Chapter 16

                                    

                                          
Chapter 16
                          
 
                          
Justin couldn’t make himself move beyond the frame of the door.  He was stuck, suspended in time, watching as the scene played out in front of him.  His hand gripped the silver plated door handle and rivers of relief poured into him.  He was awake.  John was awake and from the looks of it, he was going to be okay.
                          
Alana fast walked all the way to his room, pushing her way in until she was standing right there beside his bed.  Her parents stepped back, allowing her all the room she needed.  John looked up at her and gave her a slight smile.  For what seemed like an eternity, the two of them just stared at each other.  John still had a tube down his throat, unable to talk, but that didn't seem to impede their silent communication.  Everything that needed to be said, was said in the way that the brother and sister looked at each other.
                          
“Justin?”   Hearing his name being called, Justin blinked and looked up and four sets of eyes turned in his direction.  Lifting his hand, he went for what he thought was a casual smile and a half wave.  “Are you just going to stand there all day?”
                          
Meeting Alana's gaze, he shrugged his shoulders at her question.  Just knowing that John was okay was enough for him.  Right now, he thought what John needed the most was to be with his immediate family.  There would be plenty of time later for John and him to play catch up.  "This should be family time," he told her.  "I'll come back tomorrow." 
                          
"Nonsense," John's mother interrupted.  She walked over to the door and pulled him by the wrist into the room.  The faint scent of roses tickled Justin's nostrils, as she drew him closer to the bed.  Stopping, she stood behind him and placed her hands on his shoulders.  It was then that Justin realized the rose scent was probably her perfume.  Her thin fingers gave his shoulders a little squeeze.  "You're just as much a member of this family as anyone else in this room.  Plus, John needs to see you."
                          
Standing there, Justin shot John a grin and lightly punched him in the shoulder.  The gesture was familiar between the boys and he knew that John would understand the meaning behind it.  "What took you so long?"  
                          
The corners of his lips curled up, lifting up his sallow cheeks.  He weakly nodded back at Justin and he understood perfectly what John was trying to say.  He was back- maybe not quite up to his normal par but he was most definitely back and that was all that mattered.  "Yeah," Justin swallowed, "You need to get better so that I can kick your ass on the field again, you feeling me?"
                          
He made a throaty sound, something that was a mix between a chuckle and a gargle, resonating deep within his throat.  Justin drank in that sound, just thankful that he was going to be alright.  Soon enough, he would be back at school, living it up and enjoying being the center of attention.  "You scared the crap out of us man."
                          
Justin continued to watch him, feeling the unfamiliar sting of tears behind his eyes that he refused to shed.  One minute life had been so good, they were all having fun and the next, and everything just sort of hung out there in the balance.  Justin didn't even want to think about what could have happened, but the possibility had always been there, lurking in the back of his mind.
                          
"There was another girl here." Spinning around, Justin glanced back at John's mother.  He felt like that was an odd statement to make.  It was one of those things that just sort came out of the blue. 
                          
"Like a nurse?"  He asked, scratching his head.
                          
"No," she wrinkled her nose, "It was a young girl, someone your age.  I was coming back from the cafeteria and she was standing here with John.  I started to question her and that's when I realized that John was awake."  She paused and gestured towards the door.  "A few minutes later, when I looked up, she was just gone.  I never did get her name."