Page 78 of Game Changer

I must look like a monster.

“Not quite the kind of ‘tied to a bed’ I had in mind, either,” AJ joked.

“I… I thought you were sedated. How are you even awake?” she rushed to sit next to him on the bed and stroked his face.

“It’s only a little sedation. It made me woozy, but I’m trying not to give in to sleep. It’s worse there.”

He started crying. His mom sat in silence across the bed from Lisa, holding his hand, stroking it over and over, tears trickling down her face as well.

Why the hell can’t I stop crying? First to mom and now Lisa. Fucking fuck.

“Oh, AJ! It’s all going to be ok. It really is, I just know it. Just don’t give up on yourself, ok? We’re all here for you.” Lisa soothed as she rested her head against his and spoke softly to him. “I’m right here and I’m not going anywhere, you hear me?”

“Yes ma’am.” His voice was barely above a whisper.

“I know it’s not what you want to hear, but it’s maybe even going to get worse and we need to prepare for that possibility. The doctor said it varies from person to person, but it will get better. Itwill,AJ. Please be patient with yourself.”

He nodded again as she kissed his cheek softly. He turned his head to meet her lips with his as tears continued to trickle down his face.

“I got you,” she told him when their lips parted. He turned his head away from her. She carefully turned it back to face her and made him look into her eyes. “I got you,” she repeated. He nodded through tears as she kissed his forehead again. “And you got this, Pim. Just keep your gloves up, ok?”

I feel so anxious and worked up.

He nodded again, “Lis? Could you sing to me, please? I’m scared to go to sleep, but I’m so tired. Maybe if you…” Her fingers silenced his lips.

Please just don’t leave me, Lis. Please? Don’t give up on me.

“Sleep. I’ll stay right here and sing for you, and I’ll be here when you wake up,” she told him as he closed his eyes and she started to sing.

***

The next day AJ had serious hallucinations. Regardless of being wide awake, he didn’t seem to recognize anyone at all. The day after that, he somehow managed to pull out his IV – despite being tied to the bed. Whilst he was thrashing around and trying to twist himself, he managed to get it caught on something. AJ closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep while the nurse cleaned up around him.

Another new nurse? I can’t bring myself to do any more platitudes.

I have no fucks left to give.

The memories of the previous day’s hallucinations lingered on his mind. He was incredibly freaked out at what his mind had conjured up throughout the day.

Zombies? Couldn’t you have at least been a little more original than zombies?

He hadn’t recognized a single person who was in his room yesterday until Jeremy came in with his shiner. It seemed as though it was getting worse and not better.

He probably deserved it from whoever punched his pretty-boy face.

“It’s worse than it looks,” reassured the nurse who was cleaning up the mess. “He’s all fixed up again now, and he’s sleeping, not sedated,” she told someone who’d come into the room.

“Thank you, nurse.”

Lisa! My Lisa!

“You’re doing just fine. You all are, AJ included. It’s tough and it’s scary, but you really are doing everything you can and the doctors are hopeful he’ll recover fully.”

A memory of him punching Jeremy jumped into his mind and confusion clouded his mind.

Shit, was that now, or before? Did I punch his face? What the hell?

“Thank you,” Lisa repeated. “And thank you for taking care of him.”

---