“Rhone, I knew I was gonna be stupid over you from the moment you helped me through my panic attack,” Ely said, wiping away his own tears with the tissue Mom handed him.
“Stupid huh?” I said, flashing a cocky grin.
“Yeah. Crazy. Stupid. Stumbling and diving headfirst over the side of the Grand Canyon in love with you,” Ely admitted. My heart thudded so loudly I thought Mom and Jordan could hear it. “Rhone, I thought I lost you. Last thing I remembered was seeing you covered in blood, crying. I thought, I thought…” Ely stumbled.
“I’d take a bullet for you any day Ely,” I said, kissing those lips I feared I may never get to kiss again.
“Let’s hope that day never comes,” Ely said.
“Amen,” Mom added.
He loves me, he loves me, he loves me. The chant played in my head. Wasn’t it funny how when you mentally hear yourself singing your voice sounds fantastic, like Celine Dion great? When in reality, the neighborhood dogs howled at your ear-piercing screeches. Rhone’s words, simple as they may be to some, breathed life into my tired body. I wanted to shout them from the top of the highest mountain. Erect a large obnoxious billboard in my hometown for my parents and everyone who called me worthless to see. I. Was. Loveable.
“I’m falling asleep,” Rhone’s mom said. “Now that Ely is stable, I’m going home to wash the hospital off me and take a nap. Rhone keep me updated on what the doctors say. I’ll be back this afternoon and I’ll bring you a change of clothes and something to eat.” His mom, Katy, kissed my forehead, filling me with a sense of…Family. “You, young man,” she began, shaking a teasing finger at me. “Didn’t need to go to such extreme lengths to get out of spending Thanksgiving with us.”
My face heated. “I would never. But thank you for including me.”
“You are family, Ely. And now you will be expected at all the crazy gatherings.” She winked then hugged Jordan and Rhone before leaving.
“Your mom is great,” I said, stifling a yawn. I tried my best to keep my eyes open, but I just couldn’t.
“They must’ve injected him with some good shit.” I heard Jordan say. “Look at that grin on his face.”
I floated in and out of consciousness most of the day, catching bits and pieces of conversations taking place around me. Well, maybe. Some of what was swirling around in my liquified brain could very well be drug induced. Whatever they were giving me Jordan was right about, it was realllyyy good. But I loved the fact that every time I opened my eyes, Rhone was the first person I’d see.
“Hello handsome,” Rhone said, brushing the hair off my face. “How are you feeling?” He leaned over, kissing me.
“Numb, and hungry.”
“Good, I took the liberty of asking Mom to bring dinner for two. She should be here any—” Katy walked in as if she’d been summoned. “—minute.” Rhone smiled.
“How are my boys?” she asked, kissing both our cheeks. Was it weird that when she did, I got this warm feeling in the pit of my stomach and my brain said, this is how a mom is supposed to be. Maybe my mom would have been the same if my dad wasn’t always harping on her, telling her to get her fat ass moving. There were only so many years of that kind of verbal abuse one could take before you harden. Although I don’t remember her mom, the only one of my grandmothers I had ever met, being warm and fuzzy. One time I overheard her telling my dad that I wasn’t right, and she asked him what was wrong with his gene pool. Back then I was too young to understand what she meant by it, now that I did, I’m thankful she hadn’t visited us more often.
“Are you okay, Ely?” Rhone asked, zapping me from a memory best kept buried.
“Um, yeah, why?” I asked, busying myself straightening the bed sheet but getting nowhere with the limited mobility I had.
“You had a faraway look in your eyes,” Katy said. “Should we call the nurse? Are you in pain?”
“No, no. I’m actually not feeling too bad right now and I’m not very fond of the doped-up weirdness whatever they’re giving me induces.” That was not a lie, I had some loopy stuff going on in my head for a while there. “What’s for dinner?”
“Here…” Rhone stood. “Let me adjust the bed so you can sit up straighter.”
“I brought us soup and salad from that place you like Rhone,” Katy said. “Ely, I had to guess what you would like but Rhone said you weren’t picky. I got you their four-cheese grilled sandwich,” she said, pulling the container from the bag and setting it on the mobile table. At the mention of cheese, my mouth salivated. “And a minestrone soup. I hope that’s okay?”
“That sounds and smells wonderful, thank you Mrs…” She cocked her brow. “err, um, Katy.”
“You’re welcome, sweetie. For you Rhone, I got you the BLT on sourdough, not toasted with chili,” she said, winking at him.
“Yes! Love you, Mom,” he grinned.
“Love you too baby. Now both my boys need to eat up.” I loved being considered one of her boys. “So, Ely,” she began shortly after we dug in. “Rhone tells me you’re studying to become a chef?”
Now this subject I could talk endlessly about. “I am. I haven’t decided in the end whether I want to split chef from baker though. For now, I’m gonna apply to as many restaurants as I can to get my foot in the door and my culinary resume going.”
“When do you graduate?” Katy asked.
“January fifteenth. Oh shoot, well I guess it’s a good thing there’s no school this week for Thanksgiving break.” Hopefully I’ll be able to return the following week. Either way I need to shoot Chef an email and let him know what happened. “Do you know where my phone is, Rhone?”
“Oh, sorry I have it.” Katy pulled my things from her purse.
“Thank you so much. I was afraid it had been lost in the shuffle. Lord knows I can’t afford to replace my phone right now. I don’t even know how I’m gonna pay the hospital bills.” I was so screwed. If school wasn’t already paid for, I’d have to drop out and go back to work full time and finish at a later date. As it was, I’m gonna need to find a way to shuffle both because I’m sure these medical bills are gonna be extensive.
“That’s already been taken care of,” a familiar voice said as it entered the room.
“Easton,” Rhone rose, hugging the man I barely knew.
“What do you mean it’s been taken care of?” I asked. Diamond, Chase, David and Seltzer followed behind Easton.
“We take care of our own,” Diamond said, patting my calf through the sheet.
“Mom, this is Easton and Diamond the guys I told you about,” Rhone said, introducing them to Katy.
“It’s so wonderful to meet you both,” Katy said, hugging them. “Rhone has spoken very highly of both of you. I can’t thank you enough for the care you’ve given these boys.” She gestured to Rhone and his bandmates before reaching me.
“They’re a great group of guys,” Easton said. “And now our newest family member needs our help so we’re here. How are you feeling today, Ely?”