Chapter 61

RILEY

"You don't have to babysit me," I told Alex. "The nurses will help me with anything I need."

"I told Eric I'd stay with you while he slept."

I sighed. Apart from when the nurse helped me shower and when I went to the bathroom, Alex hadn't left my room. "Why are you and Eric so stubborn?"

"It's because we care about you." He looked at the crossword puzzle in front of him. "What's a five-letter word that means dangerous?"

Jonathan smiled at Alex from the doorway. "Risky."

Alex's eyebrows rose. "You're right. What about an eleven-letter word that means premeditated?"

Jonathan frowned. "What does it start with?"

"I don't know. But the third letter is a ‘T'."

"Intentional." He grinned at Alex's disbelieving face. "You're looking at the winner of the Queen Bee Spelling Competition at Scotsdale Elementary School. Three years in a row."

I started to smile, but the pain in my face brought tears to my eyes. "It's not fair," I moaned. "I didn't know until now that I smile too much. Why can't I be grumpy all the time?"

"If you were grumpy," Jonathan said with a grin, "I wouldn't have brought my super-delicious, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate fudge with me."

Alex's eyes lit up. "That sounds like the perfect way to enjoy the day."

Jonathan handed Alex a box, then rolled a suitcase into the room. "I heard about your bacon and egg muffins. It was nice of you to look after Eric."

"How did you know I brought Eric breakfast?"

"The walls have ears," Jonathan whispered. "And Riley's mom texted me after Eric told her what you'd done. I was going to bring everyone breakfast, but you beat me to it."

Alex glanced at his watch. "It's nearly mid-day. If you brought some food with you, we could have lunch together."

"Are you sure we're not related?" Jonathan asked. "Wait here." He walked outside the room, then reappeared a few minutes later with another box in his hands.

Alex opened the flaps and sighed. "If you weren't my friend, I'd marry you tomorrow." Out of the box came the deepest pie I'd ever seen.

"It's my mom's favorite apple pie recipe," Jonathan told us. "The apples make it a healthy hospital choice."

The grin on his face told me there were a lot of not-so-healthy ingredients in the pie as well.

Alex licked his lips. "Anything that looks this delicious has to be good for you. Would you like a slice now or later, Riley?"

I looked at Alex, then across at Jonathan. "I've got an idea."

"Oh, no," Alex moaned. "Just because Jonathan's here, it doesn't mean you can gang up on me. I have a reputation to maintain."

"Your rough-and-tough image is safe with us," I assured him. "This is more of a compromise. What if you eat a slice of pie while Jonathan helps me get changed? I'll feel better if I'm wearing normal clothes."

Alex tilted his head sideways. "Your hospital gown has a certain jail-bird quality that I find appealing."

"Until I stand up. I can't wrap it around my waist far enough to close the gap at the back. It's practically indecent."

Jonathan reached into the box and gave Alex a plate, knife, and fork. "Happy eating."

Alex jumped from the chair and slid a slice of pie onto his plate. "I'll be in the family room if you need me."

"I don't believe it," I said. "If I'd known all it took was food to move Alex, I would have ordered takeout."

Jonathan grinned and lifted the suitcase onto the end of the bed. "He's a man of simple tastes. What would you like to wear today?"

I watched Jonathan lift half a dozen shirts out of the case. "You don't know how much I appreciate this."

"I think I do. It's amazing how much your spirit can be lifted by a colorful shirt, a toothbrush, and a clean pair of underpants. I did a little shopping on the way here. The clothes aren't boutique quality, but they'll be better than your hospital gown." Jonathan handed me a pale blue shirt. "What about this one? The buttons will make it easier to get it on and off, and the color will look great on you."

It might have looked great two days ago, but smashing into a wooden door had left its mark. At the moment, my bruises were a mix of violent red, yellow, and black.

"That'll be perfect. Thanks."

"And here are four new pairs of underpants. You can't go wrong with black cotton briefs. And to finish our hospital fashion extravaganza, I chose a couple of pairs of shorts that I think will work. They have elastic sewn into the waists, so they're easy to pull on and off."

Tears filled my eyes. "I don't know what to say."

Jonathan sighed and wrapped me in a gentle hug. "You don't have to say anything. It's hard being in the hospital without having some nice clothes and toiletries with you. Are you ready to get changed?"

I didn't hesitate. "I am, but I'll have to ask the nurse to unhook me from the monitor."

"I can ask her. Don't move. I'll be back in a minute."

There wasn't much chance of me going anywhere in a hurry. At least I wasn't hooked up to the IV drip anymore. Hopefully, by the time the doctors did their rounds, I'd be able to leave the hospital and go home to my own bed.