City of Delusion
Part Fifteen
“Joanna! Wake up!”
“Joe! She needs rest, what the hell?”
“Hey, the way I see it, laughter is the best medicine and in order to laugh, you need to be awake. JOANNA!”
“Excuse me sir, can you please keep your voice down?”
I opened my eyes to see Joe and Patrick standing at the foot of my bed, Joe looking proud at having woken me, Patrick looking nervous. The nurse from earlier stood in the doorway, frowning at Joe, who probably didn’t notice or care. Patrick looked at her and apologized softly, which satisfied her enough to make her leave. I sat up and smiled, motioning for them to come closer. Joe bounded over immediately and hugged me. Patrick cautiously stood on the other side.
“We were worried when you didn’t come back!” Joe exclaimed. “What happened?” I smiled slightly and shrugged.
“I got lost, fell, ended up here,” I lied, not wanting to explain the whole situation. Patrick frowned slightly, but didn’t say anything. I looked at Joe, who currently looked so worried, it worried me in turn.
“Joe, do you think I could talk to Patrick alone?” Joe nodded and walked out, but not before shouting about how I didn’t love him enough, even though he was a better friend than Patrick was a boyfriend. I smiled again at that and turned my attention to Patrick.
“Andy and Pete are downstairs. They said only two visitors at a time, so Joe demanded he be able to come first and they decided I had to see you.” Patrick explained.
“Did you not want to see me?” I asked, sadness coating my voice. Patrick shook his head and took my hand, sitting down in the chair by my bed and looking into my eyes.
“Of course I do, but not like this,” he cocked his head towards the wires and machines. I sighed and nodded that I understood.
“Paul did this, didn’t he?” he asked suddenly.
“Did they tell you how they found me?” I questioned in return.
“Yeah, but I didn’t tell the guys. I know that Pete would understand, but Andy and Joe don’t know anything and I would rather not explain to them just yet.”
I nodded, tears threatening to fall. “Yes, this was Paul’s fault, but it was mine too. I got lost and then I was by the hotel and I tried to find the studio, but I was confused and then John called and we talked and then I tried to continue my search to find the studio, but he grabbed me and put a rag over my mouth and I was unconscious and I woke up in the hotel and we fought and he…” I trailed off, leaving the rest of my ramble unfinished. Patrick continued gazing at me, waiting for a continuation.
“Who’s John and what did Paul do?” he asked after a long while. I focused on a spot on the wall, the horrible memories repeating in my head. Patrick ran his fingers down my arm and I looked over at him.
“John is a friend who tried to help get away and Paul did…nothing… it was nothing.”
Patrick gave me a look that said he wanted the truth. I looked away, but he began stroking my hand comfortingly. I knew he was trying to calm me down, but it made me feel guilty.
“He raped and beat me,” I whispered, still looking away. Patrick stopped and I could tell his eyes were boring into me, wanting a further explanation. He turned my face to look at him, frowning at the tears streaming down my face. He gently began wiping away the tears with his thumb, telling me everything would be okay.
“Joe! She needs rest, what the hell?”
“Hey, the way I see it, laughter is the best medicine and in order to laugh, you need to be awake. JOANNA!”
“Excuse me sir, can you please keep your voice down?”
I opened my eyes to see Joe and Patrick standing at the foot of my bed, Joe looking proud at having woken me, Patrick looking nervous. The nurse from earlier stood in the doorway, frowning at Joe, who probably didn’t notice or care. Patrick looked at her and apologized softly, which satisfied her enough to make her leave. I sat up and smiled, motioning for them to come closer. Joe bounded over immediately and hugged me. Patrick cautiously stood on the other side.
“We were worried when you didn’t come back!” Joe exclaimed. “What happened?” I smiled slightly and shrugged.
“I got lost, fell, ended up here,” I lied, not wanting to explain the whole situation. Patrick frowned slightly, but didn’t say anything. I looked at Joe, who currently looked so worried, it worried me in turn.
“Joe, do you think I could talk to Patrick alone?” Joe nodded and walked out, but not before shouting about how I didn’t love him enough, even though he was a better friend than Patrick was a boyfriend. I smiled again at that and turned my attention to Patrick.
“Andy and Pete are downstairs. They said only two visitors at a time, so Joe demanded he be able to come first and they decided I had to see you.” Patrick explained.
“Did you not want to see me?” I asked, sadness coating my voice. Patrick shook his head and took my hand, sitting down in the chair by my bed and looking into my eyes.
“Of course I do, but not like this,” he cocked his head towards the wires and machines. I sighed and nodded that I understood.
“Paul did this, didn’t he?” he asked suddenly.
“Did they tell you how they found me?” I questioned in return.
“Yeah, but I didn’t tell the guys. I know that Pete would understand, but Andy and Joe don’t know anything and I would rather not explain to them just yet.”
I nodded, tears threatening to fall. “Yes, this was Paul’s fault, but it was mine too. I got lost and then I was by the hotel and I tried to find the studio, but I was confused and then John called and we talked and then I tried to continue my search to find the studio, but he grabbed me and put a rag over my mouth and I was unconscious and I woke up in the hotel and we fought and he…” I trailed off, leaving the rest of my ramble unfinished. Patrick continued gazing at me, waiting for a continuation.
“Who’s John and what did Paul do?” he asked after a long while. I focused on a spot on the wall, the horrible memories repeating in my head. Patrick ran his fingers down my arm and I looked over at him.
“John is a friend who tried to help get away and Paul did…nothing… it was nothing.”
Patrick gave me a look that said he wanted the truth. I looked away, but he began stroking my hand comfortingly. I knew he was trying to calm me down, but it made me feel guilty.
“He raped and beat me,” I whispered, still looking away. Patrick stopped and I could tell his eyes were boring into me, wanting a further explanation. He turned my face to look at him, frowning at the tears streaming down my face. He gently began wiping away the tears with his thumb, telling me everything would be okay.