FIGHT

Chapter 13

"Mr. Samuels, you can be released today as long as we're ensured there will be someone to care for you until you're completely healed."

I keep my eyes trained on Holden and sure enough, his head moves so his green eyes can meet mine. The look Holden gives me sends the puppy dog look a run for its money. He's silently begging me, but I wouldn't put it past him to start his pleading out loud if I don't say something soon.

"Fine, Samuels. But only because you've been stuck in that bed for over a week."

His eyes light up as he grins, leaning as much as he can to give me a quick kiss on the top of my head.

"I still don't know why you don't just ask your mom and sister to take care of you, Holden."

He appears to ponder it over, but has an explanation quicker than I expected. "They will take care of me, but they'll also be so excited to meet you that they'll focus more on getting to know you than taking care of me. Besides, they leave in a few days, and I'll still need you to be my nurse, baby."

Holden's family has been in town since Monday, but I still haven't met them. Bad timing, I suppose. Every time they've come to visit him in the hospital, I've been out talking to doctors and the like. To be fair, I haven't really been out of Holden's room that much.

As if reading my thoughts, Holden speaks up. "They can't wait to meet you."

I nod, absentmindedly using my thumb to trace small patterns into Holden's palm.

The nurse clears her throat; I forgot she was standing over by the door. "Miss Stevens, if you're going to be the one looking after Mr. Samuels until he's healed, I'm going to need you to sign some paperwork."

My body rises from the plastic chair as I pull my hand away from Holden's. Over the course of the week, I've gotten quite used to the surroundings of the large hospital.

Plus, it's been more convenient for the doctor to monitor my concussion this way.

I follow the nurse down the hallway and remain silent until she hands me a massive stack of papers attached to a clipboard. The papers look like regulation release forms and I have no problem signing them. I know how badly Holden wants to get out of here.

I take the pen she gives me, scribbling my messy signature everywhere I see an 'X' next to a dotted set of lines.

"When is he going to be completely healed?"

The nurse thinks about it for a few seconds. She sounds almost bored when she finally gives me an answer. "Roughly in two weeks. You'll have to bring him back in about a week so we can put in stitches. Once they fall out, he'll be fine. Sore, but otherwise healed."

I hand her back the stack of papers and she sifts through them to make sure I signed everything necessary. I'm excited to get back to Holden's room; not only to see him, but because I know he'll be ecstatic to get to go home.

The nurse gives me a quick thumbs up and I waste no time getting back to Holden. When I enter the room, he's sitting up in bed while another nurse detaches his arm from the IV. He looks so relieved when he sees me; both of us are happy about getting out of here.

"I'm in charge of bringing you back in a week so they can stitch you all up."

A small whine comes out of his mouth, "Why can't you just stitch me back up, Smalls?"

"Don't argue with me." I shoot him a glare. I'm technically not certified to be giving anyone stitches; I'd rather not inform those with a medical degree that I have been anyway.