Sequel: Making the Album ›
Changes
Intensive Care.
The corridor of the hospital felt more like a refrigerator. Billie tapped his foot nervously, cursing himself for involving Jay in his life. And between the tapping and the cursing, he stole glances at Tony, who was playing 'Stairway To Heaven' on her acoustic.
Tony saw him looking at her, but she stubbornly refused to look back. That one, little, breathy whisper had hurt more than any cut she'd inflicted on herself. And now Jay was in the hospital. Not that the bitch of a nurse was giving them any details as to why that was, but STILL.
And then the remainder of her band appeared, each carrying a beer. Tre was out of breath, cheeks flushed.
And it occurred to Tony how cute Tre was. And how bad it would hurt Billie if something was to happen between them.
~~~
"What the hell happened?" Tre demanded. Tony put down her guitar with a sigh.
"We don't know. The BITCH over there isn't telling us anything."
The nurse gave Tony a dirty look. Tre flipped her off.
"Where's Mike?"
Tony beckoned Tre closer and put her lips close to his ear. Her left arm reached up and looped an arm around Tre's shoulder. Billie felt a nasty jolt in the region of his stomach.
"He's passing himself off as Jay's brother. But don't say anything." She whispered. Tre laughed quietly.
"That Mike. Sneaky bastard."
And Billie punched the wall.
~~~
Around one a. M., Mike appeared in the waiting room, looking haggard and careworn. Before anyone could start asking him questions, a deep, professional voice rang out.
"Are you all here for Mr., Erm... Jay?" The doctor asked, looking at his clipboard, then around at all the people gathered in the waiting room.
"Yes," Tony jumped up.
"Well, he's in stable condition. In fact, he may be able to go home in two days."
"That's GREAT." Tom exclaimed, and cracked open his beer.
The nurse walked over, grabbed it and walked away. Tom looked at her as though he would like nothing more than to shoot her.
"Actually, there's more to this." The doctor said seriously.
"What do you mean?" Blondie said slowly. Mike sank into a chair and put his head in his hands.
"Mr. Jay has done considerable damage to his liver. It's a miracle all his drug use hasn't impaired his judgment, although THAT is debatable. It is my personal belief that if he continues his current lifestyle, he will be dead before his twenty-fifth birthday."
There was a shocked silence. Mike's shoulders shook. Tony sat down next to him and wrapped her arms around him. Billie turned to the doctor.
"What can you do for him?"
"Well, we'll dry him out, send him home sober. I would like to recommend he be put on some sort of suicide watch, because, all things considered, there's a good chance he might try to kill himself."
"He's...?"
"I'm not able to diagnosis it, but I have my suspicions. But the most I can legally do without Mr. Jay's consent is send him home sober. What happens from there is entirely up to him."
Tom stepped forward, trembling slightly.
"Can we see him?"
"If his brother doesn't have a problem with it, I don't see why not."
The doctor turned and walked away, leaving the little group shattered.
Tony saw him looking at her, but she stubbornly refused to look back. That one, little, breathy whisper had hurt more than any cut she'd inflicted on herself. And now Jay was in the hospital. Not that the bitch of a nurse was giving them any details as to why that was, but STILL.
And then the remainder of her band appeared, each carrying a beer. Tre was out of breath, cheeks flushed.
And it occurred to Tony how cute Tre was. And how bad it would hurt Billie if something was to happen between them.
~~~
"What the hell happened?" Tre demanded. Tony put down her guitar with a sigh.
"We don't know. The BITCH over there isn't telling us anything."
The nurse gave Tony a dirty look. Tre flipped her off.
"Where's Mike?"
Tony beckoned Tre closer and put her lips close to his ear. Her left arm reached up and looped an arm around Tre's shoulder. Billie felt a nasty jolt in the region of his stomach.
"He's passing himself off as Jay's brother. But don't say anything." She whispered. Tre laughed quietly.
"That Mike. Sneaky bastard."
And Billie punched the wall.
~~~
Around one a. M., Mike appeared in the waiting room, looking haggard and careworn. Before anyone could start asking him questions, a deep, professional voice rang out.
"Are you all here for Mr., Erm... Jay?" The doctor asked, looking at his clipboard, then around at all the people gathered in the waiting room.
"Yes," Tony jumped up.
"Well, he's in stable condition. In fact, he may be able to go home in two days."
"That's GREAT." Tom exclaimed, and cracked open his beer.
The nurse walked over, grabbed it and walked away. Tom looked at her as though he would like nothing more than to shoot her.
"Actually, there's more to this." The doctor said seriously.
"What do you mean?" Blondie said slowly. Mike sank into a chair and put his head in his hands.
"Mr. Jay has done considerable damage to his liver. It's a miracle all his drug use hasn't impaired his judgment, although THAT is debatable. It is my personal belief that if he continues his current lifestyle, he will be dead before his twenty-fifth birthday."
There was a shocked silence. Mike's shoulders shook. Tony sat down next to him and wrapped her arms around him. Billie turned to the doctor.
"What can you do for him?"
"Well, we'll dry him out, send him home sober. I would like to recommend he be put on some sort of suicide watch, because, all things considered, there's a good chance he might try to kill himself."
"He's...?"
"I'm not able to diagnosis it, but I have my suspicions. But the most I can legally do without Mr. Jay's consent is send him home sober. What happens from there is entirely up to him."
Tom stepped forward, trembling slightly.
"Can we see him?"
"If his brother doesn't have a problem with it, I don't see why not."
The doctor turned and walked away, leaving the little group shattered.