‹ Prequel: Life After You
Status: You all wanted to know what happened...so here goes....
Fate's Cruel Hand
Fate's Cruel Hand
Staring at the clinically white walls twenty-four hours a day were starting to have a serious impact on the usually active actor, and Kelly could see through the brave face and could see the torment in his eyes. It broke her heart seeing him in such a mess, just falling in and out of sleep and feeling completely useless.
Leaving at the end of the scheduled visiting times tugged away on her heart like a buoy in turbulent waters. When she left he looked wounded, like an upset puppy at the pound who was just begging to be taken home by a family and forgotten quickly for a healthier or cute puppy. It hurt her deeply to see the pained look when she kissed him good-bye.
Every day he looked greyer and his eyes silently begged her to take him with her, but she couldn't. She knows he is in the right place and is receiving the best possible care.
"My leg's itchy" Jeremy complains as he tries to ignore the persistent itch that's been annoying him for the last ten minutes. The white cast goes from his ankle right up to his mid-thigh.
"I thought you had a stick or something to scratch it with?" Kelly asks. She remembers one of the older nurses giving him the chopstick like stick and suddenly it was gone.
"The student nurse took it off me. Said I could aggravate the wound and cause an infection" Jeremy huffs.
She hadn't seen him smile in days.
"She's right. You don't want to be here any longer than you need to be. An infection would just make you feel worse"
Jeremy sighs heavily, the itch still irritating him.
"I don't think I could feel worse"
"I know, but it's only for a little longer" Kelly replies.
"A detective came to see me earlier" Jeremy says randomly. Kelly nods at him to go on.
"The driver off the other car was smashed out of his face and plead guilty for D.U.I"
"That's good" Kelly agrees and kisses his hand. He's just not the same like he once was.
"The guy's got a family. A baby girl who he's gonna miss out on"
"He knew he shouldn't have been driving and did it anyway, Jer. He made that choice. Not you" Kelly feels his hand cupping her face.
"You're right. I guess I'm not thinking straight. Man, this place is really sucking out the life from me" Jeremy rubs his face, his stubble darker than he would ever have liked.
"I'll be back in a second. Little girl's room"
***
Jeremy watches eagerly through the window that looks out into the corridor and he can see nurses passing quickly and other patients up, stretching their legs. He wonders if she has maybe done a bunk, running off because she can't handle him when he's like this. He knows it's hurting her, him being like this and there isn't a damn thing he can do about it.
Kelly returns with his consultant, Dr Griffin in tow. Jeremy fears the worst, bad news. His stomach knots as Kelly sits down in the chair, grabbing his hand.
"I've got some good news and bad news"
Jeremy swallows hard. He doesn't know how to prepare himself for whatever the consultant is going to divulge.
"The good news is that I see no reason for you to stay here. The bad news is that unless you have someone at home to care for you, you can't go"
Jeremy feels his empty stomach drop. He doesn't have anyone at home to care for him or help him like the nurses do.
"I guess you'll be stuck with me"
"That's why you are coming home with me. Dr Griffin said it's fine as long as you are" Kelly says.
"Seriously?" Jeremy asks. He isn't sure whether they are both just yanking his chain. "You'll take me home with you?"
"I wouldn't have it any other way"
Leaving at the end of the scheduled visiting times tugged away on her heart like a buoy in turbulent waters. When she left he looked wounded, like an upset puppy at the pound who was just begging to be taken home by a family and forgotten quickly for a healthier or cute puppy. It hurt her deeply to see the pained look when she kissed him good-bye.
Every day he looked greyer and his eyes silently begged her to take him with her, but she couldn't. She knows he is in the right place and is receiving the best possible care.
"My leg's itchy" Jeremy complains as he tries to ignore the persistent itch that's been annoying him for the last ten minutes. The white cast goes from his ankle right up to his mid-thigh.
"I thought you had a stick or something to scratch it with?" Kelly asks. She remembers one of the older nurses giving him the chopstick like stick and suddenly it was gone.
"The student nurse took it off me. Said I could aggravate the wound and cause an infection" Jeremy huffs.
She hadn't seen him smile in days.
"She's right. You don't want to be here any longer than you need to be. An infection would just make you feel worse"
Jeremy sighs heavily, the itch still irritating him.
"I don't think I could feel worse"
"I know, but it's only for a little longer" Kelly replies.
"A detective came to see me earlier" Jeremy says randomly. Kelly nods at him to go on.
"The driver off the other car was smashed out of his face and plead guilty for D.U.I"
"That's good" Kelly agrees and kisses his hand. He's just not the same like he once was.
"The guy's got a family. A baby girl who he's gonna miss out on"
"He knew he shouldn't have been driving and did it anyway, Jer. He made that choice. Not you" Kelly feels his hand cupping her face.
"You're right. I guess I'm not thinking straight. Man, this place is really sucking out the life from me" Jeremy rubs his face, his stubble darker than he would ever have liked.
"I'll be back in a second. Little girl's room"
***
Jeremy watches eagerly through the window that looks out into the corridor and he can see nurses passing quickly and other patients up, stretching their legs. He wonders if she has maybe done a bunk, running off because she can't handle him when he's like this. He knows it's hurting her, him being like this and there isn't a damn thing he can do about it.
Kelly returns with his consultant, Dr Griffin in tow. Jeremy fears the worst, bad news. His stomach knots as Kelly sits down in the chair, grabbing his hand.
"I've got some good news and bad news"
Jeremy swallows hard. He doesn't know how to prepare himself for whatever the consultant is going to divulge.
"The good news is that I see no reason for you to stay here. The bad news is that unless you have someone at home to care for you, you can't go"
Jeremy feels his empty stomach drop. He doesn't have anyone at home to care for him or help him like the nurses do.
"I guess you'll be stuck with me"
"That's why you are coming home with me. Dr Griffin said it's fine as long as you are" Kelly says.
"Seriously?" Jeremy asks. He isn't sure whether they are both just yanking his chain. "You'll take me home with you?"
"I wouldn't have it any other way"