Unsubtle Changes

Chapter 5

Josh walked with a nurse into the room his mother was staying in. His dad needed to leave for a while to get a get-well card for when his mom wakes up. Josh looked at his mother laying on the hospital bed and sighed, walking over to the chair next to the bed and sitting in it. He held his moms' hand and closed his eyes.

"Please don't leave me mom...Not yet... There's so many things we have yet to do together. Remember you promised to take me to visit colleges? And you promised to take me to go ice skating for the first time? Remember?" Josh said in between sobs. He laid his head next to his hand, listening to the beeping of the heart monitor.

A few minutes went by, then more. He looked up as the heart monitors beeping sped up. He let go of his moms' hand and yelled for help. Nurses and doctors filled the room and he was pushed back. More time passed by, of the doctors helping a now lost cause. It wasn't long before the heart monitors beeping elongated. Josh couldn't see through the tears that filled his eyes and he fell to the ground, sobbing. He felt doctors' hands pick him up and lead him out of the room. He just lost his mother, and his "perfect" family along with her.

Collt stepped out of the room where he had just had a needle fed through his skin to stitch up a cut that was far too deep to heal properly on its own. He now had a scratchy bandage placed underneath his right eye, covering up the monstrosity of thread and skin. He urged himself not to pick at the well-placed bandage as he sat down in a waiting chair, unsure of where Bennett or even, what was that other guy's name? Tyler had ventured. He sat for what seemed like forever, that is until he heard a commotion and sobs from a voice that sounded familiar. Despite staying put and dealing with his own problems Collt rose from his chair and wondered down a hall he probably wasn't supposed to be down. Suddenly all he could see was a mess of a usually well put together Josh Davidson. The boy crumpled on the floor in broken sobs while a nurse tried to piece him together again. Collt wasn't sure why but suddenly he was with Josh on the floor holding the boy as his back lurched from sobs and shooing the nurse away. Collt whispered sweet nothings into unhearing ears, and somehow managed to help Josh into a waiting room that was specifically for the family of Mrs. Davidson. Collt hauled the boy in a chair, crouching in front of him.

"Josh," he started but, shortly realized he didn't have the boy's attention, and against all of his mind screaming at him not to, Collt placed his hands on both sides of the weeping boys head, making the other male meet his eyes. "Josh, it's going to be okay," he said sternly, "I promise."

Josh's red puffy eyes meets Collts, "How would you know?" he asks and glares at the boy. Josh sniffled and moved away from Collt.

"Josh," Collt said softly, "I-I know it's hard okay," he muttered moving down his hands, "I-its not like I chose to live with my dad," the boy let out a humorless laugh, " I-I understand what your going through," the boy coughed out, looking down as his hands fiddled with loose strings on his hoodie. Until his eyes came up to meet Josh's, this time glistened with a layer of unshed tears. He gave the sad boy in a chair a soggy sad smile.

Josh suddenly felt pity for him and he frowned, looking away from the boys stare, "I'm sorry... I didn't know," he said in a hushed tone. Collt kept a sad smile on his face.

"Not many people do," the crouched boy said. "Anyways...this isn't about me..." Collt muttered..." Not to sound like a therapist or anything but how are you feeling?" the boy muttered giving a soft smile, "Like...obviously not good but do you need anything...or whatever," The boy said as he brought a hand to scratch the back of his neck awkwardly.

"I don't need anything... Where is Tyler?" Josh asks while looking around, trying his hardest not to cry but to be honest he's to depressed to let tears out right now. Collt just gave a small shrug, as he stood up from his crouched position.

"I haven't seen him or Bennett since I got out from stitches," The boy cooed. He leaned back in order to stretch.

Josh nodded and examined the boys face, "So how do you feel? Wanna talk about how you got that glass in your face?"

Collt suddenly avoided Josh's gaze looking off to the side. "I-I...umm...it's really not important," Collt all but whimpered. His face flushed red out of embarrassment.

Josh frowned, "Um... yeah it is. That's why I asked..." Josh said slowly, and his attention got distracted as his dad walked into the hospital holding some balloons and flowers.

"Dad..." Josh stands up and rushed to his dads' side, the man pulling josh into a tight hug, dropping the things.

"Josh," The older man muttered, his eyes filled with tears that the man refused to allow to roll down his stubbled chin. "I'm here," the man whispered holding onto his son like a life line. Collt was about to leave the room when the old man directed his attention to him. "Who's this?" he asked, ever so slightly loosening the tight grip he had on his son.

Josh looks over at Collt, "Oh this is Collt," he says wiping the excess tears from his eyes.

The man slightly nods. "what happened to your face boy?" Mr. Davidson asked. Collt looks like a deer in the headlights, eyes blown wide, and face redder than a tomato.

"Oh...I-It's really nothing, sir," Collt somehow manages to fumble out. "I....am going to go look for T-Tyler and Bennett," He mutters before rushing out the door.

"Is he okay?" Josh's father asked his boy.

"I honestly have no idea," josh says while shrugging but knows he shouldn't say too much because its not his place to share Collts information about his family life. The remaining Davidson family squished together in a hug, it was going to be an exhausting night.