Game Theory × NH

086 | radon

× Horan

"Why'd you make me come here?" Lynn asked as we walked down the brightly lit hallway of the hospital. "You remember what happened the last time I saw your mom, I don't really want to face her after what I said."

I smiled at the memory. That night was definitely one to treasure, not because Lynn had the balls to stand up to my mother when I couldn't, but because she told the whole restaurant that she gave me a blow job a few nights before.

"I know," I told her. "And I wouldn't have asked you to come if I didn't need you."

The relationship I had with my mum wouldn't even be considered a "relationship". We spoke, sometimes, and that was almost only when she would call because there was an assistant job at her law firm, explaining that "you have to start out small" and then proceeded to explain if I worked hard enough that I could one day be doing what she was doing: sitting at an overpriced wooden desk filling out paper work after paper work and occasionally go home to sleep. No thank you.

"You're right, I'm sorry," Lynn said, looking down at her feet. "I'm being selfish."

"I'm sure it'll be fine," I assured. "Yesterday when I was here with my brother, she was so drugged up on pain killers that she just ended up telling us law jokes the whole time."

It was around four in the afternoon and the place was pretty crowded. We passed waiting rooms filled with people and open doors with too many patients inside. It all made me sad. The only time anyone was happy to be in the hospital was when someone was going into labor. Other than that, I hoped to stay far, far away from this place once my mother is out of here and to her full health.

When Greg and Denise got back from visiting, they had told us that Mum had just gone to get some more tests done to determined where she was at on going home or not. I had convinced Lynn to stay at the hospital with me for as long as it took for the results to come back, after that I was glad to get the fuck out of there.

Eventually we got to room 301. The door was open a crack and from the sound of muffled laughter and talking, I knew my mum was awake and watching the telly.

"Is it too late to turn back?" I asked quietly.

I haven't seen my mom alone since she invited me to dinner in London, and even then, I wasn't exactly alone since Lynn was there. When I saw her yesterday with my brother, it was true that she was telling us stupid jokes, but the drugs she was on was only temporary and something told me that things would be different this time.

"Yes," Lynn said. "But I'm right here beside you."

Her words weren't all that comforting, but then I felt her hand slip in mine and I knew that I would be okay.

I opened the door slowly and stepped inside, dragging Lynn along behind me. My mum was sitting up in bed with a tray of untouched food on her lap, short, blonde hair a mess and her face clean of makeup. It was strange seeing her so dressed down in sweats and a loose fitting t-shirt, and it almost made everything seem alright, like she wasn't the workaholic I knew of her to be, but a loving mother after a long day cleaning the house.

"Hey, Mum," I said as I stepped in further.

She turned her head and looked at me. "Oh, good, you're here!" she said excitedly. "Could you go get me some real food from the cafeteria? These mashed potatoes should be illegal."