I've Dreamed Of You, My Dear

XV

My phone bings showing I have a new text, as per usual, it's from Tobias.
Tobi: So you're getting a tattoo done today?
Allie: Yeah, I'm really fucking excited about it.
Tobi: I bet. What do you plan on getting?
I grab my sketchbook off of my nightstand and grab the sketch out of it that I want for my tattoo then allow my eyes to down over the page.
Allie: I've had this idea for a while actually, and I plan on getting a raven/crow that's wrapped up in a necklace. To me, it means that even though there are hardships or darkness, represented by the crow, that there can still be beauty to things which is shown by the necklace.
Tobi: Nice concept. Hopefully the artist executes it the way you plan for it to be.
Allie: Yeah, hopefully. Welp, I have to go to be at the shop in time so I'll text you when I'm done.
Tobi: Have fun, text you later.
I put my phone in my pocket then walk to the front door, at which a smiling Richie greets me.
“I'm gonna get a tattoo, you wanna come along?” I ask stopping in front of him to await his answer.
“Yeah!” Richie yells following me as I leave the house.
I turn on the radio and I see Richie’s face light up as his favorite song, My Demons by Starset begins to play. I laugh and continue driving to the shop.
When we get there, Richie holds open the door for me as I walk inside. I thank him and walk over to the desk. They greet me and send me to my artist. I show then my drawing of the main idea I have for the tattoo, and we then talk about placement. Once I finish talking about all the details the tattoo artist gets to work.
After around six hours of being tattooed and Richie freaking out every time I made a pain face the tattoo is finally done. Walking over to the mirror to see how it looks on me with my style rather than just my arm. I smile with joy as the tattoo is everything I wanted.
The hues of blues and purples used for the raven are greatly complimented by the yellows and reds used for the chain and jewel for the necklace.
I give a huge thanks to the artist as they dress the tattoo. Making sure to pay them the correct amount, and more to show my appreciation with a tip, I get ready and leave the shop with Richie following quickly in tow.
“I'm going to call Tobi real quick ok? Then we'll start on our way home.” I mention to Richie.
He just nods and states out the window as I dial Tobias’ number. Within a few rings he picks up.
“Hello?” Tobi says in a groggy voice with a yawn.
“Hey sleepy head. Guess who just got their first tattoo done?!” I cheer.
“You did?” He asks pretending to be surprised.
“Yep, and the tattoo artist did it exactly how I wanted.” I smile glancing at beautiful art.
“You should send me a picture so I can see it.” Tobias chimes.
“Yeah, you should show him.” Richie adds in, reminding me I forgot to turn off the speakerphone aspect for calls.
“Richie, it's not your decision to make.” I say turning to face him. “And you'll end up seeing it soon enough when I get back to Sweden.”
“But I want to see it now.” Tobi whines.
“Well you don't always get what you want now do you?” I assert.
I hear Tobi chuckle, “Smart ass. I guess I'll wait then.”
“Haha, I'm forcing you to be patient.” I tease.
Tobias just sighs, “I'm going to start writing songs again. Talk to you later?” he asks.
I agree to that and we bid farewell to each other.
“Can we go home now? I don't like just sitting in this stuffy car.” Richie complains.
I nod and start driving home. Traffic is packed tight and at a constant stop and go. Richie leans forward in his seat, which I automatically scold him for.
“Richie, don't do that. What if we get into an accident or something?” I say as I feel my hands start shaking, getting nervous about what might happen with the traffic today being so crappy.
With my nerves already being high due to the traffic, it's just my luck that it begins raining, and people in Denver suck at driving when it rains.
Gripping the steering wheel tighter, I try putting even more focus than what I had already trained to the road.
Going through a yellow light, I see headlights coming my way.
“Richie watch it!” I yell right before the impact.
Airbags go off when the car hits mine hitting me in the side of my face, and I let out a cry of pain as the driver's side door gets pushed into my side.
Eventually the pain ends and I'm filled with adrenaline. The other vehicle stops pushing against mine and I check to see if Richie is ok.
He has a scared look on his face, but other than that it doesn't look like he has a single scratch upon him. We both get out of the car on the passenger side, and I instantly hold my arm to my side as a sharp pain works its way to my side.
The driver of the other car drunkenly stumbled over to where Richie and I are standing.
“Look, I'm sorry for crashing into you.” She slurs then extends her hand holding out a hundred dollar bill, “Here take this. I gotta go before the cops get here.”
I scoff at the lady, if she can even be called that, and watch as she walks off to her car and drives away.
“I really hate that lady.” Richie says then turns to me then notices me clutching my side, “Sissy, are you ok?
I put on my best fake smile, “Just peachy.”
I hear sirens come from down the street, and spot cop cars and an ambulance coming towards us. They stop a few feet away, then the authorities exit their vehicles and walk towards Richie and I.
The paramedics are the first ones over to where we are. They take one look at me and begin taking a rough assessment of my injuries.
Beginning to feel faint, I take a seat on the gournie and continue to answer the questions they throw at me. They eventually finish asking questions and put both Richie and I in the ambulance.
The ride to the hospital, even though it was a short one, felt like an eternity and every bump causes me to cringe with pain.
The ambulance finally pulls to a stop and I'm pulled out on the gournie into the ER while Richie follows.
I'm ask the generic questions you normally get while in the ER, such as, ‘where are you hurt,’ ‘rate your pain on a scale of 1 to 10,’ things like that.
Answering them with truthful responses, the nurse tells me to wait for a while, and that he'll be back to take some x-rays of my rib cage.
I take this time that I have to call Dad and tell him what happened.
“Hey Dad.” I say dragging out the “e.”
“What happened now?” Dad says with a disappointed undertone to his voice.
“I got into a car accident, and I might have one or a few broken ribs.” I sigh.
Dad lets out a shaky breath, “Damn kiddo, is Richie ok?”
“Somehow, he doesn't have a single scratch on bim, lucky bastard.” I reply letting out a small laugh.
“He's very lucky.” He replies.
The nurse walks back to the room I got put in, so I wrap up the call with Dad.
“Hey um, I have to go, need to get x-rays done now. You'll pick is up when we're done right?” I ask.
“Yep.” Dad assures. “Talk to you later.”
The nurse brings the machine next to the hospital bed and starts setting things up. Only stopping when she notices the extent of my bruised face.
“Oh hun,” she frowns, “let me get you some ice for your face, and a coloring book to entertain your brother.”
“Thank you so much.” I smile weakly, and relax into the bed.
She comes back then hands Richie the coloring book and me and ice pack.
“Time for your x-rays. Now just relax and it'll be over before you know it.” she assures.
Once the x-rays are processed, I learn that I have three broken ribs on my left side. With nothing that can really be done, I get wrapped up with an ace bandage and prescribed pain pills.
I once again thank the nurse for all the help that she's given Richie and I.
Leaving the hospital, I unlock my phone and see I have four unread texts from Tobias. It's going to be ‘fun' explaining what happened to him.
Calling Dad, I ask him to come and pick us up, which he gladly obliges to. After waiting for thirty minutes a blue Ford Fiesta that I recognise as Dad's pulls up. Richie and I get into the car. However, instead of sitting in the front seat I sit in the back with Richie.
Making nothing but small talk, the ride home seems like a blur. Groaning when arriving home, I get out of the car and walk to the door.
“I'm going to be in my room explaining to Tobias what happened, so please don't bug me.” I say sounding irate due to the pain still jabbing at my side, only slightly dulled by the painkillers.
Entering my room I harshly close the door, then sit down with my back against it. Taking out my phone once again, I see that there is another text from Tobias.
With a deep breath I call Tobias, he answers shortly after the first ring.
“So you're not dead, thank god.” He speaks.
Thinking of how I'm going to bring up the topic of the crash, I decide to just dive into it, “You're right, I'm not dead...just injured.”
“Wh-what do you mean?” Tobias questions sounding terribly confused.
“I meant just what I said. To keep the story short, I got into a car accident because the other car t-boned mine, and so now I have three broken ribs.” I spill.
“You poor thing.” Tobi coos. “Are you still up for performing?”
I laugh which makes my ribs hurt causing me to groan. I quickly recover and begin talking again, “Hell yeah I am. Doing so will probably hurt like a bitch at first, but I'll push through.”
“Since you still want to perform,” Tobi begins, “you should really take time to rest and heal.”
“I know, and I will.” I assure.
“Other than your broken ribs, are you ok.” He asks.
“Mostly, other than the side of my face being bruised because of the airbag.” I reach up to touch the side of my head and hiss as soon as my hand makes contact. “To make things worse, now's one of the times that I really want cuddles from you.” I admit.
“If I could I would give you some.” He pauses, “Did you pack the teddy bear I made you when we went to the mall?”
“I think so.” I stand up and look through my bag until I find the bear. “Yep, I did.”
Smiling, I hug the bear close to me, enjoying the comfort I get from it, but it's not the same as if I were to be getting cuddled by Tobi.
“So do you have your cuddle fix now?” he teases.
“Yeah, but it's not the same as getting affection from you.” I feel my cheeks flush with red as I admit that.
“I know dear, but it'll have to do until you get back.” Tobi sympathises.
I huff and begin pouting thinking about how much I miss being around Tobi.
“Oh don't go huffing about, the next week and a half will pass before you know it.”
“I know,” I hug the bear tighter, “but I just, I miss you.”
“I miss you too, I really do. But we're both going to have to deal with being separated for a while.” His tone shifts to one that is somewhat melancholy, “Just imagine if you weren't going on tour with Ghost, that would be months without seeing each other.”
“That would be terrible.”
Tobias hums in agreement, “It would. Hey Allie, I'm going to talk to you later, I know it's getting late where you are and you need your sleep.”
I sigh, knowing where this is going to lead, and not wanting to argue I just go along with what he says. “Yeah, you're right. Goodnight Tobi.”
“Night love, sleep well.”
He hangs up and I stand up from where I was sitting on the floor taking in as big of a breath as I'm able too with the restrictions of the bandage and without hurting myself.
I don't feel ready to sleep yet so I walk through the house until I eventually wind up in Dad's room having a conversation with him.
“Do you remember when ‘Emeritus' came over and I snagged a picture of you two while you were sleeping?” he asks pulling out his phone.
I slowly nod, and begin examining His screen when he shows me the image, which is surprisingly well done for someone who rarely ever takes pictures.
“Holy crap, great picture.” I complement.
Dad grins and puts his phone back away, “Anyways, I was wondering if you would like me to send it to you.”
“Sure, I'm pretty sure Tobi would love seeing it as much as I did.”
Dad looks at his clock which reads 2am, and yawns, “Allie, I don't know how you do it. How do you stay up so much?”
I shrug, “I don't know, I'm just special I guess.”
“Well, I have work tomorrow, and staying up this late is pressing the limits for me, but I enjoyed our conversation, even if it was short.” Dad says as he starts setting his alarm for the morning.
“Same here. Sleep well Dad.” I leave his room and search for something else to do, since I still don't feel like sleeping.
Not being able to find anything to do, I go to the kitchen and search to top of the fridge for some sort of sleep aid. Finding a melatonin bottle, I take one capsule, then head to my room, to get some sleep.