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Ralph’s arms went around my chest before pulling me up with ease and setting me on the bed. His hands grabbed at my arms, shaking me momentarily until I looked up at him, pain causing me to lose focus. “Wake up, Dex! You don’t have a choice! But you…listen, you aren’t doing this alone. You think I have acluewhat I’m doing after graduation? Stop making me feel like shit.” He walked away from me, pacing the room. “I already have plenty to feel shitty about.”
I sat back, breathing out in huffs. I was glaring at Ralph when Sessie walked in.
“What’s all this, now?” She rushed over to me, getting me settled on the bed more comfortably. “Ralph, you can’t get Dexter riled up. He’s on a lot of medications and is in a great deal of pain. You boys had better be on your best behavior in this hospital.” She strode out and came right back in, syringe in hand.
I ignored the prick of the needle piercing my skin. The moment the drug hit me, I wanted to vomit.
“Shh. It’ll pass. Lie back now,” Sessie instructed.
I looked over at the door—just a second after it closed behind Ralph—and I sat up again, wanting to follow him out.
“No,” Sessie said, her voice stern. “You need to calm down and so does he.”
“He’s the only one Iknow, Sessie. What if he doesn’t come back?” I looked away, not wanting to be pitied.
“He’ll be back. Bawled like a baby in the waiting room over you. He’ll be back.” She stood, waiting for me to speak. When I didn’t, she said, “Want to talk about it?”
I shook my head. I heard her light steps and, before I could stop myself, I asked, “What do you think happens when you die and come back to life?”
She stood in front of the door, her smile easy, like I’d asked her a simple question. “You become a miracle. Which is exactly what you are, Dexter Andrews.”
Dexter
I would not placeyou in a situation you could not overcome. Don’t forget, I was supposed to deliver you to your maker.
Waking up was an uphill climb. I felt myself begin to surface, while trying to remain underneath it. That moment of bliss when I understood my consciousness before I actually knew my life—Dex’s life—was something I wanted to hold onto. I wanted to prolong it for as long as I could.
I opened my eyes, in a new moment I was given, and gave up on going back to sleep. The sun had gone down; the lights were dim in my hospital room. The television was on, but muted. Beside me, in one of those uncomfortable hospital chairs, Ralph was sleeping, his arms pillowing his head.
Tracey sat in the corner, her eyes on her laptop. When I shifted to sit up, her gaze found mine and she smiled warmly.
“He’s asleep,” I whispered, grunting as I moved.
She nodded, her eyebrows pulling downward with concern. “He was worried about you, you know.”
I wanted to tell her that I’d been worried about him, too, but the situation felt too raw to speak on.
He roused, and I sat up straighter. I didn’t know if he was going to apologize or if I needed to.
He cleared his throat, blinked up at me, and asked, “We done?” His throat sounded scratchy, but a smile was plastered over the face suited more for a grown man than an eighteen-year-old.
“Sure. Whatever,” I said, but I smiled back.
“Ha. Jackass.” He glanced back at my aunt just as she said his name and told him to watch his mouth. Then, he settled his stare back on me. “I heard you’re leaving tomorrow. Excited?”
I shrugged. I didn’t know what to think about leaving the hospital and moving into foreign territory.
“You’ll be fine,” my aunt said, leaning forward in her chair, stretching and twisting until I could hear her back crack.
“I can already hear the ladies offering to stop by and play nurse,” Ralph said around a yawn.
I yawned as well, glancing at Tracey, catching her eye-roll, and it reminded me how young she was. I hadn’t seen a man around. She wasn’t wearing a ring. Ralph didn’t mention a boyfriend or husband of hers.
“Are you seeing anyone?” I blurted out.
When she looked at me quizzically, her brows raised, and I realized how random my question was.
“I’m just trying to get everything sorted,” I clarified. “You know, in case I need to know anyone else at…home.”
