"Coup de Foudre" 90
We are back with a new year and a new chapter - finally!
And the fur is going to fly...
By Gaedhal
Pittsburgh, July 2016
“Get out! Get the fuck away from me!”
Brian was sitting up in the bed, his eyes huge and staring. Dr. Sun and Michael were trying to settle him down, but he kept jerking his arms away from them. He’d already pulled one of the lines out of his arm and blood was dripping down onto the sheets.
Joan Kinney kept repeating, “Brian! Listen to me! I’m your mother!” while her daughter, Claire, and the nurse, Mrs. Williams, tried in vain to restrain her.
“Please!” shouted Dr. Sun. “Everyone calm down! Brian, you are all right. Please lie down and take deep breaths.”
“Get away!” Brian gasped. “Don’t touch me! And get her away from me! Get them all away!”
“Brian, listen to the doctor,” Michael begged. Then he turned and saw Justin. “Do something! He’ll listen to you.”
Justin stepped into the room, letting the chaos envelop him.
“That sinner!” Joan Kinney spat. “He has no right to be here!”
“I have every right,” said Justin, moving to the bed. He took Brian’s hand. “Remember when you used to rub my hand when it would tense up? And how you’d hold me when I woke up screaming? You told me there was nothing to be afraid of because you were there and you’d never let anything happen to me. Do you remember that? Do you, Brian?”
But Brian only stared at him, his eyes vacant and terrified.
“These people are upsetting my son!” Joan squawked.
“No, Mrs. Kinney,” Justin challenged. “You’re the one who’s upsetting him. You’re the one who needs to leave. Right now!”
That’s when Father Tom came into the room. He put his hand on Mrs. Kinney’s shoulder. “Joan, come with me,” he said gently. “This is no way to win back your son.”
“I don’t need to win him back!” she retorted. “He’s my son! Mine!”
“Please, Joan,” Father Tom coaxed. “It’s time to leave.”
“Yeah, Mom,” Claire said nervously. “Maybe it’s better we go.”
“But that boy… that abomination…”
“Leave it!” Claire gave her mother a push towards the door. “Let’s get out of here for now. We need to talk to a lawyer.”
“Yes, a lawyer,” Joan Kinney mouthed. “You’ll help us, won’t you, Father?
Father Tom looked uncomfortable. “We can pray together. For guidance.”
“Yes.” Mrs. Kinney’s hands were trembling. “Pray. But we’ll be back. I won’t abandon my only son!”
As Father Tom hustled the two women into the hallway, Brian seemed to calm down, but only a little.
“Mrs. Williams, please prepare a sedative for Mr. Kinney,” Dr. Sun ordered, turning away from the bed. “Mr. Taylor, Mr. Novotny - see what you can do. Mr. Kinney is reacting to coming out of the coma. This is normal, but he needs peace and quiet. For now he’s confused and upset. That is not conducive to healing.”
“No shit!” Michael sniffed. “Who wouldn’t be upset to wake up and see those two harpies grabbing for you?”
“Justin?” Brian muttered. He sank back against the pillow. “I thought… heard you calling.”
“I’ve been here, Brian,” said Justin. “And Michael. And Gus, too. I promised I wouldn’t leave you alone and you haven’t been.”
“My mother… she… she…”
“She’s gone,” said Justin. “She can’t hurt you.”
Brian closed his eyes. “I… dark… lost… I couldn’t find… find…”
“Find what?” asked Michael.
“Don’t know.” Brian winced. “What’s this? Hospital?”
“Yes, you’re in the hospital,” said Justin. “But you’re safe. Here’s Mrs. Williams. She’s going to give you something to help you sleep.”
Brian’s eyes flew open. “No! Not the dark!”
Justin squeezed Brian’s hand. “When I came out of my coma I was afraid of the dark, too. Remember that? But you need to rest now, okay? Michael and I are right here. We won’t leave you alone.”
Mrs. Williams deftly reinserted the IV Brian had dislodged, then she gave him the injection and left the room. But Brian was still breathing heavily, almost hyperventilating. And his feet and hands were twitching convulsively.
“He’s fighting all of this,” Justin said to Michael. “When you wake up from a coma nothing seems right. Nothing seems the same. You don’t know where you are. Everything is loud and confusing.”
“After the bombing I remember being so terrified,” Michael nodded. “But then Ben was there and I knew things would be fine.”
“I totally forgot about that. I wasn’t at the hospital, but Brian told me it was a real mad house.” Justin smiled weakly. “Welcome to the Coma Club, along with me and Ted - and now Brian. Not forgetting Uncle Vic, of course.”
“I’d never forget Uncle Vic. I don’t think I was ever really in a coma,” said Michael. “But I was definitely unconscious. And in so much fucking pain. I remember that more than anything else. That awful burn pain.”
“I guess we’ve all had our lousy hospital memories.” Justin stroked Brian’s arm softly. “Did you hear that, Brian? We’re all in the same boat. Yeah, the Titanic!”
“And what about me?” Gus, who had been cowering in the corner, trying to pretend all of this mess wasn’t really happening, suddenly came forward. “Where do I stand in all of this?”
“Gus, I’m sorry you had to see that,” said Justin. “Your grandmother… and your aunt. They… well, that’s not a great introduction.”
“But it’s pretty typical of them. It’s crazy,” Michael added. “Mrs. Kinney’s voice was enough to bring Brian out of his coma.”
“They were all screaming! I… I didn’t know what to do!” Gus approached the bed. “Daddy? Are you really awake?”
“Huh?” Brian’s eyes opened slowly.
“It’s me, Gus.” The boy leaned over. “I’m here. Are you okay?”
Brian blinked. “Wha…?”
“It’s Gus,” said Justin. “He’s been here, too. We’ve all been here for you. Gus, here. Take his hand.”
Gus reached for it, but Brian pulled away. “No! Don’t know… you.”
“Dad!” Gus cried. “It’s me!”
“It’s Gus,” said Michael. “Your son.”
But Brian shook his head fiercely. “No! That’s not… not Gus. Little. Boy. That’s not…” Brian closed his eyes again.
“I’m Gus!” he insisted. “I’m your son! Daddy!”
“He’s confused,” said Justin. “You need to give him time. His memory might not be so good right now. Next time he’ll probably remember better.”
“But he knows you,” Gus snapped. “You made sure he knows you! This is your fault! You want him all to yourself!”
“That’s not fair,” said Michael. “Like Justin said, Brian only woke up about a half hour ago and then he got all shook up with his mom and sister and all that crap. Give him some time. But it’s not Justin’s fault. Justin’s been here more than anyone.”
“That’s my point,” Gus lashed back. “He doesn’t want Dad to remember me! Because I’m in his way!”
“Don’t do this,” Justin whispered. “Please, not here and not now.”
“Now you’re being ridiculous,” Michael said to Gus. “He’ll probably recognize you tomorrow. Give him a chance to wake up more.”
“Dad!” Gus yelled. “You have to know me! Please say you know me!” He started to shake Brian’s bandaged left shoulder and Brian cried out in pain.
“Don’t fucking do that!” Justin yelled back. “He injured his collarbone!”
“Don’t fucking tell me what to do, you douchebag!” Gus shoved Justin, and Justin, not thinking, shoved him back, hard.
“Jesus!” Michael stepped between them. “Stop that, both of you!”
Mrs. Williams marched into the room with an orderly and a security guard. “I’ve had about enough of you people disrupting this hospital and stirring up my sick patient. None of you can behave yourselves, so you’re all going to have to leave. And you’re not coming back until Dr. Sun says so! These gentlemen will see you out - and I mean right this minute! So get while the getting’s good!”
And the fur is going to fly...
By Gaedhal
Pittsburgh, July 2016
“Get out! Get the fuck away from me!”
Brian was sitting up in the bed, his eyes huge and staring. Dr. Sun and Michael were trying to settle him down, but he kept jerking his arms away from them. He’d already pulled one of the lines out of his arm and blood was dripping down onto the sheets.
Joan Kinney kept repeating, “Brian! Listen to me! I’m your mother!” while her daughter, Claire, and the nurse, Mrs. Williams, tried in vain to restrain her.
“Please!” shouted Dr. Sun. “Everyone calm down! Brian, you are all right. Please lie down and take deep breaths.”
“Get away!” Brian gasped. “Don’t touch me! And get her away from me! Get them all away!”
“Brian, listen to the doctor,” Michael begged. Then he turned and saw Justin. “Do something! He’ll listen to you.”
Justin stepped into the room, letting the chaos envelop him.
“That sinner!” Joan Kinney spat. “He has no right to be here!”
“I have every right,” said Justin, moving to the bed. He took Brian’s hand. “Remember when you used to rub my hand when it would tense up? And how you’d hold me when I woke up screaming? You told me there was nothing to be afraid of because you were there and you’d never let anything happen to me. Do you remember that? Do you, Brian?”
But Brian only stared at him, his eyes vacant and terrified.
“These people are upsetting my son!” Joan squawked.
“No, Mrs. Kinney,” Justin challenged. “You’re the one who’s upsetting him. You’re the one who needs to leave. Right now!”
That’s when Father Tom came into the room. He put his hand on Mrs. Kinney’s shoulder. “Joan, come with me,” he said gently. “This is no way to win back your son.”
“I don’t need to win him back!” she retorted. “He’s my son! Mine!”
“Please, Joan,” Father Tom coaxed. “It’s time to leave.”
“Yeah, Mom,” Claire said nervously. “Maybe it’s better we go.”
“But that boy… that abomination…”
“Leave it!” Claire gave her mother a push towards the door. “Let’s get out of here for now. We need to talk to a lawyer.”
“Yes, a lawyer,” Joan Kinney mouthed. “You’ll help us, won’t you, Father?
Father Tom looked uncomfortable. “We can pray together. For guidance.”
“Yes.” Mrs. Kinney’s hands were trembling. “Pray. But we’ll be back. I won’t abandon my only son!”
As Father Tom hustled the two women into the hallway, Brian seemed to calm down, but only a little.
“Mrs. Williams, please prepare a sedative for Mr. Kinney,” Dr. Sun ordered, turning away from the bed. “Mr. Taylor, Mr. Novotny - see what you can do. Mr. Kinney is reacting to coming out of the coma. This is normal, but he needs peace and quiet. For now he’s confused and upset. That is not conducive to healing.”
“No shit!” Michael sniffed. “Who wouldn’t be upset to wake up and see those two harpies grabbing for you?”
“Justin?” Brian muttered. He sank back against the pillow. “I thought… heard you calling.”
“I’ve been here, Brian,” said Justin. “And Michael. And Gus, too. I promised I wouldn’t leave you alone and you haven’t been.”
“My mother… she… she…”
“She’s gone,” said Justin. “She can’t hurt you.”
Brian closed his eyes. “I… dark… lost… I couldn’t find… find…”
“Find what?” asked Michael.
“Don’t know.” Brian winced. “What’s this? Hospital?”
“Yes, you’re in the hospital,” said Justin. “But you’re safe. Here’s Mrs. Williams. She’s going to give you something to help you sleep.”
Brian’s eyes flew open. “No! Not the dark!”
Justin squeezed Brian’s hand. “When I came out of my coma I was afraid of the dark, too. Remember that? But you need to rest now, okay? Michael and I are right here. We won’t leave you alone.”
Mrs. Williams deftly reinserted the IV Brian had dislodged, then she gave him the injection and left the room. But Brian was still breathing heavily, almost hyperventilating. And his feet and hands were twitching convulsively.
“He’s fighting all of this,” Justin said to Michael. “When you wake up from a coma nothing seems right. Nothing seems the same. You don’t know where you are. Everything is loud and confusing.”
“After the bombing I remember being so terrified,” Michael nodded. “But then Ben was there and I knew things would be fine.”
“I totally forgot about that. I wasn’t at the hospital, but Brian told me it was a real mad house.” Justin smiled weakly. “Welcome to the Coma Club, along with me and Ted - and now Brian. Not forgetting Uncle Vic, of course.”
“I’d never forget Uncle Vic. I don’t think I was ever really in a coma,” said Michael. “But I was definitely unconscious. And in so much fucking pain. I remember that more than anything else. That awful burn pain.”
“I guess we’ve all had our lousy hospital memories.” Justin stroked Brian’s arm softly. “Did you hear that, Brian? We’re all in the same boat. Yeah, the Titanic!”
“And what about me?” Gus, who had been cowering in the corner, trying to pretend all of this mess wasn’t really happening, suddenly came forward. “Where do I stand in all of this?”
“Gus, I’m sorry you had to see that,” said Justin. “Your grandmother… and your aunt. They… well, that’s not a great introduction.”
“But it’s pretty typical of them. It’s crazy,” Michael added. “Mrs. Kinney’s voice was enough to bring Brian out of his coma.”
“They were all screaming! I… I didn’t know what to do!” Gus approached the bed. “Daddy? Are you really awake?”
“Huh?” Brian’s eyes opened slowly.
“It’s me, Gus.” The boy leaned over. “I’m here. Are you okay?”
Brian blinked. “Wha…?”
“It’s Gus,” said Justin. “He’s been here, too. We’ve all been here for you. Gus, here. Take his hand.”
Gus reached for it, but Brian pulled away. “No! Don’t know… you.”
“Dad!” Gus cried. “It’s me!”
“It’s Gus,” said Michael. “Your son.”
But Brian shook his head fiercely. “No! That’s not… not Gus. Little. Boy. That’s not…” Brian closed his eyes again.
“I’m Gus!” he insisted. “I’m your son! Daddy!”
“He’s confused,” said Justin. “You need to give him time. His memory might not be so good right now. Next time he’ll probably remember better.”
“But he knows you,” Gus snapped. “You made sure he knows you! This is your fault! You want him all to yourself!”
“That’s not fair,” said Michael. “Like Justin said, Brian only woke up about a half hour ago and then he got all shook up with his mom and sister and all that crap. Give him some time. But it’s not Justin’s fault. Justin’s been here more than anyone.”
“That’s my point,” Gus lashed back. “He doesn’t want Dad to remember me! Because I’m in his way!”
“Don’t do this,” Justin whispered. “Please, not here and not now.”
“Now you’re being ridiculous,” Michael said to Gus. “He’ll probably recognize you tomorrow. Give him a chance to wake up more.”
“Dad!” Gus yelled. “You have to know me! Please say you know me!” He started to shake Brian’s bandaged left shoulder and Brian cried out in pain.
“Don’t fucking do that!” Justin yelled back. “He injured his collarbone!”
“Don’t fucking tell me what to do, you douchebag!” Gus shoved Justin, and Justin, not thinking, shoved him back, hard.
“Jesus!” Michael stepped between them. “Stop that, both of you!”
Mrs. Williams marched into the room with an orderly and a security guard. “I’ve had about enough of you people disrupting this hospital and stirring up my sick patient. None of you can behave yourselves, so you’re all going to have to leave. And you’re not coming back until Dr. Sun says so! These gentlemen will see you out - and I mean right this minute! So get while the getting’s good!”