‹ Prequel: Changes
Making the Album
Informed.
"Are you all here for the two men brought in last night?"
The doctor was a young African man with a shaved head and gold earrings. He carried a clipboard and his voice was soft and calming. He had sad eyes, Tony noticed.
Mike leapt to his feet.
"Yeah, we all are." The words came out in a rush.
"Please sit down." The doctor said quietly. "I am Doctor Nelson. I have been supervising work on your friends since you brought them in late last night."
He consulted his clipboard as the musicians held their breath.
"Jay, it appears, will make a full recovery. He's out of surgery now, but hasn't regained conciousness yet."
"Can I see him?" Mike asked pleadingly.
"Yes, I think you may." The doctor said with a nod, and Mike was off like a shot towards the designated room.
"And Barry? Can we go see him?" Billie asked. He felt Tony's hand clench his own to steady her trembling.
Doctor Nelson was suddenly serious.
"I'm afraid he's still in surgery. The bullet shattered his rib cage and punctured his lung. In the time it took you to call and ambulance and get him here, blood filled his lung and it collasped. The blood began pooling internally. We've got him on a ventilator, and we're trying to drain the fluids from his lung, but even if we succeed, his chances for survival are very limited."
"Why?" Tom blurted out.
"Severe brain trauma. Broken bones. Blood loss. He's going into shock, which is never good. I'm afraid that at this point, the most we can do is make him comfortable."
Tony began to cry, very soft, quiet sobs that shook her whole body. Billie turned white. Blondie threw his drumstick at the floor so hard it shattered into splinters. Rabbit began shaking and had to sit down.
"Shit, look at Tom!" Someone said. But Tom couldn't figure out who as the ground rose up before him.
---
"Jay?"
There was no answer. The room was dark, with only one hospital bed and a few beeping machines.
Jay still had on his smeared eyeliner and his hair was a poufy mess. But he was breathing, and looked peaceful. There was a huge bandage around his right shoulder and his arm was elevated.
"Jay...God, I can't believe what an idiot you are. Do you have any idea what could have happened? You could have fucking died! Do you know what that would have done to me? Selfish bastard, always doing something stupid..."
Mike smoothed the hair away from Jay's face and gently kissed him forehead. Then he settled into a chair, took his sleeping boyfriend's hand into his own, and whispered, "I just love you too fucking much to let you go."
---
"So...that's the end of this investigation." The police officer clapped a hand on Billie's shoulder.
"Open and shut case. If that man he shot dies, I'm guessing it'll be twenty to life, probably a slight possibility of parole."
"Thanks." Billie said hollowly.
"We'll be in touch. His son will need to make a statement, as will the rest of you."
The officer vanished out the door, along with his partner. Billie sighed and surveyed the waiting room that they'd made into their make-shift home.
Tre was stretched out on the chairs, snoring. Mike had vanished, and Billie just didn't have the energy to try to find him. Tom was chain-smoking by the window, still looking pale and shaky. Blondie had taken Rabbit to the cafeteria for some food. And Tony was curled up on a chair, watching him.
"I hope he dies."
"Who?"
"The bastard who did this."
Billie was startled at the hatred he heard in Tony's soft voice. Her eyes were flashing. But he couldn't argue, as he'd spent all last night wishing the same thing.
"Let's get the others and go see Jay."
Billie sighed. The only person he really wanted to see was Barry. But that would have to wait. And in the meantime, why not see Jay? It was Billie's fault that Jay was even HERE.
"Yeah....at least he'll be alright."
The doctor was a young African man with a shaved head and gold earrings. He carried a clipboard and his voice was soft and calming. He had sad eyes, Tony noticed.
Mike leapt to his feet.
"Yeah, we all are." The words came out in a rush.
"Please sit down." The doctor said quietly. "I am Doctor Nelson. I have been supervising work on your friends since you brought them in late last night."
He consulted his clipboard as the musicians held their breath.
"Jay, it appears, will make a full recovery. He's out of surgery now, but hasn't regained conciousness yet."
"Can I see him?" Mike asked pleadingly.
"Yes, I think you may." The doctor said with a nod, and Mike was off like a shot towards the designated room.
"And Barry? Can we go see him?" Billie asked. He felt Tony's hand clench his own to steady her trembling.
Doctor Nelson was suddenly serious.
"I'm afraid he's still in surgery. The bullet shattered his rib cage and punctured his lung. In the time it took you to call and ambulance and get him here, blood filled his lung and it collasped. The blood began pooling internally. We've got him on a ventilator, and we're trying to drain the fluids from his lung, but even if we succeed, his chances for survival are very limited."
"Why?" Tom blurted out.
"Severe brain trauma. Broken bones. Blood loss. He's going into shock, which is never good. I'm afraid that at this point, the most we can do is make him comfortable."
Tony began to cry, very soft, quiet sobs that shook her whole body. Billie turned white. Blondie threw his drumstick at the floor so hard it shattered into splinters. Rabbit began shaking and had to sit down.
"Shit, look at Tom!" Someone said. But Tom couldn't figure out who as the ground rose up before him.
---
"Jay?"
There was no answer. The room was dark, with only one hospital bed and a few beeping machines.
Jay still had on his smeared eyeliner and his hair was a poufy mess. But he was breathing, and looked peaceful. There was a huge bandage around his right shoulder and his arm was elevated.
"Jay...God, I can't believe what an idiot you are. Do you have any idea what could have happened? You could have fucking died! Do you know what that would have done to me? Selfish bastard, always doing something stupid..."
Mike smoothed the hair away from Jay's face and gently kissed him forehead. Then he settled into a chair, took his sleeping boyfriend's hand into his own, and whispered, "I just love you too fucking much to let you go."
---
"So...that's the end of this investigation." The police officer clapped a hand on Billie's shoulder.
"Open and shut case. If that man he shot dies, I'm guessing it'll be twenty to life, probably a slight possibility of parole."
"Thanks." Billie said hollowly.
"We'll be in touch. His son will need to make a statement, as will the rest of you."
The officer vanished out the door, along with his partner. Billie sighed and surveyed the waiting room that they'd made into their make-shift home.
Tre was stretched out on the chairs, snoring. Mike had vanished, and Billie just didn't have the energy to try to find him. Tom was chain-smoking by the window, still looking pale and shaky. Blondie had taken Rabbit to the cafeteria for some food. And Tony was curled up on a chair, watching him.
"I hope he dies."
"Who?"
"The bastard who did this."
Billie was startled at the hatred he heard in Tony's soft voice. Her eyes were flashing. But he couldn't argue, as he'd spent all last night wishing the same thing.
"Let's get the others and go see Jay."
Billie sighed. The only person he really wanted to see was Barry. But that would have to wait. And in the meantime, why not see Jay? It was Billie's fault that Jay was even HERE.
"Yeah....at least he'll be alright."