redemption || josh kiszka

3

leslie

"You can give me a lie detector test." I crossed my arms in a pout as the wheels of the wheelchair squeaked under me, piercing my eardrums so harshly I swear they might bleed. "I didn't jump off that bridge. I slipped."

"You really want me to give you a lie detector test?"  Doctor Bronswen asked, cocking a brow at my attitude. "Guess you need an extra week stay for being in denial." She snickered as she pushed me in front of her, knowing good and well I want to get out here as soon as possible - which was a week from now.

I rolled my eyes playfully at her remark and shook my head. "Yes, I want you to give me a lie detector test."

She sighed, the lines on her forehead disappearing with her grin. "I'll have to call in the professionals for that one."

"Are you not a professional? Should I be requesting care from a real professional?"

"Would you shut your mouth already? Gee, you really never stop talking, do you?" The open-mouth smile was back and it must've been contagious, because I soon found my cheeks hurting from smiling, too.

Doctor Bronswen has become somewhat like my best friend. After twenty-two days in this hospital, she finally has started to believe that I didn't jump off the bridge. She jokingly remarked that she was going to give me a lie detector test so I would shut up about the whole "slip" thing, but I took it too literally for her liking.

Finally, we made it outside where Anastasia sat on her usual bench, the typical sorrow permanently etched into her soft, glowing skin. There was no awkward tension anymore, and there usually never was with Anastasia.

She was very quick to forgive me after I basically banished her from seeing me in the hospital, saying, and I quote, "you just jumped off a fucking bridge and died, of course you're gonna be grumpy when you wake up."

She gets it.

But what she doesn't get, is that I didn't jump off the fucking bridge.

I've tried for the last three weeks, since I woke up, to explain to her that I did not jump, but slipped. She just nods and gives me her sly smile that lets me know she doesn't believe a damn word that's coming out of my mouth.

Lie detector test looking pretty amazing right now.

As Dr. Bronswen rolled me up to Anastasia, I stood up myself and walked the rest of the way, sitting down on the bench. It was a breezy, cooler day today, the wind wrapping my thin, uneven hair around my neck. The weather today was unusual for November - it's usually warmer, which is one of the reasons why I love Florida so much - always warm.

"I'll be expecting you back inside in thirty minutes."  Dr. Bronswen reminded me and turned to walk back inside. I waved her off and turned my full attention to Anastasia.

"How've you been, kid?" She asked, not looking at me but off into the early morning horizon. "What's the deal about the lie detector test?"

"Same as yesterday. Ready to get out of here." I chuckled. "I told Dr. Bronswen to give me a lie detector test so that she'd finally believe my story about slipping, not falling." I told her, knowing she wouldn't buy it anyway.

She nodded, abnormally silent. I furrowed my browns and leaned forward a little so she would look at me.

"Anything bothering you?" I asked, waiting for the eye contact that never came. "Anastasia?"