No apology, no excuses, no words about what had happened the last time they had spoken. She just pretended like it hadn’t happened, which was what she always did. This time, Nick didn’t really mind. Although very weak and tired, he was feeling better than he had before and was just glad the worst was over. Now was not the time to be arguing with his mother. So he returned the hug and pasted a smile on his face. “Better,” he answered her question truthfully.
Jane smiled, misty-eyed, as she looked down upon him. “What a relief,” she said. “The sooner you get better, the sooner you can get out of here and start working on the new album again with the boys.”
Nick stared up at her. The album? So that was top priority with her, huh? It was important to him, too, it really was, and he did want to get back to working on it, but, come on, he had just woken up from a coma (or close enough), and she expected him to start thinking about working again? But of course, that’s just how Jane Carter was. Business-oriented and money-loving. He could have retorted something about that, too, but he chose not to this time. No need for an argument right then.
“Yeah,” he murmured vaguely, then added, changing the subject, “So where’s the rest of the family?”
“Outside,” replied Jane. “You want me to bring Dad in? The nurse said we could only have two people visit at a time.”
“Oh okay. Yeah, let Dad come in then,” Nick replied.
His mother disappeared, returning with his father. And after about ten minutes, they left and sent Leslie and Angel in. Angel cried when she saw him, and Leslie looked like she was about to pass out, so they left after only a few minutes. And then in came the two people that meant the most to him of the bunch – Aaron and Brian.
His best friend came in first, his younger brother hesitantly following behind.
"Hey, Nick!" Brian said brightly, immediately dropping down into the chair next to Nick's bed. "Good to see you awake finally. How are you feeling?"
He spoke with ease and smiled as if he was totally relaxed, but Nick knew his friend better than that. Brian hated hospitals as much, maybe even more, than he did. Then again, who actually did like hospitals? Maybe the people that worked in them, but Nick doubted too many other people did. Brian was doing a good job at trying to hide his discomfort though.
Aaron, on the other hand, was not. He remained in the doorway, arms crossed stiffly over his chest, head down, looking rather lost.
"Hey, Bri." Nick smiled. Then, looking over Brian's shoulder, he called, "Yo, AC, c'mon in here!"
Aaron took a hesitant few steps forward, stopping a good three or four feet shy of the foot of Nick's bed. Nick laughed. "You can come closer than that if you want, dude. I ain't gonna bite you."
He happened to glance over at Brian, who shook his head very slightly, giving Nick a look that said, "Don't push him." Aaron took one more baby step toward the bed and stopped, frozen. Nick frowned, but didn't say anything else.
"So, Nick, how are you feeling?" Brian asked again, having not gotten a reply the first time around.
Nick shrugged, about to admit that he was still feeling pretty crappy (even if it was less crappy than before), when he recognized the worried look on Aaron's face. Twisting his lips up in a smile, he answered instead, "Pretty good actually." He watched Aaron carefully to see if his brother relaxed, but he really didn't. Nick figured he probably looked pretty bad, possibly even worse than he felt. Not mention, his voice was still raspy and hoarse, very unlike his own. Maybe that was it - he just didn't seem his old self, and unfamiliarity was what was making Aaron so distant.
Deciding to worry about Aaron later, he focused on Brian instead, asking, "So where's Leigh and Baylee? Home in Atlanta still?"
"Yeah," Brian replied. "Leigh told me to tell you she hopes you're feeling better soon. She wanted to come see you, but I wasn't so keen on putting the baby on a plane, you know?"
"Oh, I know. That's okay," Nick said, not really caring. Leighanne was cool, and Baylee was cute and all, but he'd rather have Brian to himself.
"Yeah..." Brian glanced over his shoulder. Then, with a meaningful look at Nick, he added casually, "Well, I just stopped in to say hey and see how you were. I'll let you and AC hang out for awhile now, and I'll be back later, 'kay?"
Nick smiled gratefully, silently thanking Brian for understanding. He hadn't even spoken to Aaron in months, and he felt bad for it. He knew he really needed to have a one on one with his brother, and Brian knew it too.
"He's all yours, kiddo," Brian remarked to Aaron on his way out of the room, playfully ruffling Aaron's blonde hair. Aaron opened his mouth, as if to protest, but before he could say a thing, Brian ducked out of the room, and Aaron was left alone, looking trapped.
Rather hurt, Nick said softly, "C'mere, Aaron" and motioned for him to come up to the bed. Reluctantly, the fifteen-year-old walked up and perched himself on the very edge of the chair Brian had been sitting in. "Look, bro, I dunno what your problem is... if you're mad at me, that's cool, I understand. Or if it's just cause all this," he waved his hands in vague circle that included all things medical and everything having to do with his altered physical state, "then I understand that too. I know I look like shit, and my voice ain't quite right yet, but I'm still your same dumb old brother."
That brought a slight smile to Aaron's lips, and as the teenager's brown eyes met Nick's blue ones, Nick knew instantly he had hit the nail on the head.
Clearing his throat, Aaron finally spoke. "Are you really feeling okay?" he asked, eyeing Nick warily.
"To be honest?" Nick smiled sheepishly. "I feel kinda crappy. But better than before," he added quickly. "Don't you worry about me; I'm gonna be just fine, okay? Hey, and now that you're finally in Tampa, we can hang out like I always said we were going to... play some Nintendo, shoot some hoops, take the boat out..."
"Can you do all that?" Aaron interrupted it.
Nick frowned. "'Course I can do all that," he said stubbornly. "I ain't handicapped, for God's sake. I'll be out of this dump in a few days, once the pneumonia's all gone, and then I can do whatever I damn well please."
"Sorry," Aaron mumbled, sending Nick into a fit of guilt for snapping at him. Not like it was his fault.
"Nah, 's okay. I'm just kinda pissed off at this whole thing, ya know? It sucks."
"I know, it sucks ass!" Aaron burst out, and Nick had a feeling the kid had been waiting to say that for a long time. Well, he was right, it did suck ass. Major ass.
***
