Orc Wars 2 : Lazarus

Chapter 68 - Simtrixx's Special Guest

Ash and Dr.Anderson walked into the hospital room the next morning to find Jace walking around. The doctors had allowed him to do light exercises which he gleefully complied. He couldn't bear to stay in bed any longer.

"Hi Mom, Ash ... where's Aria?" Jace asked absent-mindedly.

"What do you mean 'Where's Aria?' Ash asked his friend before turning to Dr.Anderson with a mischievous look on his face, whispering loudly, "That's his girlfriend."

Jennifer Anderson smiled broadly, "Stop it Ash, I know who Aria is. She is your girlfriend's friend and Jace's too."

Ash blushed and smiled sheepishly at the woman for a moment, "Awww, you're no fun. You are always on his side." He turned his attention back to Jace, "She's spending the day with her grandfather."

"Oh?"

"Something about her grandfather taking her somewhere and showing her something. Some family thingie, she didn't say. She was really excited though," he shrugged, then grinned. "Missing her already?"

"Shut up."

"Text her or call then."

Jace hesitated, then gave a slight shake of his head, "No, she needs time with her family." Family. It was such a nice word. He smiled at his mom, who smiled back.

"Right." Ash grinned. "Anyways, you've got me!"

Immediately, Jace made a face and held up his hands in mock horror. "Noooo, not you. Someone save me."

Dr.Anderson laughed at the two boys antics. Ash and the girls were good for her son. Jonathan had shown marked improvement in the last few weeks. He smiled more often now.

"O'kay, I'll leave you two to it then. I've got to go home and check on your dad. Gwen has already returned to her classes, she's on crutches and you ..." she waggled a slim finger at her son, "should be able to be discharged in a few days."

"Yessss!!!" Jace pumped a fist in the air. "Finally!"

"Also, Dr.Curran says that you can go virtual," she smiled at her son's happy face. The poor thing was so bored having to stay in bed with nothing to do. "You can play but not for too long at a time."

Ash did a little jig. "Hell yeah, now we can play together! It's so boring in there alone."

She raised her eyebrows in caution. "You have a good head on your shoulders. I trust you to make good use of it. Don't overdo it." She pulled Jace in for a brief hug.

"Thanks, mom," he mumbled into her hair.

She let him go a moment later, just before he got uncomfortable. Ash watched the byplay with surprised interest. Dr.Anderson really was an expert. Once she was aware of Jace's phobia of being touched, she had taken note of it seriously. Jace was her son, but he had also become an unofficial patient of hers. She took note of all her patients, every little bit that may help with surgery and the recovery after. He noticed that she was very careful of her words and actions around him. Ash saw Jace's mother in a new light. He had never actually seen her in 'professional working mode' before.

"Bye! I'll be back later." Dr.Anderson waved at them as she made her way out the door. "Be good."

Ash waved at her, "Bye, Mrs.Anderson! I'll try to keep him out of trouble!"

"You? Keep him out of trouble? You're trouble incarnate!" she mock growled at the blond teenager as she left. He laughed merrily at her rebuke.