Something
More
Than Friends
*Chapter Fourteen, Part One*
The next morning, I woke up earlier
than I normally; around 8am. The sky was grey and overcast, and
the heavy clouds above sprinkled a light mist of rain. I
remembered the doctor at Wesley telling us that Josh would be
transferred back to the local hospital early this morning, so I
figured he was probably there already. Since the effects of the
surgery were only due to last a maximum of 24 hours, Josh was
scheduled to be released by 11am. I wonder if he regained his
vision back yet, I wondered. After throwing on a pair of
dark denim jeans and a fleece lime green hoodie, I made my way
down the stairs towards our kitchen, where my mom was making
pancakes. “Good morning, Bri,” she greeted me.
“Have you heard anything from Josh, yet?” “No,
not yet. Is it alright if I go visit him at the hospital?”
I questioned. “Sure, Bri, but no surprise trips to Wesley
this time!” she joked. I nodded my head, laughing slightly,
promising I won’t be going anywhere but the hospital.
“Why don’t you have a pancake before you
leave?” She offered, nodding to the plate of fresh baked
pancakes on the counter. I grabbed one with my hand and took bite
out of it. “Would you like a plate? And perhaps a
fork?” my mom teased. “I’m good. See ya
later,” I called, walking out the front door towards my
car, sitting in the driveway. The car was truly flawless; pearly
white, new car smell. It was perfect, in my eyes. I finished the
rest of my pancake, then started the car and headed down the road
to the hospital, without a doubt in my mind that Josh was going
to be all better.
Walking through the familiar hospital doors, there was hardly anyone waiting in the lobby. Just me, and an elderly woman sitting in the corner couch by herself. I walked over to the front desk, where Denise, who I formerly spoke with, was sitting. “Hey, Brielle,” she recognized me. “What can I do for you today?” “I was coming to visit Josh Brady. Could you tell me what room he’s staying in?” Denise shuffled through a stack of papers beside her and looked at one of the pages, then back to me. “Josh is staying in room 57. Although, he’s not quite ready for any visitors yet. The doctors have to remove the bandages obstructing his vision. You should be able to visit him in about fifteen minutes. Feel free to make yourself comfortable on one of the couches here in the waiting room,” she insisted. “Alright, that’s fine. Thank you,” I thanked her. I walked over to one of the couches on the opposite side of the room where the elderly woman was sitting. She seemed to be waiting for something; someone. She stared blankly at a set of rosary beads, which she cradled gently in her hand. She folded her hands and looked up outside, then closed her eyes. I could tell she was praying for someone.
While I took my mind off of the elderly woman and what could’ve been troubling her, I watched Channel 7 News on the large TV screen that was displayed on the wall across from me. Moments later, two doctors appeared in the lobby, approaching my side of the room. I expected them to inform me that Josh was available for visiting, but that’s not what happened. Instead of approaching me, they walked towards the elderly woman in the corner. “Mrs. Foster?” One of the doctors spoke softly, placing a hand on the woman’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Foster. He didn’t make it,” she apologized. The elderly woman stared at the doctor with disbelief. “He’s…He’s gone?” She whispered, as the tears rolled down her face. “I’m so sorry,” the doctor apologized once again, not knowing what more to say. “Not my Howard!” she cried. Tears filled my eyes as well, and I couldn’t help but be so sad for her. I’ve never seen anything so heart breaking than watching an elderly woman lose the one she loved. “Howard is in a much better place now,” the other doctor assured her. “He’s up there dancing with the angels.” Both doctors sat down on the couch beside her, holding her hand and comforting her, while Mrs. Foster tried hard to accept the fact that her Howard was gone forever.
I sat on the sofa, opposite of Mrs. Foster, deciding if I should go say something sympathetic to comfort her or not. Before I could make up my mind, a nurse in purple scrubs told me to follow her. Walking behind the nurse to Josh’s room, I dried the remainder of my tears. I still couldn’t shake the thought of the poor old woman from my head. The nurse stopped at the middle of a long hallway and turned into one of the rooms. Room 57; Josh’s room. She held up her index finger, signaling for me to wait a moment outside of the door. After she discussed something with the doctor, she called me back in. I walked into the room, which was surprisingly cold. There were no longer bandages on Josh’s head, but his eyes were still covered. He was clearly awake, and even talking to the doctor. “Hey, Josh,” I spoke out eagerly. “Bri?” He guessed. “Bri! You’re here! I can’t wait to see you,” he smiled. Slowly, the doctor began peeling away the bandages that covered Josh’s eyes. Then, he took off the last bandage. And there they were; Josh’s sparkling blue eyes. But the expression on his face remained blank.
He didn’t look at the doctor, or even look at me.
Because he couldn’t see either of us.
Walking through the familiar hospital doors, there was hardly anyone waiting in the lobby. Just me, and an elderly woman sitting in the corner couch by herself. I walked over to the front desk, where Denise, who I formerly spoke with, was sitting. “Hey, Brielle,” she recognized me. “What can I do for you today?” “I was coming to visit Josh Brady. Could you tell me what room he’s staying in?” Denise shuffled through a stack of papers beside her and looked at one of the pages, then back to me. “Josh is staying in room 57. Although, he’s not quite ready for any visitors yet. The doctors have to remove the bandages obstructing his vision. You should be able to visit him in about fifteen minutes. Feel free to make yourself comfortable on one of the couches here in the waiting room,” she insisted. “Alright, that’s fine. Thank you,” I thanked her. I walked over to one of the couches on the opposite side of the room where the elderly woman was sitting. She seemed to be waiting for something; someone. She stared blankly at a set of rosary beads, which she cradled gently in her hand. She folded her hands and looked up outside, then closed her eyes. I could tell she was praying for someone.
While I took my mind off of the elderly woman and what could’ve been troubling her, I watched Channel 7 News on the large TV screen that was displayed on the wall across from me. Moments later, two doctors appeared in the lobby, approaching my side of the room. I expected them to inform me that Josh was available for visiting, but that’s not what happened. Instead of approaching me, they walked towards the elderly woman in the corner. “Mrs. Foster?” One of the doctors spoke softly, placing a hand on the woman’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Foster. He didn’t make it,” she apologized. The elderly woman stared at the doctor with disbelief. “He’s…He’s gone?” She whispered, as the tears rolled down her face. “I’m so sorry,” the doctor apologized once again, not knowing what more to say. “Not my Howard!” she cried. Tears filled my eyes as well, and I couldn’t help but be so sad for her. I’ve never seen anything so heart breaking than watching an elderly woman lose the one she loved. “Howard is in a much better place now,” the other doctor assured her. “He’s up there dancing with the angels.” Both doctors sat down on the couch beside her, holding her hand and comforting her, while Mrs. Foster tried hard to accept the fact that her Howard was gone forever.
I sat on the sofa, opposite of Mrs. Foster, deciding if I should go say something sympathetic to comfort her or not. Before I could make up my mind, a nurse in purple scrubs told me to follow her. Walking behind the nurse to Josh’s room, I dried the remainder of my tears. I still couldn’t shake the thought of the poor old woman from my head. The nurse stopped at the middle of a long hallway and turned into one of the rooms. Room 57; Josh’s room. She held up her index finger, signaling for me to wait a moment outside of the door. After she discussed something with the doctor, she called me back in. I walked into the room, which was surprisingly cold. There were no longer bandages on Josh’s head, but his eyes were still covered. He was clearly awake, and even talking to the doctor. “Hey, Josh,” I spoke out eagerly. “Bri?” He guessed. “Bri! You’re here! I can’t wait to see you,” he smiled. Slowly, the doctor began peeling away the bandages that covered Josh’s eyes. Then, he took off the last bandage. And there they were; Josh’s sparkling blue eyes. But the expression on his face remained blank.
He didn’t look at the doctor, or even look at me.
Because he couldn’t see either of us.
...........................
Part two is up
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