Sticks and Stones and Rising Voices
three
She held his hand under the fluorescent lights. Her eyes were tired, but she didn't want to sleep for fear of leaving him alone. The television mounted on the wall displayed silent cartoons and his mother slept in the chair by the window.
The rise and fall of his chest, the serenity of his features, they could have fooled anyone. It would be the iv stuck in the crook of his arm and the shaky steps he took that would signal his condition.
"You have a fabulous diet."
Ione dropped her fingers from her teeth and tried to smile for Ewan. His voice was groggy and his smile more of a goofy grin. She liked him like this. Tranquil. She ducked her head and pressed her lips to the back of his hand.
"When do we go home?" he asked. He glanced to his snoring mother. Ione squeezed his hand slightly.
"Two days." she said.
Ewan motioned her closer. She leaned in and he captured her lips. A monitor beeped rapidly and Ione's smile broke the kiss. She pecked his nose.
"Will you stay?" he asked.
She nodded and leaned her head against his shoulder. The Saturday morning cartoons played out on the screen, lulling them both into a doze as the monitor's monotonous beep filled the room. Ione missed being beside him.
The rise and fall of his chest, the serenity of his features, they could have fooled anyone. It would be the iv stuck in the crook of his arm and the shaky steps he took that would signal his condition.
"You have a fabulous diet."
Ione dropped her fingers from her teeth and tried to smile for Ewan. His voice was groggy and his smile more of a goofy grin. She liked him like this. Tranquil. She ducked her head and pressed her lips to the back of his hand.
"When do we go home?" he asked. He glanced to his snoring mother. Ione squeezed his hand slightly.
"Two days." she said.
Ewan motioned her closer. She leaned in and he captured her lips. A monitor beeped rapidly and Ione's smile broke the kiss. She pecked his nose.
"Will you stay?" he asked.
She nodded and leaned her head against his shoulder. The Saturday morning cartoons played out on the screen, lulling them both into a doze as the monitor's monotonous beep filled the room. Ione missed being beside him.