Chapter 2: Chapter 2
“Please, Holden. They’ll admit me if I don’t have someone to bring me home, and I can’t afford that.” I was doing fine, financially, but a hospital bill like that would put me into debt I couldn’t deal with. “And if I call anyone in the family, they’ll tell everyone else, and it’ll be a hoard of fussing. I just…” I had to bite back tears, and I knew the painkiller they’d given me was kicking in. “I just want to have this done and go home to sleep for a week. Then I’ll be all better.”
He made a noise I couldn’t decipher, and I opened my mouth to beg some more. I knew he liked begging, and I wasn’t above doing it. But before I could get out a single word, he spoke.
“All right. Fine. I’m on my way.” I heard the jangle of keys. “You doing okay?”
The tenderness in his voice nearly undid me. I took several deep breaths. “It hurts, Holden. I’m not going to lie.”
“Okay, kid. I’m coming. Do they know it’s me?”
“I’ll make sure. Oh, the nurse is here.” I gave her a smile as she drew back the curtain. “I’ll tell them. You’re coming?” I didn’t even try to hide the plaintive note in my voice.
“Yeah, Jesse. I’m on my way.”
For the first time in a week, when the pain had first started, I felt like I could relax. Everything would be fine. Holden was coming.
* * * *
I heard the beeping and felt the cannula in my nose before I really woke completely. It took me a few minutes to remember where I was and why. Cracking open my eyes, I saw the recovery ward, and the nurse next to my bed leaned over to check on me. He had a warm smile.
“How you doing? What’s your pain at?”
I assessed my body, then croaked out, “Four.”
He nodded and made a note.
I closed my eyes again. I felt so sleepy. Except it was fading, slowly and surely.
“Everything…okay?” I mumbled.
He chuckled. “Yes, everything went well.”
“Good.” My brain was getting a bit clearer and I opened my eyes again. “Holden?”
“Who’s that?”
“My, um, friend. He was coming.”
The nurse patted my arm. “I’ll check. We’ll get you a bit more awake, and then he can come back, okay?”
I nodded, which made my head swim a bit and I did a few slow blinks. It wasn’t easy to lift my lids. But the thought of seeing Holden made me try. I breathed deep and slow, and felt a twinge in my abdomen. I thought it was weird how this pain was a relief from the other pain I’d been feeling. That was strange, wasn’t it?
“Not really,” the nurse said in a kind voice, letting me know I’d spoken out loud. “I’ve heard it before. Where’re you at now on the pain scale?”
“Um, maybe five. Creeping on six.”
“Good enough.”
I watched him inject something into my IV. Within a few minutes, the pain eased down to a manageable level.
Time passed in a weird blink, and before I knew it, I was definitely more with it. I sat up a little straighter, being careful not to put too much strain on my stomach. The surgery had been laparoscopic, so I knew I’d find only a few small incisions on my abdomen. When they’d gone over the surgery beforehand, they assured me I’d heal quickly, and within two weeks, I’d be back to my old self. As long as I didn’t overdo it in the first few days, that is.
They let me up to use the bathroom—which was the best piss I’d ever had in my life—and when I shuffled back to my bed, Holden was waiting in the visitor’s chair. He looked rumpled, like he’d just thrown on clothes, and what little hair he had was standing on end as though he’d been running his hands through it. He had scruff on his cheeks and worry in his eyes.
He looked breathtaking. Which is why I gasped.
He was on his feet in a split second, and at my side a blink after that. He carefully took hold of my arm and helped me back to bed.
“Should you be walking?” he growled, but I could tell it wasn’t at me. Holden shot a glare at the empty doorway and I chuckled, even though it hurt a little.
“Yeah, I swear. I’m good. It barely hurts. Part of that is the minimally invasive surgery. The other part is the happy juice they shot in my veins. They’re gonna give me a pill and then a script for them. I think Percocet.”
Holden nodded and eased me onto the bed. He pushed my floppy brown hair off my forehead, then pulled back as though he hadn’t meant to do it. I could only grin stupidly at him. Holden rolled his eyes and laughed.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone