Andi:
Brian and I talked more. Just basically learning more about each other. We talked about an hour and then I left to let him get some rest. I walked to the waiting room everyone was in.
"Hi Andi. Have a nice time with Bri?" Billie asked me. What was that supposed to mean?
"Yeah, we talked a lot. Why?"
"Just curious is all."
"Ok, whatever you say. So, how are you all?"
"Doing ok. Anticipating tomorrow." Kevin answered.
"Yeah, I’m sure. Y’all have got to be worried about Brian. Hell, I am and I only just met him. Y’all are his best friends."
"Yeah, exactly." Howie said.
I looked at my watch and saw it was already 7:30pm. Then I remembered Billie.
"Oh shit, Bill. Did you ever call mom? She’s probably worried about you."
"Oh yeah, I didn’t get a chance. Can I borrow your phone?"
"Um, I left my cell phone in my car."
At least I hope I left it there.
"Here you can borrow mine." Nick handed her his phone.
"Thanks."
She dialed the number and waited for mom to answer.
"Hey mom, it’s me...I know...yes, I have a reason...I met up with Andi at Friendly Fisherman and one of her friends that she was with had an emergency and we had to take him to the hospital. We’re there now and just waiting to see if he’s going to be ok...Brian...no, you haven’t met him yet..." I laughed at that. Our mom was crazy. "We’re at St. Pete General...I don’t know...I’ll call you every so often...ok...take care...Bye mom...I will...Bye." Billie hung up and gave Nick back his phone.
"Thanks. Andi, mom says hi and wants you to call her as soon as possible."
"Ok, I will. I’m going to go take a walk. I’ll be back in a few."
"Ok, we’ll be here."
I nodded and started walking towards the hall, to the elevators. I always got restless at hospitals and could never stay still for more than 5 minutes. Just because I had to come here when I was little and that freaked me out. And when I was 10 and Billie was 6, our father got sick and never came home. I’m over it, just not entirely. My mom remarried and our step-dad is cool and all, but he’ll never be like my dad.
I went upstairs and got off on the 6th floor. I guess it was the children’s ward, because there were kiddie paintings on the walls, a play area, and things kids made. It was quiet, but I guess because they were all resting.
I heard faint crying from the play area, so I walked over there. I guess the nurses were in the rooms. I got closer and the crying got louder. I walked around to the other side and saw a little boy about the age of 6, sitting in the corner, crying. I got closer and kneeled down in front of him.
"Hey, what’s wrong?" I asked, quietly.
He looked up and looked at me with his green eyes.
"I want my mommy and daddy." He sobbed. I noticed he had a few deep cuts on his face and a broken arm.
"Aw, honey. I’m sure they’ll be here soon. It’s ok." I rubbed his back lightly.
"But I want them now." He sobbed more.
"I know you do, but they had to go home really quick. They’ll be here, don’t worry."
"I’m scared, I wanna go home. I hate hospitals."
He sounded just like me right then. But I had bad asthma when I was younger. So it was different, but still, it was scary.
"I know, I used to hate hospitals too. I had to come here a lot when I was younger. So, I understand."
"What’s your name?"
"Andi, what’s yours?"
"Robbie."
"Well Robbie, can you do something for me?"
"What?"
"Can you be brave for me? I need someone to be brave for me, and was wondering if that could be you?"
"I guess, I can try."
"Good, trying is great." I smiled at him. "Hey, I got an idea that might make you feel better. Can you stay here and I’ll be right back?"
"Yeah, I’ll stay right here."
"Great, I’ll be right back."
I got up and went to go find a nurse. An older, sweet looking woman walked out of a room. I walked over to her.
"Excuse me?"
"Yes, may I help you?" She asked sweetly.
"I was wondering if I could possibly take Robbie with me down to the 4th floor? I know some friends that could make him feel better."
"May I ask who you are?"
"My name is Andi Sage. I needed to think, so I came here. I found Robbie crying in a corner. He’s scared, so I thought my friends could help."
"I guess it would be alright. Robbie needs as much cheering up that he can get. His parents died in a car accident and no one has told him yet. We just don’t have to heart to, yet."
"Oh wow. He’s been asking for his mommy and daddy. Was he in the accident as well?"
"Yeah, but he came out with minor injuries. He has an aunt who is coming; she’s going to take care of him."
"Ok, that’s good."
"Yeah. So, which floor was it again?"
"4th floor, ICU."
"Are you sure it’ll be ok?"
"Yeah, I’m positive that it will be. They’re great people and they love kids."
"Ok, just have him back in an hour. He needs to get some sleep."
"Ok, thank you very much." She smiled and I smiled back.
I walked back over to Robbie. He was still where I found him earlier.
"Ok Robbie, you ready to go?"
"Go? Go where?"
"To the 4th floor. I have some friends that I want you to meet."
"Ok, let’s go." He got up and grabbed my hand. I smiled and we walked to the elevators. Robbie pushed the button and we waited.
"Hey, when we get down there, can I sign your cast?"
"Sure." He smiled at me. The elevator arrived and we got on. I pushed the button for the 4th floor and we went down. We reached the floor and walked off the elevator. We turned the corner to the waiting room. Everyone was pretty much in the same place when I left. They all looked up when I came in.
"Andi, where have you been?" Billie asked.
"In the children’s ward. I found Robbie there. Everyone, this is Robbie. Robbie, this is my sister Billie, Nick, Kevin, AJ and Howie."
"Hi Robbie, how are ya doing?" Kevin asked.
"Ok." He whispered. I could tell he was shy. I smiled.
"It’s ok, Robbie. They aren’t going to hurt you."
"Hey buddy, whatcha do to your arm?" Nick asked, walking over to us and kneeling down in front of Robbie.
"I broke it, but I dunno how." He sounded sad.
"Oh well, can I sign it?"
"Yeah, sure." Nick found a pen and signed his cast. I signed it after him.
"Can we all sign it?" Howie asked.
"Sure." Robbie’s face lit up.
Everyone signed it and Robbie kept smiling.
"Hey Kevin, can you come here for a minute?" I asked.
"Sure."
I left Robbie with Billie, Nick, Howie and AJ. Kevin and I went into the hall.
"What’s up?" Kevin asked.
"Well, I was wondering if you guys could possibly sing him one song. Just a verse or something to help him feel better. He’s scared and just lost his parents in a car accident. But he doesn’t know that yet."
"Are you serious? His parents were killed in a car accident?"
"Yeah, I was totally shocked when the nurse told me."
"My god, that poor little boy. He’s going to be devastated when he finds out."
"I know. I feel so bad. But do you think you could do that?"
"Yeah, I think so. Do you want Brian to help too?"
"I don’t know. Only if he feels up to it."
"Ok, well how about you got talk to him and see. Come back and get us if he does."
"Ok, I’ll be back in a few."
Kevin nodded and went back into the waiting room. I walked down the hall to Brian’s room and lightly knocked on the door.
"Come in." I heard Brian’s soft voice call. I opened the door and walked in.
"Hey, you awake?"
"Oh hey. Yeah, just trying to find something to watch."
"Good luck." I lightly laughed and so did he.
"So, did you need something?"
"What? Can I not come in here and talk to you for a while without there being a reason?" I playfully asked.
"No, but it just looks like you wanna ask me something."
"I swear dude; you read me like a book. Anyway, you thought right. I have an idea that might make you feel a little better."
"Ok, what is this idea of yours?"
"Ok, I was in the children’s ward. I was just walking around, thinking and I ended up there. Anyway, I found this little boy crying in the corner of the play area. He wanted his mom and dad, and he’s scared. So, I was thinking that maybe you and the guys could possibly sing him a song? Like just a verse, or whatever? But only if you feel up to it. I don’t want you to wear yourself down."
"Don’t worry, I don’t think that will. I don’t mind that at all. That’s a really good idea you got. What’s his name?"
"Robbie, he’s about 6 I guess. He was in a car accident with his parents, but they didn’t make it. He doesn’t know that yet though."
"Wow, he went through all of that. No matter why he’s so scared. Go get him and bring him here."
"Thank you Brian, so much!" I lightly hugged him.
"You’re welcome. Now go get him."
I let go and went down to the waiting room. I heard Robbie laughing and I walked in and Nick and AJ were tickling him.
"Are you going to tickle the poor child to death?"
"Yep, we intend to." AJ said.
I laughed at them, and shook my head.
"Well, it’s ok with Brian. So, let’s go."
"He cool with it?" Nick asked.
"Yeah, he’s fine with it. Hey Robbie, come here." He got up from where he was sitting and walked over to me.
"Yeah?"
"I gotta surprise for you."
"You do? What is it?"
"You’ll just have to wait and see."
I extended my hand out to him and he grabbed it.
"C’mon, let’s go."
We walked down the hall to Brian’s room and walked inside.
"Robbie, this is Brian. Brian, this is Robbie." I introduced.
"Hi Robbie, it’s great to meet you." Robbie smiled at Brian.
"It’s nice to meet you too. Are you sick?"
I looked at Brian and he looked a little sad at the question. But then he smiled.
"Yeah, actually I am. I have a hole in my heart. So, I’m getting it fixed."
"Oh, well I will pray for you." This little kid was something else. Very smart. I felt so bad that his parents were killed.
"Thank you, Robbie. So, I see that Andi here found you. She asked the guys and I to do something special for you. And I thought it was a pretty good idea. So, you can sit right there and we’ll do something special." Robbie sat at the foot of the bed and the guys stood around the bed. On the count of three they started doing ‘I want it that way’ acapella. It was so sweet. I looked at Robbie and he had the biggest smile on his face. They finished the verse and chorus and Robbie clapped the best that he could.
"Wow, that was the best surprise ever. Thank you."
"Don’t thank us. Thank Andi, she came up with the idea." Brian said. Robbie jumped down and ran over to me, engulfing me in a hug, almost making me fall.
"Thank you Andi, you’re really cool."
I smiled.
"Thank you and you’re welcome. I wanted to see you smile and not cry."
"Oh, I think he’ll be smiling all night." Kevin said.
"Yep. Well, Robbie, it’s time to go. I’ll come see you in the morning when you get up."
"You promise?"
"Yep, I promise. Cross my heart and hope to die."
"YAY!"
Everyone laughed and so did I.
"Tell everyone goodbye and we’ll go upstairs.
"Ok, goodbye everyone. Thank you." He hugged everyone, including Brian. I took Robbie’s hand and walked to the elevators and took him upstairs. I stayed up there ‘til he fell asleep and went back down to the Intensive Care Unit. I went into the waiting room and no one was in there. So, I went down to Brian’s room and everyone was still in there.
"Hey, shouldn’t y’all let Brian get some rest? It’s 9:30 already."
"And, that ain’t late." Billie complained.
"Fine, I was wrong. So, what are ya doing?"
"Playing cards and talking about you. Billie is giving us the 411." AJ informed us.
"Oh, she is, is she? Like what?"
"Like that you were born in Lexington, moved to St. Pete when you were 4, that you love basketball, cherry coke, the color blue. You have a hick accent at times. Just about everything."
"Billie, I can’t believe you told them I have a hick accent. How rude." I pouted.
"Hey, it’s all good. Kev and I are from Kentucky too. We got hick accents too." Brian said.
"Yeah, but cuz, you got it worse."
I just laughed. This was all funny...
