Follow My Lead

Kyle bent over Maybel’s sleeping body in the hospital. He had just gotten there that morning, with a Dunkin Donuts pumpkin muffin and hot chocolate in his hands. Today was the day, he could feel it.

It was over a year ago they had finally gotten together on Warped Tour. Kyle never had thought that he would be in a relationship, let alone fall in love. Yet, there he was, going to spend almost every day sitting in a hospital room, waiting for his girlfriend to be awoken from her med induced coma.

He poked her cheek a few times, not caring in the least how child-like he looked. Of course that wouldn’t wake her up. It hadn’t in the previous weeks, but Kyle tried anyways. He fucked around on his phone for awhile, occasionally reading out loud the stupid text messages he got or the tweets that fans send to him about her.

That was another thing. The We Came As Romans fans had come together for the band in a way he never would have expected. They, after every show without fail, would come up to him and ask how Maybel was or how everyone was holding up. It was real similar to the time Josh was sick and not touring with them. Just thinking about those words from their fans made his heart swell.

Oh god he had become such a softy.

It was a fan who had actually sent him the article that was written about Maybel’s condition, and a treatment that had been accepting people for testing. Kyle had given that fan a permanent name on the guest list for any and every of their shows. He’d printed out the article and drove right over to Maybel and Dave’s apartment.

She had agreed right away.

That brings the time back to months later, where she had undergone her last treatment 4 and a half weeks ago. The doctors had put her into a coma to let her body heal itself a bit before she woke up and faced the long road of recovery.

Kyle felt the weight of the small box in his pocket. It wasn’t expensive or extravagant but he and the other guys had agreed that Maybel wouldn’t like a big hulking rock on her finger all the time. Kyle knew she was upset over missing Austin and Bridgette’s wedding, but he was hoping this would make up for it.

The doctor entered the room, not surprised at all at the sight of Kyle slumped low in his chair, pulled close to Maybel’s hospital bed. Kyle’s head rose to ask the doctor his silent question. Instead of the Dr.’s usual slight shake of the head, he readjusted his glasses and smiled. “Hello Mr. Pavone. I have some good news for you.”

Kyle shot up in his seat into more of a proper position he previously thought he was capable of managing. He took in the older man’s face, searching for the information the doctor possessed. The doctor walked over to May’s chart and scribbled some things on the top sheet of paper. He checked all the machines around her. Finally, he separated the IV drip from Maybel’s arm, flashing a smile at Kyle.

‘Well, shit’ Kyle thought as he stood up and gave the doctor a hug that he tried to convey how thankful he was though it. The doctor patted him on the back comfortingly and let out a chuckle. “Son, she’ll be up in a few hours. Be patient with her. She’s going to be groggy and in pain in some degree. We’ll have her painkillers by the time she wakes up. Between you and her brother I suspect she’ll be in excellent care.”

Kyle couldn’t even speak, he was so elated. Maybel was going to be okay. She was going to be better than okay. He started bouncing on the balls of his feet like he was hyping himself up for a show. That’s how it felt too. That little tiny ball of nerves that never went away was present in his stomach and his blood was pumping faster. He took the box out of his pocket once the doctor left the room and turned it over in his hands.

Yeah, everything was going to be okay.