· Fan Fiction Main Menu

Average Reader Rating on this book /10 Ratings

Login or register to rate this story yourself

CHAPTER 8:

Steven and Jessica arrived at the hospital a few minutes before 9:00 PM, the time the doctors
estimated Randy's surgery would be over. They found Jessica's aunt in the waiting room.
"Any news?" Jessica asked.

"Not yet," her aunt replied. "The surgeon said he would come out and talk to me as soon as
they were done."

They sat trying to watch the television for nearly an hour. Every few minutes Steven got up
and paced around, swinging his arms by his side.

"Why is it taking so long?" Steven asked no one in particular.

"I don't know. But the doctor said not to make any assumptions based on the time it took,"
Jessica's aunt replied.

Steven was up on his feet, pacing again, when the doors swung open. Jessica and her aunt
nearly jumped to their feet. The surgeon came to them, still dressed in his scrubs, his mask
tucked under his chin. He smiled.

"Good news." He said, "The surgery couldn't have gone better. Still, he'll be in serious
condition for a few days. But, frankly, I couldn't be happier about how it went."

Steven and Jessica smiled hopefully at one another.

"What can you tell us?" Jessica's aunt asked.

"The tumor was encased in it's own membrane. We were able to lift it out without cutting
any brain tissue. We'll do a biopsy, of course. But I'd be surprised if there's a problem with
that. Complications are possible. But as things stand, his prospects for a full recovery are
excellent."

"When can I see him?" Jessica's aunt asked with growing anticipation.

"You can see him in an hour or so. A nurse will come out to get you. In fact, all three of you
should go in and see him, but only for a few moments. It will reassure him to see some
friendly faces before he sleeps."

Steven's heart leaped at the thought of seeing Randy soon.

"Doctor," Jessica's aunt struggled for words. "I don't know how to thank you."

"You can thank me by taking good care of that fine son of yours. Believe me, it was my
pleasure."
____________________________________________________


Steven, Jessica, and her aunt lined up at the foot of Randy's bed. His head was wrapped in
bandages, and his face looked like something he borrowed from an old man. Still, Steven was
fidgety with joy at the sight of him.

Randy squinted at them. He spoke with a soft raspy voice through dry lips. "Hi Mom. I love
you Mom."

"I love you too son," Jessica's aunt replied.

"Hi Jess," Randy said. "I love you too."

Jessica smiled, and squeezed Steven's hand. "I love you too, Randy."

Randy looked at Steven. "Jess," he said, "who's your friend?"

Steven couldn't breathe.

"Randy," Jessica said, forcing a chuckle. "Don't be silly. This is Steven."

"Nice to meet you, Steven." Randy lifted his hand a few inches from his side, as if he might be
attempting to wave.
___________________________________________________



"Don't be ridiculous, Steve," Jessica tried to reassure him. "You know Randy. Everything's a
big joke. When you see him in a couple of days you'll be laughing about this. Besides, I don't
think his mother knows. He couldn't very well just blurt out, 'Steven, I love you,' in front of
her."

"No," Steven mumbled shaking his head. "He doesn't know me."
___________________________________________________


Jessica's aunt was leaving Randy's hospital room and nearly bumped into Jessica and Steven as
they arrived. "How is he?" Jessica asked.

"Much better," Jessica's aunt replied. "He's sitting up. As talkative as ever. A big
improvement from when you saw him the other night. Still, he's having some confusion
about recent events. You'll be in for a bit of a jolt when you see him. They've put a tube
in the top of his head to draw off excess fluid. They hope by relieving the pressure his
memory will clear up."

"Well," Jessica said, " we thought we'd just pop in and check up on him. Where are you off
to?"

"I just need to take a little walk, get some air. I'll be back in, I don't know, twenty minutes or
so. Oh, Jess, Randy's father will be arriving later today. He'll be happy to see you again."

Steven and Jessica nervously entered Randy's room.

"Jess!" Randy greeted her with a great smile.

"How are you feeling?" Jessica asked.

"Way better than yesterday. Yesterday I felt like I had a football growing out the back of my
head. Today it's only a softball."

"Ah, Randy?" Jessica began uncertainly, "Do you know who this is?"

"Randy looked at Steven and smiled. "Hi." Then he turned to Jessica. "Is this your
boyfriend?"
___________________________________________________


When they left the room Steven started snickering.

"I don't see anything funny about this," Jessica scolded.

"He looks like a Teletubby with that thing in his head," Steven laughed. He leaned against the
wall and laughed uncontrollably, crazily. He started to slide down the wall. By the time he
was sitting on the floor he was sobbing.
___________________________________________________


Steven and John sat on the edge of the Dixon's pool with their legs dangling in the water.

"What about Glen, then?" Steven accused, more than asked.

"Glen!" John said with surprise, "What do you know about Glen?"

"A couple of days after my speech, I was in the park and saw you two walking into the
woods"

"Shit! Shit!" John exclaimed. "Steven, just get me a gun so I can blow my bloody brains out
while I'm thinking of it. I can't fucking believe it. Steven, I went to the park that day hoping I
would see you."

"I came," Steven said softly.

"Late as usual," John muttered.

"Well, it's not like we had a bloody fucking appointment!" Steven snapped.

"Steve, I'm sorry. Didn't you get my letter?"

"I tore it up," Steven said, his voice softer.

"God, if I live to be a hundred and twenty I'll still be figuring out how badly I fucked this all
up." John said sorrowfully. Then he added "It's off with Glen. Honest. I saw him one time after that. I went to his house, but left before anything happened."

Steven turned and spoke to somebody who wasn't there. "He left before anything happened,"
he said incredulously. Then he looked at John. "Johnny," Steven inhaled deeply and held his
breath for a second, "I came here today because you asked me to. I felt like I owed you that
much after . . . but . . . Johnny . . ." Steven looked at John, searching for something he used to
see there. "I wish we could find a way to be friends. I do." Steven hammered his thighs with
his fists. "Dammit, John! I can't deal with any more of your lies! I'm getting out of here."

John grabbed Steven's arm. "Steven, look at me," John pleaded. "Don't you think I know
what my lies have cost us. Don't you think I know that I could never say I'm sorry enough,
that I could never even be sorry enough for what I've done to you." John paused. He relaxed
his grip on Steven's arm and spoke more slowly. "I swear to you, Steven, no more lies. No
more lies to you. No more lies to my family. No more lies to Kevin and the gang. No more
lies to myself. Steven . . ."

Steven looked into John's eyes, judging them. Then he turned his face downward and
watched their reflections in the water. They sat silently together for several minutes. Then
John spoke gently.

"Steve, how's Randy?"

Steven shook his head. "He doesn't know me."

"What?" John asked, not understanding.

"He doesn't remember anything about the few days leading up to his surgery. He doesn't
remember me."

John placed a gentle hand under Steven's chin and turned Steven's face to his own. He looked
into Steven's eyes. He remembered a rainy night, looking into those eyes, promising Steven
he would prove his love - a love that had felt like thunder rumbling in his breast that rainy
night, a love that later vanished for a split second while the world changed forever. Now John
wondered how this love could bear the weight of Steven's sadness upon it's own.

"Oh, god, Steven, I'm so sorry, honest," John moved his hand onto Steven's shoulder.

Steven looked sadly at John. "Hold me," he said as he slid he arms around John's torso.

John held Steven tightly in his strong arms. "I'm sorry. Steven, I'm so sorry."

"Hi boss," Kevin called as he and Dave rounded the corner of the Dixon's house and froze.

"Shit," John muttered, but he did not let go of Steven.

"When I die, which may be momentarily," Steven said, resting his forehead against John's, "if
there is a god, he is not going to want to hear what I have to say to him."