The Hurt Game

❧ forty-nine

The nurse, who passed me, showed me a tight smile. I returned her smile, but she was already hurrying towards the place she needed to be. I glanced over my shoulder, but she was already gone, probably disappeared in one of the rooms.

It must be tough work, being in a nurse, working in a hospital in general. Life and death never came closer than in this place. Babies would be born and adults, sometimes even children, would die. And every nurse, every doctor, every other specialist who worked here, did everything in their power to see patients leave and go home. No doctor wanted to tell a family their loved one died and yet they did, probably more than once a week. I admired their strength. I wished I had that kind of strength within me.

I grasped my bag tighter as I walked down the hall. Loud voices echoed through the otherwise silent hallway. Those voices made me smile, because they were familiar. They were family.

I pushed the door open and came face to face with a bunch of tough looking guys in a small hospital room. They made the room seem even smaller, but definitely livelier. A small smile tugged at the corners of my lips when I walked in fully, closing the door behind me. All eyes turned to me and smiles broke out on multiple faces.

"I heard you all the way down the hallway. Maybe keep your voices down," I spoke up while I dropped my bag next to Royden's bed.

"Hi to you too, Waverly," Nick greeted me. I looked up at him and smiled, sending him a small wave.

"Hello guys. What a pleasant surprise," I replied.

"It is whatever you call pleasant," Royden mumbled half-heartedly. My eyes fluttered down at him and I bent down to press a kiss on his forehead, running a hand through his hair.

"How are you?" I asked him.

He nodded his head. "Good. Just a little sore."

"Good. That's good."

"So anyone coffee?" Anthony questioned while standing up from the chair he had been sitting in.

A chorus of approval followed. I nodded my head and a smile was plastered on my face. Despite being in this location, or the reason why we were here, they made this place feel warmer. I was happy Royden had such great friends. I was grateful to get along with them as well as I did.

"I'll walk with you. Easier with carrying," I offered.

"That's true." He walked around the bed and stepping over feet before heading towards the door. I followed him.

"Oh, can you bring me some food?" Royden called after me.

I turned around and pointed towards the bag sitting next to him on the ground. "Take a look in the bag, babe."

He grinned at me, crinkles forming at his eyes, and he winked once. My heartbeat skipped as I rolled my eyes and yet smiled at him nonetheless. Smoothly I walked out of the room, walking alongside Anthony.

It was silent between us. I watched my steps where I went, already knowing this place. It was only the second full day Royden had been here, but I had spent as much time with him as I could. I used every second of visiting hours, because I missed him terribly when he wasn't at home.

"How are you holding up?" Anthony asked, breaking the silence.

I glanced up at him and showed him a small smile, accompanied with a shrug. "I'm alright."

He held my gaze, but I dropped it by looking ahead of me and pushing the doors open to the cafeteria. I walked up to the coffee machine and grabbed multiple foam cups, pressing buttons so coffee poured into the little cups.