

Rowan glimpsed at his arm to see it was clear of the rash from before. He turned to Kadence and asked, “How are you feeling?”

“Better,” Kadence replied, her heart simmering at the tender tone.

“Good, then you can go brush your teeth before you make me sick again,” Rowan retorted.

Kadence gasped and actually slapped him across the chest. She climbed over him and went to the bathroom, closing and locking the door. Kadence brushed her teeth and her hair. She sighed, looking into the mirror. Her face was still tired looking. She wanted to go ring Rowan’s neck for his horrible comment. Kadence walked back into the room to find it empty. Kadence wondered where Rowan had gone. She sat back in bed as a nurse came in to get her order for breakfast.

Kadence ate and waited. Rowan never came back. He was gone for good this time. He could have at least said good-bye. What a jerk. Rowan made it easy to pull out of his traps. It was as if he left a sign out that pointed to the exit. Though, somehow, Kadence’s heart ached from the abandonment. What was done was done. Kadence and Rowan shared a slight friendship, even if it was short lived. Kadence hoped that Rowan wouldn’t be so rude to others. She hoped she had some kind of effect on him. He sure as heck affected Kadence.

Rowan sighed as he entered his apartment. There were signs that someone had been inside, most likely his mother. The fridge and cupboards were restocked with food and drinks. There was toilet paper and shampoo on the counter for him. He sighed and got in the fridge, moving some stuff around. Rowan found his hidden beer. He took it out and drank it, finding the couch to be comfortable. Rowan tried to shake his head of that girl. Kadence had left a mark on him and no matter what he used; he couldn’t get rid of it. Somehow, she had burrowed herself into a nice warm spot in his heart and her roots had started to extend.

It was an annoyance Rowan didn’t mind so much. At least the memory wasn’t so bad. But he couldn’t stick around. Kadence had some sort of suction power. It had been hard enough to not kiss her when she woke up. There was something so wrong about it. It could’ve been the age difference or the fact that Kadence had no business with a diseased loser like Rowan. But then when Rowan’s heart swelled at Kadence’s touch or skipped a beat at the way she looked at him, it felt like everything was how it was supposed to be. Rowan liked it. And he hated it. It was why he had to leave the girl be. He didn’t want to get hurt and he didn’t want to be the one tor hurt her. It was lose lose situation. But Rowan had played the game long enough to know he could survive that way. Besides, a girl like Kadence deserved someone better than a sick boy like Rowan, right?