Tiffany is squeezing my hand and I look over to see her smiling through her tears. We have been through so much together. I feel like David is my son, even though he isn't.
We met in this very hospital ten years ago, a few days before Christmas. I had been at the office holiday party getting shit faced as I did every year. Who am I kidding; I got drunk a lot back then. Maybe a little more than I should, but I was young, newly rich, and powerful. That was a very lethal combination for a twenty-four year old. My parents had called me and asked if I could pick my little sister up from her friend's house as they needed to attend a social function for the Mayor. My dad was a cool guy; he was an engineer who worked for the city. He liked to take things apart and find out what made them tick. My mom on the other hand, was the social climber. She worked her way up the political scene in the city, so the Mayor's event was huge to her.
My dad loved me and my sister, Janice, like any dad should. He was more like a kid himself, while Mom was always yelling at us to keep it down. To her, we were accessories she broke out when she wanted to impress people. After that we were not to be heard from.
So, when my twelve year old sister (as my dad said she was a surprise, though my mom called her an accident) phoned after fighting with her best friend and wanted to come home from a sleep over, guess who my parents turned to? I was in no shape to drive so I told them no.
An hour later I was contacted by the police department to inform me my parents had been in a car accident. I ran to the hospital to be shuffled into a room with Tiffany. Her husband and one year old son had also been in that accident. The only person who lived was her son, David, but the doctors told her he had brain damage that affected the brain's communication to the muscles in his body, telling her he may never walk again.
We helped each other through that time. I was at the hospital every day to check on David. I watched him grow into a very happy and determined child. I made sure he got the best treatment, the best wheelchairs, and an in-home nurse to help Tiffany. I never took no for an answer.
You would think that would have curbed my drinking, but you would be wrong. It got worse, a lot worse. I was drunk just about every day after that. Then about two months later I was in a car accident, luckily it only involved a tree. It was bad and I had to spend several weeks in the hospital and physical therapy. The only thing that kept running through my mind was, what if that tree had been a car that held another family, I would have killed them. From that moment on I didn't drink. That's not totally true. Every year on the anniversary of their death I get drunk because I don't want to be reminded. I miss them so much, even my mom.
So, as I sit here listening to all the treatments the doctor has planned and specialists David is to see when he wakes, I look at Tiffany and pray that the doctor is right. Not for me, fuck me. What do I matter in the grand scheme of things, but for Tiffany and her little brown eyed boy.
We leave and head over to David's room. Hugging each other we stare down at him.
"You need to get laid Henrik."
I blink and turn my head to see her brown eyes looking up at me.
"Where the hell did that come from?"
"You were talking to that stuffed unicorn in Dr. Gerald's office again. You only talk to stuffed inanimate objects when you are sexually frustrated. Who is she?" Tiffany lets go and turns to face me.
I squint my eyes at her not wanting to talk about it.
"No one. Nothing. I mean, there is no one."
"Suit yourself. I just thought you might want a woman's perspective on things."
She walks over to a chair in the corner and pulls it to David's side. When I try to help I am swatted away.
Tapping my foot, I run my fingers through my hair in frustration and start to pace.
"Fine. It's my assistant, her name is Morgana. She just knows how to push my buttons that's all. She irritates me more than anything."
That’s only half true. Yes, Morgana aggravates me more than any other woman I have ever known, but she also arouses me more than any woman I have ever known (that includes all of the cartoon women I fantasized about in my teens).
Tiffany nods but keeps her gaze on David, watching the ventilator assist in his breathing. The lack of muscle control in his body also makes it hard for him to breathe, so he has always had a breathing machine.
"Ah, I get it. Well, I hope you can keep her at a good distance so she doesn't bother you too much."
But do I want her at a distance? No...yes...no...ugh!
I proceed to enthrall her with my lavish tales of Morgana. Basically I explain about the fainting and her rumored plans to marry cake. Tiffany laughs but keeps her focus on David. Realizing she needs a break I suggest lunch.
"It's lunch time why don't I take you to get something to eat? Get out of this fluorescent nightmare and into the fresh arctic Chicago air.”
"Yes, God I am starving."