aftereffect | THE HANGOVER | p. w

| chapter ten |

"Look, I already told you. You came in with a mild concussion, some bruised ribs. No big deal," The doctor we had been ushered over to explained, "Although none of you could articulate how it happened."

"Do you remember how many of us were here?" The doctor let a breath of air out, almost sounding exasperated as he gave us a quick glance.

"Ah...I don't know. I think it was just you guys," he motioned to the three men before pointing to me. "Her" his face changed when he looked at the drooling machine attached to the even bigger baby. "Definitely no baby. And one other guy".

We all perked up hearing that; it means that Doug had been with us up until we came to the hospital, but it also means we have to find another clue to this fucked up adventure. "That's our guy. Was he okay?".

"Yeah. He was fine. Just whacked out of his mind. You all were." The doctor put on a rubber glove and helped up the old man in just his underwear that we were all trying to avoid looking at.

It only became worse when the old guy stood up, and the doc pulled down his briefs. "Oh god," I gasped, turning to face the door. Seeing a wrinkly ass was not something I wanted to do today.

Tentatively turning, I saw Alan and the baby staring. "Alan!" I hissed, but the man had a laser focus on what I assumed was the doc feeling the poor man's balls, and I was trying to save him the dignity of having a weird man staring at him.

Hearing the exam come to an end, I turned back around with a tired sigh as the doc faced us once again and gave a grim head shake before washing his hands. "Guys, I really gotta go. I'm sorry. I have a surgery up on the fourth floor.".

"No, I know. But we just need a couple more minutes of your time." Phil smoothly held up a banknote.

The doc tilted his head and nods "Yeah. Tuck it right in there. I don't want to re-sterilize. Walk with me." moving to follow the doctor, I noticed Alan still staring at the man. Grabbing him by the ear, I quickly pulled him along with us.

"Okay, here we go. Patient name, Phil Wenneck, 2:45 a.m. Arrival. Minor concussion, like I said. Some bruising. Pretty standard" the doctor pulled out another chart from behind Phil's and continued to read.

"and Alexandria Hale, no outward injuries but was dazed and confused. No concussion. Vomited a few times, so we gave an I.V, to which you asked for the good stuff". The doctor glanced at me over his shoulder "you also flirted with several staff and asked if we could give you a sexy nurse outfit."

Yeah, that seemed like something I would do.

"Wait, so both Phil and Lexi were admitted here last night? Classic." Alan acknowledged with a laugh as I slowed down behind the group, distracted by the number of cute nurses, a couple of who waved to me as I passed by.

Phil was quick to see and pull me along like I had done to Alan previously as I pouted and mumbled under my breath at him, "Do you mind if I look? I'm actually a doctor," Stu questioned, motioning to Phil's medical chart.

"Yeah, you said that several times last night. But really, you're just a dentist." why did I feel like it was either me or Phil who mentioned that to the doctor last night?

"Okay, this is interesting. Your blood work came in this morning. Wow. They found a large amount of Ruphylin in your system. Ruphylin" seeing our lost and confused expressions doc sighed "Roofies. Commonly known as the date-rape drug.".

Phil let out a laugh of disbelief. "What, so, what are you saying? I was raped last night?" his smile dropped as his eyes snapped to mine "wait, was she raped?" he demanded sound angrier than when he asked about himself.

I just nervously giggled at the sentiment. There's no way that Phil and I were- "Actually..." we both gulped as we eyed each other "I don't think so. But someone did slip you the drug" sighing in relief, I let out a puff of air "I'm not surprised you don't remember anything."

Alan sniggered as he leaned against the nurse's station. "Doc, none of us can remember anything from last night. Remember?" I motioned to the man with an agreeing nod, the whole night was a blur, and it wasn't getting any clearer for us.

"Yeah. How could someone have drugged all of us?" Phil questioned sounded tired and confused.

"I wouldn't worry about it. The stuff's out of your system. You're gonna be fine" The man shrugged before moving away from us. This conversation was seriously going nowhere. He had no idea where Doug was, nor did he seem like he wanted to help us.

"Wait, wait, wait. Please, doctor. Is there anything else? Like, something we may have been talking about or someplace we were going?" Stu begged the doctor, who turned back at the sound of his voice.

Doc shook his head for a moment before his eyes lit up as if he remembered something. "Actually, there was something. You guys kept talking about some wedding last night."

"Yeah. No shit. Our buddy Doug's getting married tomorrow," Stu huffed, looking equally as tired and done with this conversation as Phil was. Alan was the only one looking amused by our current situation.

"Well, he will be if we can find him," I say with a nervous smile.

"You know what? I want the 100 back," Phil huffed, moving forward to take the bill back out of the doctor's white coat but stopped when the man moved away and put his hand out to stop the taller man from taking the money.

"No, no. Easy. You kept talking about some wedding you just came from, at the, uh, Best Little Chapel. You kept saying how sick the wedding was and getting all crazy about it," I winced as 3 sets of eyes quickly glanced towards me.

"Lex, that's got to be yours," Alan said excitedly as he bounced the baby on his chest while I just hopped on my toes, trying not to wilt under the glare of my tallest friend.

Braving a glance, I noticed Phil's jaw tick as he nodded stoically. "Yeah," I felt Stu rub my back after catching the expression Phil was giving me, pouting at the man I shrugged, not knowing what to do.

"Okay, I hope this helps. I really have to leave."

Phil riffles through his pockets before finding a piece of paper and a pen from the nurse's station "Best Little Chapel, do you know where that is?" he asks, ready to take down the address.

"I do. It's at the corner of Get A Map and Fuck Off. I'm a doctor, not a tour guide. Figure it out yourself, okay? You're adults". The redhead doctor scoffs as both Stu and Phil give him hard looks.

"Yeah, thanks for nothing Dr. Asshole Ph.D.," I shouted as he walked off, waving to me over his shoulder. Stu grabbed my shoulders and rubbed them to calm me down, begging me not to start a fight in the hospital.

Phil sighed after flagging down a nurse for directions to the place where I might have married a stranger, "Come on, let's get to this chapel" I wonder if my spouse knew that Vegas marriages were real?

Frowning, I followed the blue-eyed man back through the hospital, wondering why he was mad at me again. I wouldn't have done it if I knew it was a real marriage.

Probably.