Read My Boyfriend is a Monster Online
Authors: J.H. Coates
CHAPTER 13
ONE: Hospital Food Sucks
M
artin came through the sliding doors in a panic. He looked around hoping to see Todd sitting up smiling and already to go. Lily came running in behind him, out of breathe. “Jesus, so fast,” she said looking around hoping to find the same thing.
Martin walked
to the front desk where a nurse was trying to put together a file that obviously fell. “Excuse me” he said politely.
She put down the file and smiled at him as sincerely as she could. “Yes sir, how may I help you?”
“Yes, I’m looking for someone. His name is Todd, Todd Jacobson.”
She could tell he was concerned and worried since his eyes looked ready to burst into tears and his hand was slightly trembling. “Of course dear, let me look.” She typed on the computer and found him. “Here he is room four twenty two.”
Lily plunked her purse on the desk still a little out of breathe. “I got his I.D. and health care info-”
“That won’t be necessary mam,” a voice from behind them said.
They both turned around and saw a nurse who happened to be walking by and overheard them. “You’re talking about Todd Jacobson right?”
Martin and Lily both nodded.
“You must be Martin and Lily. I’m Jesse. Carol will take the I.D. and we’ll get it back to you.” She turned slightly and pointed towards the elevators. “I’m actually heading up. I can show you where he is”
They followed her to the elevator and waited. Confused Martin asked, “Why don’t you need his health care info?”
Jesse replied, “I was here when he brought him in.”
“Who brought him in?” Lily asked.
“I don’t know, that would be billing,” Jesse said smiling.
“Billing,” Martin repeated even more confused.
The elevator chimed and the doors opened. All three of them stepped on and the nurse hit four. Jesse then turned to them. “A man came into the hospital carrying another man covered in blood. We took Mr. Jacobson and began prepping him immediately.”
Martin’s heart started to beat faster as his throat dried out.
The nurse continued. “He had lost a lot of blood. Facial and head trauma, a broken arm, four broken ribs, bruised lung and spinal cord trauma,” she said and paused.
Lily covered her mouth in shock and immediately took Martin’s hand. He squeezed it tight as the chime went off and the doors opened.
“Now he is doing fine, we have a spinal specialist coming in the morning but it’s more precautionary,” she said as Martin and Lily walked out of the elevator and followed Jesse down the hall.
“Once it was determined the man carrying Mr. Jacobson didn’t actually assault him, he gave all the personal information to our front desk and left his card”
“His card, what card?” Martin asked.
“His credit card, we were told it didn’t matter, any tests, rehab, medicine, private room, private nurse, anything was to be charged to his card and once a credit check was done they shipped Mr. Jacobson to the VIP floor.” She stopped and invited them to get a little closer. “Between you and me, I’m sure the hospital will find plenty of things Mr. Jacobson, will need,” she said with a disappointed smile. She punched the giant “OPEN” button with the side of her fist. The doors swung open and they continued down the hall.
“So we don’t know who saved him?” Lily asked
“We would argue, we did,” the nurse said grabbing a clip board of papers from behind a desk.
“Of course, you guys did, I mean . . .” Lily stuttered.
“I’m just fucking around with you,” Jesse said laughing. She saw Lily looked a little shocked at her bedside manner. “Sorry for the swearing, were a little more relaxed on the midnight shift, ain’t that right Patty?”
The only lady behind the desk they assumed was Patty didn’t even look up from her book. She just raised her arm and twirled her index finger and dryly replied, “Woo – Woo.”
Jesse looked over the papers on her clip board and returned to her story. “In a nut shell, apparently our mystery man interrupted an assault and then brought Mr. Jacobson here. Gave us his credit card and said whatever the cost. Gave us enough personal information and said to be on the lookout for his life partner, Martin Ortiz and friend, Lily Cooper.” She stopped at door four twenty two. “He’s going to look bad. I’m not saying it wasn’t. But thankfully it’s nothing that won’t heal. What I’m trying to say is, he looks like shit, but he should make a full recovery.”
“How’s his face?” Lily asked.
“Horrible,” she answered honestly.
Lily grabbed Martin by the hand.
“He’s going to be so pissed,” she said and Martin started to smile.
“A lot of bruising and swelling, he has stitches, but like I said.”
“Looks bad, gets better,” Lily said squeezing his hand. She turned to Martin and smiled. He took a deep breath and nodded.
Jesse opened the door and stopped Lily. “Its way after visiting hours, so you’re his sister,” she said and gave her a wink.
Walking in the room was like walking into a VIP suite at the Waldorf. There were fresh flowers and beautiful paintings all over the room. A panoramic view of the city lit up in the dark early morning now quiet after a bustling night. One of the large windows was open and let a cool but inviting breeze into the room. The breeze lightly blew the white drapes into the air like little clouds that floated and fluttered in front of the television, which was actually bigger than the one in Martin and Todd’s living room.
Todd was actually awake but heavily medicated. He turned to see them come in the room and was able to offer them a wave and drugged induced smile.
Martin rushed to his side and examined him. His face was bandaged and stained red. His eyes bruised along with any skin peeking out from the white gauze. He did not know if he should cry or laugh seeing Todd this way, but on the other hand he was alive. So Martin did both.
“Yo wying,” Todd said, (meaning:
you’re crying) but sounded like Elmer Fudd since his mouth was wired shut.
Already crying Lily walked to the end of the bed and waved.
“Wewe,” Todd said, meaning Lily. “Wewe, woo came,” he said.
She was pretty sure that it was - You came. “Of course I did,” she smiled through her tears and gently wiggled his foot. Todd screamed in pain and Lily retracted her arm in shock and screamed herself. “Oh my God Todd, I’m sorry.”
Todd started to laugh as well as a beaten man with his mouth wired shut could. He gave a weird smile since he could only separate his lips and not his teeth. Lily stood terrified with her eyes wide and alert.
“He’s been doing that all night,” Jesse said trying to give Lily some comfort.
“Are you serious?” she asked. Todd nodded and just shrugged his shoulders. She began to laugh nervously. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” she asked him.
“That’s my demented man,” Martin said giving him a kiss on the forehead”
Suddenly Todd got very excited and tried to get out his exciting news which sounded like, “I had gweat won winer, I waid, who will row it in woo.”
The look on his face told them he was proud of what he just said, doped up yes, but proud. He smiled as much as he could. But the swelling and wires holding his jaw together were not letting him show off his usual peacock pride.
Martin looked at Lily who had no idea so both looked at Jesse the nurse.
“Yeah, I have no idea,” she
admitted. Todd huffed and slumped forward giving up. Jesse the nurse continued. “We gave him a pad and paper, but he’s really drugged up, he just drew some lines and scribbles then a penis with a smiley face.”
Martin and Lily looked at Todd who was giggling and just shrugged his shoulders again. “Wugged,” he said in his defense
, meaning: drugged.
Martin gently ran his hand across his swollen bandaged face. “Drugged, yes you sure are Navio.”
Realizing under the current circumstance, he would have to wait to tell the story of his super awesome one liner in the face of certain death and for now, be content to just have them fawning over him.
“I have to go but I’ll be back in a bit,” the nurse said and quietly let herself out.
Martin looked over his beaten lovers face then at the rest of his battered body and couldn’t help but shed more tears. Lily joined them at the other side of the bed and began to cry. Todd felt the pain starting to come back and followed the nurse’s instructions and pressed the button to get more - Wugged.
“Who did this to you sweetheart?” Martin asked trying to hold back the waterfall.
“Wick,” Todd said casually pointing at Lily.
Lil
y cringed violently, unable to stop her waterfall. Wiping away her own tears she gently grabbed Todd’s hand and fought to get his attention. “Todd?” she called out to him. But he seemed content on letting the new drugs enter and work their magic. “Todd!” she shouted and got it. “I am so sorry Todd,” she said looking up at Martin whose face was turning a dark shade of anger. “Martin, oh my god, I am sorry,” she said feeling like this was all her fault.
Martin kept starring at Todd b
ut reached for Lily’s hand. Gripping it tightly he pulled her into the both of them and hugged them both with all his love. “Don’t you ever apologize for that, that – Carbon!”
They hugged for a long time, so long that the drugs put Todd to sleep.
They spent the next couple of hours sitting quietly and watching over him. Jesse came into the room and was greeted with a smile from them both.
She saw T
odd was asleep so she whispered. “Guys, theirs a detective here if you don’t mind coming out.”
They both got up and quietly slipped out of the room. Jesse stood beside a heavy set man in his early fifties dressed as a classic police detective.
“This is Detective Sherman, he just has a few questions,” Jesse introduced, then excused herself and disappeared down the hall.
“Sorry to bother you folks so late
, or early I guess now. First off, my apologies for your friend in there, looks like he got worked over real well,” the detective said then took a sip of his coffee.
“Did you pick up the man who did this?” Martin asked calmly.
“Not yet, but we will, according to Mr. Caesar -”
“Caesar,” Martin interrupted.
“Yes,” Detective Sherman said.
“Nathan Caesar?” Lily asked a little shocked.
“Yeah,” the Detective assured them setting his coffee down and grabbing his pad. “Nathan Caesar brought Mr. Jacobson into the ER around. . .” he stopped and started flipping through the note pad until he found what he was looking for. “Here we go, nine twenty eight in the pm, there were three assailants according to -” he looked at both of them then emphasized, “Mr. Caesar.”
“There were three?” Martin asked.
“Yeah, a Mr. Rick Kingston and two unknowns, but a fairly detailed description from Mr. Caesar provided us with two perps that were pretty familiar with.” Lily started to get uncomfortable as the Detective continued. “Now Mr. Caesar mentioned vaguely about an incident that happened at your home, between you, Mr. Kingston and your friend in there,” Detective Sherman said not sure how to categorize the relationships.
Martin was never one to be shy about being gay or letting people know he loved Todd and he wasn’t about to now. “He is my partner, my lover,” he said harshly then realized how over
zealous he did.
“Hey pal, I’m not here to judge, just
here to get the facts, you know?”
“I’m sorry I’m just a little emotional.”
The detective smiled and held up his hand. “Totally understandable sir, but if we can,” the detective urged.
“Of course,” Martin said.
“Now Mr. Caesar said this Rick was in your home the other night and was asked to leave at some point?” Sherman asked waiting and hoping Lily and Martin could elaborate.
Martin paused for a moment and tried to think of something to not embarrass Lily.
Lily on the other hand was thinking that it was one thing to beat on her, but beat on her friend for doing nothing but stick up for her. “We use to date,” she blurted.
“I see,” Sherman said scribbling on his pad.
Lily continued. “He use to beat me, I decided to leave him. Then Martin and Todd not only employed me but gave me a place to Live,” she said like ripping off a band aid. Her eyes welled. The detective offered her some tissues he had in his pocket. Lily thanked him and took them as Martin put his arm around her and continued on her behalf. “He would call and leave threatening messages, show up at the store, the apartment building, trying to talk to her and most times it could get heated. I had to ask him to leave last night,” he said immediately having to think for a second. “I mean the night before, we had a dinner party and he showed up and my partner, Todd, embarrassed him a little. He’s kind of over protective, and a bit of a smart ass.”