Mentality

Chapter Fifty: Eloise

I got a call around eight in the morning. Obviously, being me, I was still fast asleep. Pj stayed the night with me. His arm was draped across me, and he was snoring loudly.

My phone loudly vibrated on my nightstand, alerting me to the call. I hit it several times, thinking it was my alarm. It turned off a couple times, but the person kept calling back.

"Jesus Christ," I mumbled.

I grabbed the phone and squinted at the screen. Phil was calling, which was odd. Why on Earth would he be calling at eight in the morning? Usually he was sleeping by now.

"What the hell do you want?" I answered.

"Finally, you're up, it took you long enough," he replied.

He sounded tired. That made total sense considering it was eight in the damn morning. This better be important.

"Is there a particular reason you're calling me at eight in the morning?"

Phil sighed, "Howl's in the hospital."

I sat up in bed instantly. Now I was wide awake. Pj groaned loudly, he rolled over, trying to ignore my sudden awakness.

"Oh my god, is she dying?!"

Phil chuckled, "Calm down, Leezy, she's not dying. She had her appendix removed. Dan left this morning to go see their parents. She could use some friends. I thought, maybe you could come."

I nodded before stupidly realizing he couldn't see me, "I'll be over asap. And I'll bring Eloise's Signature Feel Better Treatment."

Phil released a loud groan. I held the phone between my ear and my shoulder as I got up. First, I had to wake up Pj. I shook his shoulder quickly, but he brushed me off. He was the deepest sleeper I ever knew.

"Can you also bring some coffee?" Phil asked, "The ones they have here suck."

I got out of bed and stared down at Pj, "Absolutely. I'll be down before you can say coffee."

"Alright, see you then."

"Bye."

I hung up the phone and set it back on the nightstand. Pj was still sleeping. I looked at him with my hand son my hips.

"Dammit, Pj," I mumbled, "Wake up!"

I jumped on the bed next to him. He groaned and dragged a pillow on top of his face. He weakly swatted at the air as well.

I sat on top of him and loudly expressed, "Pj! We have to go! Howl's in the hospital!"

He pulled the pillow off his face and looked up at me with dreary eyes. He looked like he was ready to knock me out just to get more sleep.

"Why?" he grumbled.

"She had her appendix removed, and we have to go visit her," I jumped up and grabbed his arm, "Come on, Pj! Stop being lazy!"

"I'm lazy, that's who I am! You know you love it," he smirked.

I stopped and got right up to his face, which was hanging off the bed, "Yes, but sometimes it can be annoying."

He smirked and leaned forward to kiss me. I leaned back, forcing him off the bed. He hit the ground with a thud and groaned loudly.

"I hate you," he mumbled.

I crouched next to him, "No you don't. C'mon, get up. Howl needs us."

He groaned, but ultimately stood up. He took the bathroom to shower. I showered the night before, so I just got dressed. I threw on a pair of blue jeans and a navy blue crop top. I also put on socks and a pair of tennis shoes.

When Pj came out, I went into the bathroom. I brushed my teeth and my tangled hair. I finished within the minute, and stepped out to see Pj groggily putting on a tee. I stepped up behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist.

"We're going to stop for coffee," I admitted.

He sighed in bliss, "Thank God."

I chuckled and moved to grab my bag. Pj grabbed his wallet and phone, and we were off. The hospital was a cab ride away, but there were things I had to get first.

We went to Tesco, which was several blocks away from the flat. There was a coffee shop inside of Tesco. Pj went there as I went to get the supplies for Eloise's Feel Better Treatment.

It was a simple treatment I had built when Phil got sick when we were kids. It consisted of a new movie, some stuffed animal, four magazines of whatever the person enjoyed, a comic book, biscuits, candy, and, most importantly, hot chocolate. I piled all of this into a happy birthday bag, since it was Howl's birthday. I also grabbed a specific card game. One that was kind of hard to find, unless you knew the right people.

When I met Pj back at the front, he had a tray of four coffee's. Two were for Phil and Howl, and he was drinking one. I took the forth from him, sipping the warm delight.

"Coffee is life," I mumbled.

Pj chuckled, "I swear, Eloise, you're the only person I know who drinks hot coffee in summer."

"It's good," I shrugged.

Pj chuckled a bit more. We hailed a cab and took it to the hospital. It was a ten minute ride, but would've been a thirty minute walk.

When we arrived at the hospital, Pj offered to pay the cabbie. As the cabbie drove off, we looked up at the large building.

"Last time I was here," Pj frowned, "It was you I was worried about."

I sighed, "Now it's Howl. I'm sensing a pattern here."

Pj chuckled. We headed inside the hospital and asked the lady at the front desk for Howl's room. She gave us the number, and we headed inside.

When we arrived at Howl's room, I quietly opened the door. Howl was laying in the bed, flipping through the channels on the small Tv. It was hanging on the wall, and was so small I'm not sure how she could see it.

When she saw us, her jaw dropped, "What are you two doing here?"

I dropped the bag on a nearby chair and rushed to give her a hug. Of course, I was gentle. I didn't want to tear her stitches.

"Phil made it sound like you were dying!" I exclaimed.

Phil came out of the bathroom moments later, "I specifically remember telling you she wasn't dying."

I glared at him, "Well, it wasn't clear."

Phil greeted Pj as I turned to Howl. She was still looking between Pj and me.

"I still don't understand why you're here."

"Because, Howl, we're friends and that's what friends do," I grabbed the bag, "And nobody can get sick without having Eloise's Feel Better Treatment. It has a 100% satisfaction rate."

Phil cleared his throat, "By 100% she means Martyn and me."

"And you were both happy, thus it's 100% satisfaction."

Howl laughed as I handed her the bag. She went through the contents, smiling at each item.

"Make that 101%," she smiled, "This is awesome, thanks Eloise!"

I grinned, "Anytime."

She pulled out the magazines and began to flip through them. Pj and Phil found a seat on the couch. I sat on a stiff chair next to said couch.

"Now," I pulled the card game from my bag, "Who's up for a bit of Cards Against Humanity?"