Football 4

100% fiction!

My eyes fly open, it's bright again. "For god's sake close those blinds." i say blocking the light with my hands "What time is it?"

The blinds quickly close and my eyes can finally adjust to see Alex standing next to the window, same sweatpants, blue t-shirt now.
"It's noon." he says sitting back down, his chair is now much closer to the bed though "You actually just missed your dad he went to get lunch."

"Oh, alright." I'm sure i'll see my dad today and though i'm happy to see him i'm worried at what he'll have to say. My thoughts are broken by the sound of the door opening, at first i thought it would be my dad, but to my surprise it's an older man in a white coat.

"Well a good noon to you Mr. Neilson," he says closing the door, i notice his Scottish accent right away "and to you Mr. Hastings," he says referring to Alex "how is your head doing?"

"Alright but i do think i may need to stay some time longer doctor." Alex says as he gives him a knowing look, i look to the doctor who is looking back at him smiling.

"I understand," the doctor says nodding his head to Alex "now Mr. Neilson, you took quite the pounding the other day, tell me, how do you feel?"

"Well at the moment i don't feel anything, but as soon as i move it's like suddenly my blood has been switched with barbed wire that is being pumped through my torso."

"Well im not surprised," the doctor says "your injuries were quite bad and there was quite a bit of nerve damage done to your back, plus you suffered from a severe concussion, you're lucky, if your friend hadn't stepped in you might have died." I glance to Alex who's face is covered with concern, not anger or an expression that implied I owed him or something like i expected him to have but, genuine concern, and i'd even go as far as to say a relieved look.

"Can i see my dad?" I say looking back to the doctor.

"Ill send a nurse for him, he was going to the cafeteria to grab something to eat i believe."

"Speaking of food, when am i going to get something to eat, i figure you were feeding me through a tube when i was asleep."

"Yes you actually woke up yesterday not long after we removed it, but that's alright because you did go back to sleep on your own. Now as soon as we can get you sat up you can start feeding yourself, but how soon that happens all depends on how bad it hurts for you to move of course." right then I had a realization. The doctor looked down at my chart for a moment but when he looked back up i was sitting up looking at him, he rushes around to the right side of my bed and Alex stands up from his seat.

"Relax," I say reassuring them "I found out yesterday that i feel no pain in sitting up, just laying back down." I say thinking back to when I got mad at Alex.

"Well thank God for that." The doctor says "That was unlikely but it is a good sign, it means you're body has repaired itself more than I had anticipated, here i'll adjust your bed so you never have to sit back too far but you'll still be able to sleep at the angle." As the doctor said, he grabbed a remote that is attached to the bed by a chord and as he pushed a button the bed moved behind me to a little over a 45 degree angle. "Now, i'll go tell a nurse to bring you something to eat."

As the doctor moves towards the door I remember to ask him something "Um, doctor before you go, i'd like to take a shower if possible, would i be allowed to?"

"Well considering how much you've improved I suppose you can, however someone will need to help you to the bathroom. And I am going to insist upon someone being in the bathroom with you incase your legs were to give out, I could tell a nurse to but i would think that might be slightly uncomfortable. How about your dad?"

"No, i'd rather not have him do it." I say thinking of how even more uncomfortable that would be than having a nurse do it. But at the same time i wouldn't want some random woman to be in there with me.

"I'd do it." the doctor and I look to Alex who's looking at me nervously "I'd just be sitting there facing the other way. It'd be like you were alone."

I stare at Alex for a moment and then look back at the doctor "You're sure someone has to be there?"

"It could mean life or death having someone there with you, I'm afraid i must insist." he says looking at Alex.

"Alright, thanks for offering Alex." I look at him awkwardly and he looks back at me, the corner of his mouth curving slightly almost a half smile.

"Well very good" the doctor says "I'll go talk to the nurse, and if you want you can have snacks brought to you in between meals, just stuff from the cafeteria for now though." I nod at the doctor and he does the same as he steps out the door. I look at Alex, a bit annoyed and showing it, up until then he had been smiling slightly but when he saw the discomfort on my face he quickly sunk into a blank expression and turned his eyes to the floor.

A moment later I heard a click and turned to see my dad as he walked through the door, a bag of chips in his hand, my eyes were drawn to the chips immediately, it must have been almost a day since i'd had any food, and even longer since i'd eaten anything considered good. My dad notices me staring at his hand and tosses the chips at me, they land next to me on the vacant left side of the bed.

"I got those for you, I know you like kettle cooked, still can't figure out why though." he says with a laugh.

"It's nice to see you too." I say with banter.

"Sorry buddy." My dad says with a laugh, he comes over and sits on the bed next to me "Alex, could you give us a minute?"

Alex springs up from his chair "Of course." Hurriedly he leaves the room but not without looking back at me as he slipped out of the door. As soon as he was gone I looked at my dad who leaned in and hugged me.

"It's great to see you sitting up."

"Sitting up is okay, laying back is the problem."

My dad laughs but it quickly turns into a sobbing frown, holding back tears he says "I'm so sorry."

"It's fine, i'm fine."

"No it's not, I had no right to put all of that on you, and i should have never made you go to school, when i got that phone call and i thought i might not see you again I-" he chokes on his words, and tears fill his eyes as he pauses.

"I love you dad." I say hugging him again. "Everything is okay, i know it wasn't anyone's fault, we were all really sad and if anything I just felt bad that you were pushed to that point." My father looked at me with pride in his eyes.

"How did someone I raised turn out so smart, and handsome, and nice." I just looked at him and smiled, thinking that would be a good place to leave the conversation I reached to the side and grabbed the chips. Arms still sore, i yanked the bag open, I prefer the kettle cooked kind for their crunch.

My dad got up and walked around the bed and sat in Alex's chair as i ate some of the chips. "Is he your boyfriend?" Appalled by what he said i inhaled part of a chip and nearly choked on it as i forced myself to swallow it. I look at my dad annoyed.

"No, he's not."

"But he wants to be, right?"

"How would you know?" I ask him with a laugh

"The way he looks at you, it's the way i looked at your mom, besides he won't leave your side, he really seems to care." My father confirmed what I've been suspecting, his care is genuine.

"It's just, with everything that's going on i could never-"

"But maybe this could be good for you, to have someone to talk to, put trust in, especially since his mom is gone too." I had no idea about that, I can't believe I've been so rude too. Ashamed, i just stare at the wall eating my chips. "I know you'll do what's right here son, I trust you."

"Thanks dad."

"Now I told my boss i'd come into work today so I've got to go and get ready, will you be alright here with Alex?"

"Yeah, I guess I will." I say looking at my dad as he heads for the door.

"Jake, be nice to him, he seems to be a great kid." He opens the door, and as he walks through it I can hear him speak into the hallway "You can go back in now Alex." I suppose it couldn't hurt to give football boy a chance.