Chapter 4
"Jeremy! Come out and play!" Chad whined from his position under Jeremy's window.
"I can't Chad. I'm grounded," Jeremy pouted.
"Sneak out then." Jeremy giggled at his friends' persistence.
"You know I can't!" Chad started to grin at Jeremy. "Uh oh. What have you got planned?" he hissed. Chad just continued to grin and ran from Jeremy's sight.
A few moments later, the door bell rang through the Gavitts estate. Jeremy opened his door and crack and listened to some mumbling before feet began to come up the stairs. Jeremy ran for the corner of his room and sat down in the chair, facing the wall. He heard a chuckle behind him.
"We both know you haven't been sitting in that chair the whole time, Jeremy," his mother lovingly scolded.
"I'm sorry for breaking you're cookie jar mommy," Jeremy sulked, playing with his hands.
"Oh sweetie," his mother knelt down in front of him and hugged her seven-year-old son. "You are the best actor I've ever seen," she chided and kissed his cheek. "Go play with Chad." He beamed up at his mother.
"Thanks Mom!" he hugged her and raced out the door.
Jeremy was startled from his memory. Where had that come from? He shook it off and entered his friend's hospital room. The fear was slowly subsiding but he still had an inner terror that something could still go wrong.
He knocked softly to get her attention as he had done for Daisy.
"Mikey?" he whispered. He walked over to her bedside.
"Hey Jeremy," she smiled weakly at his presence.
"How are you feeling, angel?" he asked, sitting down and taking her hand.
"Like I just had another surgery," she tried to giggle. Jeremy stroked her hand with his thumb.
"The nurse said you're gonna be okay except for you're le..." Jeremy bit his lip.
"Except for my what? Tell me Jeremy," she demanded in her weak state.
"There's a chance you might be paralyzed," Jeremy let the information sink into her brain as she took a sharp breath.
"How is Daisy?"
"Daisy's fine. Just a few stitches."
"Marcy is going to kill me."
"It wasn't you're fault, honey. It was a drunk driver who hit you." Mica just nodded and sighed.
"I'm scared, Jeremy." He cocked his head.
"Because of being in a wheelchair the rest of your life?"
"Yeah. I've worked so hard to grasp at my independence. How can I do that from a wheelchair?" she asked.
"Just like you do now. You get the hang of it and soon it gets easier."
"How do you know?" she asked, almost bitter.
"I broke both my legs, remember? I was in a wheelchair for three months." She just stayed silent. Jeremy sighed and kissed her hand. "I know it's gonna be hard. But you'll have me, Daisy, Marcy, and that Brian and Nick kid to help you get back on you're feet, so to speak." Mica looked at him, almost shocked.
"Brian and Nick are here?"
"Yeah. They're friends of yours right? You've never talked to me about them." She ignored him.
"I can't believe they're actually here."
"Can you fill me in please?"
"They're not supposed to be here. They should be, dammit! I'll never hear the end of this one," she groaned and leaned her head far back into the pillow.
"Hello?!" Jeremy said, making his presence known. "Who are Brian and Nick?" Mica looked at him, a strange far off look in her eye.
"They're just friends of mine," she said simply.
"Oh no you don't, you're not getting away from it that easily." She sighed as the door swung open and two figures walked in.
"Mica?" one asked, timidly.
"Hey Bri Bri," she smiled at it. What the hell was going on?
"You remember Nick, right?"
"Hey Knucklehead," the other giggled.
"Aw, Nicky, just because I'm in this bed doesn't mean I can't kick you're ass." She threatened. He pretended to cower.
"Ooohh, I'm soo scared! Brian, protect me from you're girlfriend!" Girlfriend? Were these the same two boys Jeremy had met earlier? Was this the same girl who had been his best friend? He cleared his throat.
"Um, excuse me? Can someone, please, fill me in on what's going on?" Mica squeezed Jeremy's hand and smiled.
"Sorry, Jay. Brian, Nick, this is Jeremy. Jay, this is Brian and Nick."
"We met earlier," Nick offered.
"Nice seeing you again," Brian nodded toward him. Jeremy listened to their conversation. Something about Nick and Brian seemed very familiar, too familiar for his liking. He swore he had heard that slight southern accent before and that nasal laugh. But where?
Mica was shaking his arm.
"Yes, Mikey?"
"You okay, Jay?" she inquired, a look of worry on her face.
"Yeah, I'm fine," he grinned.
"You should go home and get some rest." He just shook his head.
"Not until you're out of here."
"You're too damned stubborn!"
"Just like you." Jeremy heard muffled laughter and remembered Brian and Nick were still in the room.
"You can go back to the hotel with Brian and Nick. It's closer than your house. Please? You need some sleep. And Daisy is probably scared about being here by herself."
"Daisy? Daisy is here too?" Brian asked, wide eyed. Jeremy nodded.
"We're taking both you and Daisy back to our hotel, and that's final." He was almost glaring at Mica and Jeremy. Jeremy sighed.
"Fine." He kissed Mica on the cheek and led Brian and Nick out of the room.
Jeremy led them to Daisy's hospital bedroom in silence. The little girl was still sleeping when they entered. He walked over and lovingly stroked the little girl's face.
"Daisy Flower?" he whispered.
"Uncle Jay?"
"We're leaving the hospital, you and me with some of Mica's friends. Come on, honey." He slid her arms around his neck and lifted her up from the bed. Her head fell against his shoulder as she slept. Brian and Nick were in awe of how he treated the little girl. So soft and gentle as if she were his own daughter. They left the room and signed Daisy out.
"Where are we staying?" Jeremy asked the two men.
"At our hotel," Brian said with authority.
"How far is it from here?"
"About ten minutes."
"Alright."
The drive to the hotel was silent. Jeremy didn't dare talk, for fear of waking the little angel in his arms. They pulled up to a large building. Jeremy gasped when he noticed the five star hotel. Nick opened the door for him so neither of his arms would leave Daisy's sleeping form. He cradled the child against him as Brian led the way to the elevator and up to the 5th floor. The doors opened and the hallway lay quiet, unused, serene. Brian opened a door.
"This is my cousin's room. You and Daisy can sleep in here. Nick and I are across the hall."
"Thanks Brian," Jeremy smiled as he yawned. Nick chuckled.
"Just get some sleep, bro. See you in the morning." Jeremy nodded and closed the door. He placed Daisy in one of the soft beds and lay himself down in the parallel fluff.
"G'night Daisy Flower," he yawned before he too, fell into a deep sleep.
Jeremy woke up to the sound of voices in the hallway. He didn't mean to eavesdrop, but the conversationalists weren't exactly keeping their voices down.
"Who the hell is that?" he heard a voice say angrily.
"That's Mica's friend Jeremy and her niece, Daisy," he recognized the other, almost timid sounding voice, as Brian.
"Why are they in MY room?" the voice continued.
"Well, you were out and no one else had any extra space. Lighten up, Kev. God, don't be so selfish for once." There was a sigh.
"I'm sorry, Bri, I'm just tired. It's 5 in the morning and this damn tour is running me ragged."
"I know, Cuz. Just let'em sleep some more. They've had a rough few days."
"How's Mica doing, anyway?"
"Surgery was successful. They don't know if she's at risk of being paralyzed from the waist down." Kevin let out a long breath.
"Wow. Poor Kid." Jeremy slithered from the sheets on the bed and tip toed into the hallway where Brian and Kevin were still talking. He cleared his throat to get their attention.
"I'm sorry to bother you," he whispered. "But can you watch after Daisy for a bit? I wanna head over to the hospital and check up on Mica." Jeremy dared not look into Kevin's eyes. There was something in those diamonds that sent a shiver up his spine.
"Yeah, sure bro," Brian smiled at him.
"Thanks. She shouldn't be up for a few more hours anyway. I'll come back with news, if I can."
Jeremy rode the elevator to the lobby and hailed a taxi. The sun was rising in the Ohio sky as he got into a cab and told the driver his destination.
He rushed through the swinging doors and found Mica's room with no trouble at all. He slipped in and sat at his best friend's side. Her eyes were closed, her body totally limp.
"Mikey," he whispered, taking her hand and squeezing it. He watched as she shifted toward him and her eyes fluttered open.
"Hey Jay," she smiled weakly.
"How are you feeling, honey?"
"I hurt," she pouted like a little girl. He kissed the top of her hand.
"Any news on your legs?" she shook her head.
"Not that I know of."
"Okay, go back to sleep. I'll be here when you wake up." She didn't respond, just closed her eyes as her breath evened out.
Nurse Libby stuck her head into the room.
"Hi Mr. Gavitts. Can I speak to you out in the hall for a second?" Jeremy looked at his sleeping friend and nodded. He followed her into the hallway.
"What's going on?" he inquired, almost fearful of what she was going to tell him.
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