Page 94 of Behind the Bars

“I always show up, maybe not always on time”—he winked—“but I always showup.”

A nurse stepped into the room, somewhat surprised to see us all standing there in the small space. “Hi, I’m Nurse Rose. I’m in charge of watching over TJ for the next few hours of my shift, and although I’m sure you’re all excited to see him, I’m afraid we’re going to keep it to family members only at thistime.”

“Don’t you s-see it, Rose?” TJ murmured. “This is my sister and my niece and nephew. It’s pretty clear. We all lookalike.”

Rose smiled. “Yeah, I see that, TJ, but still, I think perhaps only one of them at a time to visit will help. You need yourrest.”

“We’ll wait outside,” I told Laura. Then, I approached TJ and kissed his forehead once more. “It’s so good to hear yourvoice.”

“Are you okay, Jasmine?” he asked, making me laugh. He was worrying about me as he lay in a hospitalbed.

“Quit worrying about me, friend. I’m always okay,TJ.”

“We’ll get back to your music lessons soon,” he toldme.

I laughed. “No rush. You just get somerest.”

He agreed, and I watched as Elliott moved closer to him. He placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him a small smile. It was so small that if I hadn’t been addicted to staring at the familiar stranger, I would’ve missedit.

“If I knew all it would take to get you to visit was a stroke, I would’ve done it ages ago,” TJjoked.

“I’m ha-ha—” Elliott paused and shut his eyes. His face turned slightly red and veins popped out a bit in his neck as his hands formed fists. “I’m h-happ—” he tried again, but the words weren’t forming for him at all. There he was—the shy boy I’d onceknown.

He reopened his eyes andfrowned.

TJ placed his right hand on Elliott’s tense fist. “I’m happy, too, son.” And just like that, with TJ’s touch, Elliott’s body began to relax. TJ provided that same kind of comfort for me. I was certain it was like that for everyone who knewhim.

The two of us left the hospital room and headed into the waiting area then sat beside one another. This time, there was no seat between us. We were so close, but still felt milesapart.

The silence around us was eerie. My mind was swirling with things I wanted to say, but I wasn’t certain how to say them. Even so, I’dtry.

I crossed my legs and cleared my throat. My lips parted to speak, but he found words beforeme.

“How do you know him?” he asked, referring toTJ.

“I’d go to his corner every day before work and listen to him play. He also recently started giving me music lessons. He’s, um…” My words trailed off, and he stared forward. A tear rolled down my cheek, and I quickly wiped it away. “He’s one of my favorite people in the world,” I toldhim.

Elliott clasped his hands together and studied thefloor.

“Why that corner?” heasked.

“What?”

“Why did you go to thatcorner?”

I snickered lightly. “Don’t ask questions you already know the answersto.”

“You still sing,though?”

I nodded. “TJ said you don’t playanymore.”

“No.”

“That’s the saddest thing I’ve everheard.”

He looked so defeated, so tired. Elliott was too young to be so broken down by the world, too young to know the level of sadness I saw in hiseyes.

But then again, so wasI.

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