Forgive Us Our Sins (Moral Orel Fanfic)

Chapter 18

The hospital is cold.

Quiet, cold, and lacking any color other than grey or beige.

Maybe it's because this was the hospice floor, or maybe it's because those are the godliest of colors.

Grey and beige.

Orel couldn't stand it. He hated the smell of sterility, a mixture of bleach and other disinfectants. Not even his meditation apps or breathing techniques could do him any good. He felt like a kid again. Scared and alone. He hated the ticking of the analog clock on the wall, and the sound of golf being played on the TV in his father's room.

"Could you get me a coffee?" Shapey asked him. In fact, that was the first thing he had said to him since entering his father's hospital room. Orel nodded, he'd do anything to get out of that room. It was awkward between the two, Orel could tell he held some sort of resentment toward him. Was it because he was stuck caring for mom and dad? Because he left? Orel had to leave. He couldn't stay. Not if he wanted to live his own life.

Orel looked around. All he saw were families grieving and overworked nurses taking orders from stuck up doctors. "Uh.. excuse me?" He asked in a small voice, to which nobody heard him. "Can someone.." He tried again. Why was this so hard? Before he opened his mouth again, Orel heard the sound of plastic being hit and a grunt of annoyance.

"Stupid printer!" A man's voice grumbled, loud and clear. He looked around and saw a man in blue scrubs angrily blowing raspberries at a printer. He had black scruffy hair.. no way.

"Joe?"

The man turned around and stared at Orel for a moment. ".. whos asking?"

Orel laughed, walking toward him. "It's me, Orel." To which Joe... had no clue who this guy was.

"You beat the crap out of those kids with me.."

No reaction.

"Gosh, you really did fo-"

"PUPPINGTON!" Joe screamed, causing everyone on the floor to turn to him. Joe laughed and punched Orel softly in the arm. "Wow, you cleaned up good!" He chuckled.

The two got to talking, Orel showed him pictures of his little family, and Joe apologized for being a little shit. "I was in a stupid home for a while, but things turned around." He smiled. Orel nodded "A nurse! I never saw you as..." Orel stopped, to which Joe just laughed. "Caring? Gentle? Smart enough to put myself through nursing school?"

"Uh-"
"I'm just pulling your leg, man. I learned a lot about myself. Came back after I got certified in the big city." Joe proudly beamed. Orel was proud of him, Joe looked a lot happier.

"Orel."
Orel turned around and saw his brother, staring at the two. "Oh crap! Where's your coffee?" He asked Joe, to which he scoffed "You don't want that crap. Just head into town and grab something. TRUST me when I say our coffee sits out here for days."

Joe then gave Orel a 20, winking before going back to his battle with the machine. Orel looked at Shapey and laughed, he wasn't amused. "I am so sorry, I'll grab you a coffee right now. Text me your order!" Orel, more than happy to leave the building, told his unamused brother.