Vincent

Silent Line

When I woke up, I was in a hospital room. Aunt Rose was the only one in the room. She softly smiled at me.

"Hi, baby," she smiled.

"Hi," I mumbled, "I need to use the restroom."

"Okay," she nodded, standing up, "Let me call the nurse." She grabbed the white button on the side of the bed, pressing it.

"I can do it myself," I offered, sitting up. As I did that, the door opened, Freddie walking it.

"Alex, lay back down," he corrected.

"I have to pee," I groaned.

"A nurse will come," he informed, "I got you some water." Freddie came and sat down in a seat to my right. "You can come home today."

"Is dad here?" I asked him.

"Of course," Rose answered, "he just went to get ice to chew on."

"Oh," I nodded as the door opened again.

A woman in scrubs came in. She looked older than me. And bigger. She looked motherly. She had some bags under her eyes, and her hair was pulled in a messy bun. She walked on over to me, smiling.

"What's the problem?" she questioned, her voice smooth and comforting.

"I have to use the bathroom," I told her, slightly awkward because it felt like a small issue.

"Alright, come on," she nodded, helping me out of bed. I still had underwear on, under my hospital gown. She helped me into the bathroom but I politely told her I could do it from here. She told me that she couldn't leave me alone but she'd turn around if it'd make me comfortable. I took the time to change my tampon and lay down a pad.

She walked me back out to the bed, asking if I needed anything else. When I said no, she explained all the medical stuff to me. Then, she left. As she was leaving, dad came in. He looked concerned as if he thought something was wrong.

"She just had to use the restroom," Rose said, closing the magazine she was reading.

"Oh," he nodded, "Marie, do you want anything to eat? I can go down to the cafeteria."

"No," I shook my head. At least he was calling me Marie again. I know Alexis was my name but it meant something for him to call me it. Like, it was a weak comparison but Vincent calls me Lex. Seldom did he call me Alexis. It was a similar concept.

"Well, you have to eat something," Freddie said.

"I will," I replied, "just not now, I'll have something when I get home."

"We'll leave at twelve, if you want," Freddie informed me.

"What time is it now?"

"Eleven twenty," Rose answered. "Renzo and Aurora are gonna meet you at the house."

Lorenzo (Renzo or sometimes, Renze) and Aurora (they were husband and wife) were one of my dad's closest friends. Renzo was there when I was born. Of course, Renzo and dad were friends, Aurora just kinda hung around and talked to Rose whenever she came.

I nodded in response. "Are they going to stay long?"

"No, I told them to keep it short and not bother you," dad chimed in. "Drink some water." He gave me a cup for me to drink.

"So, both children had appendicitis," Rose started, "I neva did. Michael?"

"I didn't," he confirmed.

"Probably on your motha's side," she shrugged.

"We have different mothers," Freddie reminded her.