Chapter Nine
Kai
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
Kai tried to swat his hand out to turn off his alarm but his arm felt very heavy and a twinge of pain radiated through his whole arm. Groaning he tried again to move his arm but to no avail. Same heaviness and same twinge of pain.
“Shh, little boy, don’t move. That’s not an alarm,” a gruff but soft voice said. In fact that voice seemed very familiar.
Maybe that was his Dream Daddy? Kai did certainly dream of him frequently. Especially if he wasn’t feeling good and now was one of those times. His stomach felt queasy and his arm was heavy and painful. Maybe his Dream Daddy could make him feel better?
“I could certainly try, little one. What do you need to feel better?” Kai whined and shifted around. Well, for starters maybe the alarm could be turned off since it was giving him a headache.
“I told you, bambino, it's not an alarm. It’s making sure your heart is still beating.” Kai whined again then sighed as a rough hand smoothed over his forehead.
That was nice…
“Thank you, bambino,” Dream Daddy said, chuckling. Kai frowned as the fog over his head shifted and he slowly opened his eyes to be confronted with Marco’s beautiful face hovering over his. Marco was smiling softly down at him. His black hair making a curtain around his face.
“Marco?” Kai asked, confused, “Why are you in my bedroom?”
“Marco not Dream Daddy?” Marco teased. Kai just stared, not comprehending. Maybe the fog was still affecting his thoughts. Marco just nodded and looked around.
“Right, sorry, bambino. We’re not in your bedroom.
We’re in a hospital room.” Kai’s eyebrows crinkled and he managed to look around Marco.
It was indeed a hospital room. Cream colored walls, fluorescent lights, scratchy sheets.
Plus that infernal beeping was coming from his heart monitor.
Looking around more Kai spotted Penny curled up on a tan couch laying under a window.
Kai’s breath hitched and the beeping sped up.
This hospital room looked like the one his parents had spent their final days in.
“Bambino, breathe, shhh, it’s okay, you're fine. Bambino… look at me.” Kai’s eyes snapped to Marco’s in reaction to the firm tone.
“That’s it, good boy, breathe with me,” Marco took one of Kai’s heavy hands and laid it on his chest. Marco took a deep breath and held it for a few beats then let it out slowly. Kai soon followed suit and the beeping slowed down just in time for a nurse to walk in.
“Oh, good, your heart slowed down. I’m sorry it took me a minute to come in, I was helping with an intake. Hi, Kai, my name is Georgina. You can call me Georgie. Are you feeling alright? How’s your pain level?”
“Um,” Kai blinked as Georgie stopped talking to take a breath, “I’m-I’m okay I guess… Why am I in the hospital? Is my sister Penny okay?”
“Penny is fine, it looks like she’s sleeping at the moment. Do you not remember why you're in the hospital?” Georgie moved over to the monitor and frowned at it then laid the back of her hand on his forehead and placed her fingers on his pulse point in his wrist.
“Um…” The last of the fog lifted and Kai finally remembered seeing lights coming at them and metal screaming, pain and then nothing.
“Oh, shit, I was in a car accident wasn’t I?” Kai’s mouth dropped open and he looked down at his left arm that was covered in a lime green cast from wrist to elbow. Marco was on that side of him and was frowning down at it.
“Yes, you were. You were lucky though. Dr. Black will be in in a few minutes to discuss your injuries and treatment. How are your pain levels?”
“Um, I’m at six and rising. Can I sit up?”
“Of course,” before Georgie could reach the bed controls Marco had grabbed them and inclined Kai and even fluffed his pillow for him.
What is going on with Marco? Why is he even here? What does bambino mean?
“Crap, did I hit you? Are you okay?” Kai stared at Marco in horror. Great. Crashing his car into the boss. Great way to keep his job.
“No, you didn’t, I came upon the accident and I stayed to help.”
“Why are you still here then?” Before Marco could answer Penny let out a little shriek then bolted up right looking around in a panic.
“Pen… Penny… Penelope!” Penny gasped and looked at Kai while panting.
“Kai!” She rushed to his side and buried her face into his lap. “Oh my god, I was so worried!” Penny started crying and Marco looked uncomfortable as well as Georgie who had injected something into his IV bag. Soon his arm stopped throbbing and a nice feeling flooded his system.
“I, uh, just gave you some pain medication. I’ll go get Dr. Black,” Georgie said before leaving.
“You are never driving a car, ever again!” Penny wailed.
“That’s ridiculous,” Kai replied as he petted his sister’s hair with his good arm. He looked up at Marco to find him scratching his head and looking down at Penny with a mix of confusion and amusement.
“How am I going to drive anywhere?” Penny raised her head as tears streamed down her face. Thankfully she’d stopped wailing.
“I’ll drive you.”
“That’s horrifying,” Kai said with a smile, “We’d be constantly getting into accidents.”
“Hey! I’m not that bad of a driver,” Penny sounded indignant but was smiling.
“Good morning, sunshine,” Vince announced as he sauntered in the room.“Good morning, Vince, I-I mean Dr. Black,” Kai said, blushing. He knew Vince from The Play Spot. His Little girl was friends with Penny and Kai had gotten close to her in the few times he’d managed to get to the club.
“It’s okay, you can call me Vince. Today is actually my last shift at this hospital. I’m sure Amy told you that I’m going to be working at Patrick Bird’s clinic.”
“Dr. Birdie! I love him so much! He’s such an amazing doctor.” Penny smiled at Vince. “I think you’ll like working there.”
“Thank you, sweetheart, I’m sure I will like it there too.
You are my last patient this morning. So, as I”m sure you’ve guessed, you broke your arm.
It’s not a complicated break, luckily enough.
You won’t require surgery for it. You need to wear the cast for six to eight weeks.
I want you to make an appointment with me for six weeks and I’ll determine if you need to wear the cast for the full eight weeks or if you can take it off completely.
You have some stitches in your head but those will dissolve over time, no need to get those taken out.
No shower for you for now but you can take a bath as long as you don’t get your cast wet. ”
Kai nodded along but inside he was cringing and wondering how he was going to do all this by himself.
Especially with one arm in a cast, how was he going to work?
He needed both arms to carry the trays and dishes.
He hadn’t worked long enough yet at the restaurant so he doesn’t have insurance yet.
How was he going to pay for this visit? Vince left quietly soon after and Kai didn’t notice when Penny grabbed his good hand.
“It’s going to be okay, Kai,” Penny said softly.
“How do you know that?” Kai asked but Marco answered.
“Because you're going to come live with me and I’ll take care of you while you heal,” Maroc announced.