Time Will Tell - 6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

J

When I awoke the next time, my head felt heavy. Like being held down by a ton of bricks, I heard voices, but couldn’t make them out. When I tried to lift my head, everything spun. “Devon? Are you awake sweetie.” Who is that? Why she calling me sweetie. That voice. I know that voice.

“Devon?” Another voice said, this time I knew who it was. Tammy.

“Tam…” I coughed some, my voice came out raspy. My throat felt dry. “Wa,” I cleared my throat some, “Water please.” I still haven’t opened my eyes yet. I know when I did though the lights from the room would make me close them real quick. I felt the cold liquid on my lips as someone tried to help me. After a few sips, I waved my hand away.

“What’s going on?” I ask, as I attempted to open my eyes. The lights, they seemed harsh. But I squinted, and pushed through the pain. After blinking a few times, and looking around the room. I noticed Tammy and Trent leaning against the ledge by the windows. I noticed two other people in the room, but I didn’t know who they were. “Who are you?” I asked both of them.

“I know it’s been a long time since you seen me or your brother. But we haven’t changed that much, have we?” The woman said, with a hint of laughter

“Mom?” I spoke just above a whisper.

“Yea, sweetie. I’ll be right back, I have to tell the doctors you’re awake.” With one last glance at me, she went outside the room.

“Hey bro.” The teenage boy says with a smile. He looks exactly like me. Down to the last freckle.

“Josh?” I ask, he tried to come closer, but I held up my hand to stop him. Looking to Tammy, I ask with my eyes. She looks at me with a sad smile. I could always read her. “Talk to him Devon, he’s your brother.” She said “I don’t know him, what if he doesn’t like me?” My eyes must have shown that because she walked over to me and place a kiss on my cheek. “Devon, you need to trust them.” She whispered in my ear before she backed up.

Looking back at Josh, “Why are you guys here? Why did you guys come back?” I ask. It was pretty stupid of my to ask at the time, I knew why. The hospital probably called them, after Tammy and Trent brought me here.

“Because mom got a call saying you were in the hospital. They wouldn’t tell us why. Just said that it’s an emergency. So we flew seven hundred and twenty miles. To be here for you.” He said

“But why? After all this time, after ten fucking years. Why now?” I started to get irritated, they weren’t there when my father was beating me. They weren’t there when I had to suffer the aftermath of his beatings. They weren’t anywhere near when I needed them the most. They left me to pretty much die. Tammy walks over to me and places a hand on my shoulder. Looking at her, her eyes pleading with me to listen, to understand. I sighed, she just doesn’t know. I love her to death, but she doesn’t know what it feels like to be left behind, to be forgotten.

“Devon, I don’t know why now…” He pauses looking hurt, like I just kicked his dog. “I don’t know why mom left you like she did. I don’t know why she never came back to claim you. I’m not the one you need to be asking those questions to.” Just then, my mother came walking through the door with a line of nurses and doctors. I so wanted to be angry with her, I so wanted to tell her to fuck off and die. But as I look into her eyes, and see the concern, the worry. The hatred melted away to where I had to look anywhere but in her eyes. I can’t hate her as much as I want to.

“Well Mr. Cooper, how are we feeling today?” The guy in the white coat spoke. He has salt and pepper hair. His face is smooth, with a goatee, his smile is pretty to look at though.

“I am doing fine. What is wrong with me?” I ask

“My name is Doctor Whitman. I am your doctor for today. As for your injuries…” He pauses, while looking down at what I presume is my chart. “Can anyone tell me what is going on with Mr.

Cooper?” He asks

“Devon Cooper, age 17, he came in unconscious, bleeding from his mouth, he sustained multiple broken bones, resulting in hemoptysis. We had set his bones, and repaired the collapsed lung. He is stable.” Said the young lady next to him.

“Thank you Dr. Stevens.”

“What is hemoptysis exactly?” My mother asks

“Hemoptysis is when the patient is coughing up blood due to any kind of injury to his chest, ribs, lungs. Making it very hard to breath, talk, or move. Devon passed out from not having enough oxygen in his blood or body. Mainly it’s when he’s coughing up blood, resulting in a collapsed lung. Now Devon here will be here for about a week. We will be monitoring him and doing tests to make sure everything is in working order. You’re very lucky that you have friends to come to your rescue, young man. Next time, try to be more careful.” He smiled at me

“Any word on where my father is?” Don’t ask me why I even bothered to ask, “Not that I care or anything.”

“Mr. Cooper has yet to be found Devon.” He looks at me with sad eyes. I didn’t ask for pity or sympathy.

“Thank you.” I said in a whispered voice

“If that will be all, we have other patients to visit today.” Dr. Whitman, looks at everyone in the room. And then takes his leave.

“It looks like we will be here for a bit.” Said my mother, to Josh

“That’s alright. I already booked two rooms, mom.”

“Thank you, darling. Where is your boyfriend at?”

“Um, I don’t really know. Last time I knew he was sitting in the waiting room. He thought that this was only for family and close friends.” Josh said, “But I will find him and bring him in here.” With that Josh leaves the room.

Is it me or does it feels like the room has a giant elephant in it? Awkward. After the doctor and nurses left, the room turned to silence… “Is Devon going to be living with you guys now?” Asked Trent, that’s the first time he spoke since I woke up.

“Yes, Trent. It is obvious that I have let him down. Left him with a man that beats him, and breaks his bones. If I had known, Devon was going to be treated like that I would have taken him with me ten years ago.” Said my mother, with sadness. I scoffed at that. She knew, she had to know. Why else would you take one kid and not the other. Why would you leave in the middle of the night after arguing with said man. I’m stupid nor naïve.

Looking at my mother, I wanted to say what was right at the tip of my tongue. My heart raced inside my chest, and my anxiety spiked but I had to say to it, I wanted the answers. “Cindy, why would you take one kid and not the other? Why did you leave in the middle of night? What made you leave in the first place? If you and him were happy, then why leave?” I said all this in a huff, the hurt, anguish, and crest fallen look upon my her face told me everything. I know now that I have fucked up. “You, never mind. We can talk about this later.” I looked from her to Trent and Tammy. They both wore surprised, and worried expressions.

K

Upon leaving the room, I took a huge breath of air. That room, oh how to put this? Devon, is hurt, he’s confused. After ten years of us being gone, and him ending up in the hospital with what the doctors say is hemoptysis, due to that man beating him so severely. I don’t know what to say or do to help Devon out. I just don’t. Turning left to go in search for Jeff. Just keep breathing, I tell myself. Everything will work eventually. Even if the first few days or weeks are hard. Devon is my brother. How can we hate each other? Well I don’t really know if he hates me, but the hurt in his eyes. Is enough to make a person apologize repetitively? Coming to the door for the waiting room, I spot Jeff reading something from his phone, with a smile on his face. Just that one look had me smiling. I love that man.

Opening the door, Jeff’s head pops up and he looks at me with questioning eyes. “Wha…” He starts to ask, before I put a hand and say, “Don’t.” All the air rushed out of me. I stand there, just breathing, worrying, questioning everything. My back touches the door, and I just lean there. Trying to think of a possible solution to this nightmare. A possible fix for the mess that Devon was living in. How can he trust anyone after what happened to him? I know for a fact that I wouldn’t if I were him.

“What are you thinking, babe. How are you feeling?” Jeff asks quietly. Looking up at him, with a sad expression, I make my way over to him, and sit down. With a sigh, I relate everything that the doctors have said, and what Devon has said so far. When I came to the end of explaining, I felt drained. I needed a shower, food, and rest. “I don’t exactly know how I am. I mean, at first glance he looked peaceful, even though his body was mangled. But the love that I feel for him is unmeasured. But Jeff, I don’t know what to do to help him.” I leaned my head on his shoulder, and he runs his hand on mine.

“We’ll take it one day at a time. We will help him get through this.” Jeff says as he places a kiss on my cheek. Making me smirk.

“Thanks babes. You know exactly what to say to make me smile.”

“We are fiancés for?” He laughs

“Did I tell you about Trent?” I smirk

“No, I don’t think you have hun.”

“Well Trent, I don’t know if you saw him or not. But he’s tall, probably 6’1 or something. Really tan, has a very nice build from what I could tell. Ocean blue eyes, and his smile is a radiant. My brother couldn’t have picked a better boyfriend. At least I think that’s what they are.”

“Sounds like a catch babe. How did he seem while he was in the room?”

“He didn’t really say anything, but he did stare/look at Devon with affection in his eyes…. Wait, was?” I ask

“Yea, he’s right outside the door, looking at us.” I look towards the door and there he is. Trent opens the door a little at first. And then pushes it open.

“Mind if I join you guys?” He asks, almost like he’s scared to ask

“Sure, dude. No problem.” I smile at him. He is really cute, and I hope Trent will stick around for a while longer.

“Thanks, I just couldn’t stand there any longer. Devon looks so lost and angry. I have only seen him like this once.” Trent says sadly, as he plops down into a chair. Almost melting into it.

“Why do you say that?” I ask

“Because I haven’t known him long, if it were not for Tammy asking for my help. I probably wouldn’t have even considered talking to Devon. Or helping him for that matter. Your brother is very stand offish. He doesn’t like to talk to others. He isn’t exactly friendly either. But, when you do get to know him just a little, you can tell that he is bright, honest, scared, secretive, cute…” He blushes at that, making me smile in return. “Devon is a sweet guy. And I wouldn’t have any other way.” He sighs, “I know that he going to be leaving with you guys at the end of this week. And I will probably never see him again, and that hurts. Like really hurts, because I really like Devon, and we just became a couple. It sucks honestly. I’m going to miss him,” He starts to cry.