14. Jett
14
JETT
J ett wasn’t sure how long the hospital wanted to keep her there. She had talked to several doctors, but none of them could give her a release plan. They wanted to keep an eye on her after her surgery, even though aside from a bit of a headache and a new scar, she felt mostly fine.
Jett had already been at the hospital a full day since she had awoken, and a nurse was supposed to come by soon to take her to do a CT scan. During visiting hours, Jett often had family in her room, and she was happy to be surrounded by so many people who loved and cared for her.
The door to her room opened and it was Lucinda. She was as immaculate as ever in her heels and pencil skirt with her perfect long wavy dark hair.
Lucinda had been working extra to cover for Riley as Riley had barely left Jett’s side.
“I can come and help in the ER if you need it,” Riley said to Lucinda.
Lucinda shook her head. “Nonsense,” she said. “I’ve got everything under control. You just take care of your girl.”
Riley smiled. “Are you sure?”.
“Absolutely,” Lucinda said. “Just if ever Becky is in the hospital, promise me you’ll take over for me.”
“Deal,” Riley said immediately and gave Lucinda a relieved smile, “and thank you so much.”
“Of course,” Lucinda said. “What else are friends for? Besides, at this point, you’re practically family.” Lucinda looked pointedly to where Riley had her hand atop Jett’s.
Riley blushed and smiled and Lucinda laughed.
“Or are we still pretending to be friends?” Lucinda raised an eyebrow and looked pointedly at Jett.
“I realize I was dumb doing that, and very unfair to Riley and I’m sorry for that,” Jett sighed and confessed. “Riley is the best thing that has ever happened to me, I was just too afraid to admit it. Even to myself.”
“I’m so glad you found someone,” Lucinda said. “Both of you. I think you two are going to be good together. I can sense it.”
Jett smiled.
“So, any updates on your care yet?” Lucinda asked.
“Not a whole lot,” Jett said, “but they’re taking me back for a CT scan sometime soon to see how well my funky little brain is healing.”
“That’s good,” Lucinda said. “I’m glad they’re taking care of you or I’d be fighting some doctors.”
Jett laughed. “I think Riley would beat you to it.”
Lucinda laughed. “Probably. Or we could both take turns.”
Riley laughed and shook her head. “I promise, Jett is being well taken care of,” she said. “Besides, not to brag, but we have a great hospital and staff here.”
“True,” Lucinda said with a nod as Jett’s nurse came into the room. There had been so many nurses coming and going that Jett couldn’t really remember any of their names, but this one was an absolute sweetheart.
“Nice to see you, Katherine,” Riley said. “You here to take Jett for her CT?”
“Sure am,” the nurse, Katherine, said, and Jett was so glad that Riley seemed to have a knack for knowing pretty much everyone at the hospital and inadvertently reminding her of the nurse’s name.
“In that case, I’ll be leaving you two,” Lucinda said, “but I’ll come by later.” Lucinda checked her phone.
“Oh, Becky said that the family will be coming over around supper time, so if you want any requests that aren’t hospital food, let her know and she’ll whip something up before they come over.”
“I’ve been craving salt and vinegar chips,” Jett said. “Can you ask them to bring some for me?” She looked at Riley before handing her her phone. “And hold onto this for me?”
“Of course,” Riley said, taking the phone before opening her own phone to presumably text the group chat. Jett was kind of nervous to leave her phone, but she knew she wouldn’t need it when she got the scan and she trusted Riley to keep it safe.
As Katherine began to unhook Jett from everything so that she could wheel the bed out, Jett heard the phone buzz and watched as Riley looked at her screen and let out a short laugh.
“Ember just said that’s not food and that you had better request a proper meal or she will be kicking your ass and you won’t get your chips,” Riley said.
Jett couldn’t help but laugh at that, too. Ember sure took her honorary big sister duties seriously. But now Jett had to think about what food she wanted, which was hard because she actually didn’t have much of an appetite.
“How about mac and cheese?” she asked. That was easy to make and Jett wouldn’t feel as bad if she couldn’t eat much of it.
“Sure thing,” Riley said. “I’ll let them know.”
“Thanks,” Jett said.
“Ready to go?” Katherine asked, unlocking the wheels on Jett’s bed.
“You got it,”’ Jett said.
“Perfect,” Katherine said. “Say wee.”
Jett laughed. “Weeee,” she said, and then they were out.
Fortunately, the CT scan didn’t take too long. Honestly, Jett thought, the longest part was getting to the machine and waiting for the scan. It certainly felt that way.
When Jett got back, she was relieved to see Riley waiting for her. Logically, she knew that she would be. Riley had barely left her side or her room since Jett woke up, but she was still worried that she’d open her eyes and that Riley would be gone, that everything was a dream.
Jett had almost died, and she could have easily lost Riley and any chance at happiness. She didn’t want to lose Riley now.
Riley smiled and returned her phone while Katherine rehooked Jett up to everything.
“Are you in any pain?” Katherine asked.
“A little bit,” Jett said, “but I think I can hold off a little bit before you give me any more pain meds.”
“Okay,” Katherine said, “but if that changes, don’t hesitate to press that call button.”
“Will do,” Jett said.
Katherine left, and Jett watched as Riley sat down in the chair next to her bed and turned to her phone. She was looking at articles and reading them on her phone, but every now and then she would look up at Jett and give her the sweetest smile. Jett smiled back every time. There was a quiet peace between them and she liked it.
Jett could have gone onto her own phone to read articles and play games, but she couldn’t help but keep her focus on Riley. She didn’t know what had gotten into her lately and why she had been so hesitant to form a proper relationship with Riley. It was obvious to everyone, including Jett’s family, that the two cared deeply for one another.
Jett felt so foolish for how she had been feeling before the fire. She couldn’t believe that she had been doubting her relationship with Riley, their compatibility, and that she had let her anxieties get the best of her.
Jett cared deeply for Riley. She knew it now. And she could accept that now.
What had gotten into her before? She supposed that she was just too scared to really accept her feelings. She was too scared about what a future with Riley could mean, and she was scared of being hurt, of having her heart broken.
She was also scared of the relationship failing and it being all her fault. Jett struggled with relationships and she knew it. She knew that her failing relationship with Sky was her fault and she didn’t want that to happen with Riley. She didn’t think Riley deserved that, but also seeing how much Riley cared for her, Jett realized that Riley didn’t deserve for Jett to pull away like she had done so often in the past.
Jett was tired of running from her feelings and vulnerability. Even though she was scared, she was ready to take this next step.
Riley looked up from her phone and the two smiled at each other once again. Yeah, Jett was definitely in love.
“Becky just said that she sent Ember to the store for your chips and that they’ll be heading this way when Ember gets back and Becky finishes the mac and cheese,” Riley said.
“Awesome,” Jett said. “I think I’m definitely going to ask the nurse for some more pain meds before they get here.”
“That’s a good idea,” Riley said. “Do you need me to get the call button for you or do you have it?”
“I got it,” Jett said. She couldn’t get over how attentive Riley was being.
* * *
The nurse left after giving Jett her next dose of pain meds with perfect timing; Jett’s mom walked in right as Katherine left.
Soon after, the room was filled with people. It felt like one of their Sunday gatherings except a lot more crowded and everyone else had eaten before coming over.
Aunt Becky placed a single-sized bowl of mac and cheese in front of Jett, and Ember rolled her eyes as she handed Jett her chips.
Jett laughed and thanked her cousin before she started to eat a handful of chips before the mac and cheese.
“Erm! Jett Thompson!” Becky’s voice was loud and booming across the room.
“Look,” Jett said, “I’ll eat the mac and cheese. I’ve just been wanting these all day.” Salt and vinegar chips were Jett’s favorite, and she hadn’t had them in a hot minute. Even before the fire, she had run out days ago and hadn’t felt like going to the store. She was really glad her family was all willing to indulge her.
* * *
By the time everyone left and the room was empty, save for Riley, Jett was exhausted and quickly fell asleep. Her family was wonderful, and normally they energized instead of drained her, but she supposed her body was different while she was healing. Now she could only stand to be around Riley’s gentleness non stop, but she was still often sleepy.
Riley didn’t mind. She told her to get as much sleep as she could. Jett’s body was healing and needed sleep to do it, and the more it healed, the quicker Jett would be discharged. So Jett didn’t fight her tiredness. She really wanted to go home.
More specifically, she wanted to go home with Riley.
It was also strange. While Jett loved her job, she strangely didn’t feel her usual need to go back to it. It felt like she had fulfilled her purpose in sacrificing herself to save a life, or maybe that was the pain meds talking and she would feel different when she was able to go back home.
* * *
The next day was pretty uneventful. The doctors said that the damage to her head wasn’t too severe and that her burns were healing nicely, but that they still wanted to keep her an extra day for observation. Jett was absolutely not happy to hear that news, and Riley had to help her keep her calm.
Jett understood it and why, but she just really wanted to get out. She wanted to get back to her life and the people she cared about. Even though Riley was with her every step of the way during her recovery, even pressing the nurse’s call button every time Jett so much as grimaced in pain, and even though Jett’s family visited often, she missed her own place. She missed Riley’s place, and she missed being able to walk freely and without machines trapping her to a bed.
“It’ll be okay,” Riley said when Jett heard the news and tried arguing with the doctor. “You just have to wait one more day.”
“We’ll even let you go in the morning,” the doctor, whose name Jett couldn’t remember, said. “We just need to keep you over for one more night.”
“See?” Riley said. “Not even twenty-four hours and you’re good to go.”
Jett just nodded. She was still frustrated, but that did make her feel better. It was already past lunchtime on Tuesday, so she didn’t have to wait that much longer. Just a few more hours, a night’s sleep, and then she’d be in either hers or Riley’s home. Maybe she could even take a nap to make the time pass faster. That actually didn’t sound like a bad idea.
* * *
When Jett was woken up again, it was from hearing Josephine’s voice as she talked with Riley.
“What all have the doctors said?” Josephine asked.
“She’s recovering great. They’re going to release her tomorrow morning,” Riley said and Jett opened her eyes to watch the exchange. Josephine and Riley both looked a little uncomfortable talking, but Riley had always known Josephine as her big boss, it would take time for her to adjust to Josephine being family. Jett couldn’t expect Riley to be completely comfortable with her family and vice versa.
“How have you been coping?” Josephine asked Riley and there was kindness in her voice that usually when at work was hidden well between her icy exterior.
“Okay,” Riley said, relaxing visibly. “Worried a lot at first, but not as much now that she’s been doing better.”
“Good,” Josephine said.
“I can come back to work after she gets released tomorrow,” Riley said and Josephine shook her head.
“Stay off longer,” Josephine said. “Help her get settled in at home and come back Thursday. I’ll put you on the weekend schedule to make up for your missed time, but if anything happens, let me know and I’ll send you home.”
Jett watched as Riley nodded and smiled, relieved. “Okay,” she said. “Thank you.”
“Of course,” Josephine said. “Now I have to get back to work, but you watch out for her.”
“Will do.”
“Bye,” Josephine said.
“Bye Josephine,” Jett said and Josephine whipped her head around to look at Jett.
“And how long have you been awake?” Josephine asked.
“Not long,” Jett said. “I just woke up.”
“Okay,” Josephine said with a shake of her head and roll of her eyes. She walked over to Jett’s bed and leaned down to give her a hug.
“Sorry I couldn’t stay long, but I’ve got a hospital to run. I’ll make sure to see you tomorrow before you get released,” Josephine said. “Make sure all the paperwork is properly done and all that.”
“Thanks,” Jett said with a smile and hugged Josephine back before she left.
She looked at Riley, who stuck her tongue out at Jett in a teasing manner. “You eavesdropper,” Riley said with a laugh.
“Yeah, yeah,” Jett said. “Aren’t you going to give me a hug?”
Riley looked shocked. “Yeah, of course.”.
“You know, I think you’re the only one who hasn’t given me a hug yet,” Jett said.
“I didn’t want to hurt you,” Riley said. “I’m worried that if I give you a hug I’ll be so excited that I’ll squeeze too hard.”
“Well I’m a lot better now,” Jett said, “so you’re welcome to squeeze as hard as you want.”
“If I did that, your eyes would probably pop out of your head,” Riley said.
Jett laughed as she looked at Riley’s strong tattooed arms as though to assess her strength. “Okay, maybe hold back a little, then.”
“I will,” Riley promised, and she gave Jett a hug. She wasn’t as gentle as everyone else had been, but she was definitely holding back and Jett appreciated that. Jett wanted to lose herself in Riley’s arms forever.
Jett then sighed after Riley pulled away. “I can’t believe I still have one more day,” Jett said.
“Well, It’s actually only about sixteen hours now,” Riley said. “It’s already five o’clock and your doctor came in the room while you were sleeping and said they are going to try and have your discharge papers ready for you by eight, nine at the latest.”
Jett threw her head back against the hospital pillow and let out a groan of relief. “Thank God,” she said.
“I think the doctors definitely know how impatient you are right now,” Riley said.
“Good,” Jett said. “They should.”
Riley laughed and it was the most beautiful sound in the world.
“Stay with me, while I’m recovering?” Jett asked and Riley squeezed her hand and smiled, her green eyes shining.
“There is nowhere I would rather be.”