Peter (The Devil On My Shoulder)

Recovery

 I stared out the hospital window as the sun was setting. The red and orange hues were more enticing than usual. I guess there's something about being in a near death experience that really makes you appreciate everyday things in a new way.

"You shouldn't be here." Reggie coughed out from the hospital bed. I looked over and smiled at him. It has been a week since the accident and he was still recovering from the multiple surgeries they had to do to repair his abdomen.

"I think I have the right to be wherever I want to be." I said, shifting my chair so I was closer to his bed.

"You need to be resting. You're still not officially cleared." He said, his brow creasing.

I shrugged my shoulders, "I feel fine.", but it was a lie. I still felt like shit. I was beaten so bad that I had internal bleeding from the trauma. But the doctors believed the case was mild. Which was a good thing because it meant I didn't need surgery, all I needed was rest to let my body heal itself and reabsorb the blood. They gave me medications to stop my vomiting, nausea, and pain until the inflammation decreased and my body was back to normal. But despite their warnings, I couldn't rest anymore. Not when Reggie was in the hospital.

The door opened suddenly and a nurse walked in.

Fuck.

"Daisy!" She gasped, "what are you doing here? Come on, get up!" She said as she rushed over to me and helped me up by my arm, "I'm calling your father. How many times do we have to tell you to go home and rest!"

"But-"

"No butts! Reggie will be fine! But you won't if you keep playing games." She ushered me out of the room and as I looked back Reggie was laughing. This was the 5th time they caught me here. I always snuck out of the house when Dad went to the police station, and I would hide in Reggie's closet until the room was empty and I felt it was safe to come out. Sometimes I'd get away with staying the entire day, other times I'd barely be here an hour before a nurse caught me. And it was always the same nurse. The one who looked after me when I was in the hospital.

As she practically carried me down the hall, she lectured me about the importance of letting my body rest so it could heal itself and blah blah blah. I hardly cared about myself when my brother was in a situation a thousand times worse. How could I complain about myself when Reggie almost died?

At the end of the hallway we were stopped by a familiar looking face.

"Thanks Nance, I'll take it from here."

"Make sure you get her home. If I catch her here again I'm going to set up security at Reggie's door, got it?"

Peter smiled and nodded, gently taking my arm from Nancy and putting it around his shoulder so that I could lean on him for support instead. "She's going straight home."

"Good." Nancy said, and then she smiled at me sympathetically and gave us a hug.

She watched us get in the elevator and waved goodbye.

"Are you really making me go home?" I asked as I looked up at Peter.

He laughed, "Not yet."

I watched him press the 5th button on the elevator and I smiled as I knew exactly where we were going.

When we reached the 5th floor we walked slowly through the hall, hoping not to draw attention to ourselves. The good thing was that no one from this floor knew me, they only knew Peter.

When we reached the last door at the end of the hall I couldn't help but get excited. I let go of Peter and opened the door myself, rushing inside before he could stop me.