The Tables Have Turned

Chapter 38

“Hello?” I said into the phone. Why Paul was calling me, I had no idea. They left around thirty minutes ago for their ‘triple date’.

“Hailey?” He said, his voice panicked.

“What’s up?” I replied, sitting up on my bed.

“It’s Alex,” he started and my heart skipped a beat. “His parents got in a car accident and he’s at the hospital but no one will tell him anything and he can’t see them. We need at least another hour to reach the hospital, please can you go and stay next to him. He needs someone right now.”

“Okay,” I replied quickly. “See you soon.”

I hung up and ran out of the house, not caring that I was still wearing sweatpants and my gray Mickey Mouse sweatshirt and not caring about how my hair looked like. Alex needed me now and that’s all I could think of at the moment.

Seven minutes later, the taxi driver stopped the car in front of the hospital.

“Thanks,” I told him, handing him the money quickly before hopping out of the car.

I ran inside the hospital, not even noticing the cold that was outside compared to the heat inside. The only thought that was running through my mind was that I had to see Alex right now.

The friendly nurse led me to the waiting room. I scanned the room and immediately spotted Alex in one of the red plastic chairs, hunched forward with his head in his hands. My heart broke when I saw him like that and I couldn’t imagine what he was feeling right now.

I quickly made my way to where he was sitting, ignoring the rest of the people in that room. I sat in the chair next to him and put a hand on his shoulder to get his attention.

His head moved to the right where I was seated and his eyes widened in surprise. I felt my eyes well up with tears when I saw his puffy eyes, red nose, and tear stained cheeks.

He didn’t say anything, he just stared into my eyes and I immediately pulled him into a tight hug. A few tears escaped my eyes and I scolded myself for crying right now. He needed me to be strong for him, not cry like a baby.

I discreetly wiped away my tears before he could see me crying and then pulled away from the hug.

I felt more tears wanting to escape when I saw him crying again but I forced them away.

I lifted my hand and gently wiped his tears away. The last time I saw him he was crying as well and I don’t think I could see him crying anymore.

“I’m not going to tell you that they’ll make it because I have no idea if they will, but I know that I’m here for you no matter what,” I said softly.

“What if they… What if they died?” He whispered, looking so weak and vulnerable. “What will happen then? How will I make it? Wh—”

I cut him off by pressing my lips to his. He was shocked at first but he kissed me back eventually.

“Don’t think too much,” I whispered when I pulled away slightly. “Just wait and hope for the best.”

“I can’t stop thinking about it,” he replied and I kissed him again.

“That’s a good distraction,” he mumbled and I blushed slightly.

For the next fifteen minutes we just sat there in silence, waiting. Alex didn’t bring up the two kisses and I didn’t expect him to because now all I could think of where his parents.

I prayed for them and asked God to protect them and keep them safe. Alex needs them in his life.

“Alex Parker?” The doctor called out as he stepped out of the room.

Immediately Alex and I stood up, giving the doctor our full attention. I grabbed Alex’s hand as we listened to what the doctor had to say.

“Good evening, I’m Dr. Davidson. I’m happy to inform you that your parents are doing fine now,” he said and we both breathed a sigh of relief.

“Can we see them?” Alex asked.

“Yes, they are awake now. They might have to stay here for the night, though, just to stay on the safe side. You mother had a broken arm and your dad had two broken ribs and of course they have a few cuts and bruises but nothing too bad.”

“Okay, thank you,” Alex told the doctor then we were lead to his parents’ room.

The doctor nodded once when we reached the door of their room before leaving.

Alex put his free hand on the doorknob but I let go of his other hand before he could open it.

He turned to give me a questioning look.

“I’ll wait for you outside,” I said to him.

“You don’t want to go in with me?” He asked and I shook my head slightly.

“I…” I actually didn’t want to face his parents, especially not Eleanor. Not after what happened the last time I saw her at Alex’s house.

“You don’t have to worry about facing them,” he said, as if reading my mind. “I already told him all that has happened.”

“You did?” I asked him, surprised.

“Yeah,” he replied, smiling slightly. “And I told them how much I love you.”

He then turned back to the door but I put my hand on his arm before he could open the door.

He gave me a questioning look so I grabbed his hand firmly, silently telling him that I was going in with him. He grinned and slowly opened the door of the hospital room.

We stepped inside and quickly noticed the couple in the two white beds.

Eleanor had a white cast on her left arm and a few cuts and bruises on her face. George, Alex’s dad, had a similar injured face but he didn’t have any casts on his arms.

They both glanced up at us when they heard the door open and I saw their eyes widen when they saw me.

I bit my lip nervously as I waited to see whether it’s a good shock or a bad shock.

Eleanor’s eyes softened slightly when she looked at our interlaced hands. She then looks at me and smiles warmly. My shoulders relax and I am extremely relieved that she didn’t react like the last time I saw her.

“How are you feeling?” Alex asks his parents, breaking the silence.

“We’re okay, sweetie,” his mom said then added with a teasing voice, “But now that I have a broken arm, you’ll have to do all the necessary house work.”

Alex groaned and gave her his best pout. I laughed at him because I knew how much he hates the whole ‘cleaning-the-house’ and ‘doing-the-dishes’.

He narrowed his eyes at me and said, “You should be on my side!”

“And why is that?” I asked.

“Because you’re my—” he paused a bit and a tiny frown creased his forehead. “Friend?” He then said uncertainly.

Friend… I didn’t like that term very much. How about girlfriend? Now that seems much better. But of course I wasn’t about to tell him that especially with his parents there.

“That doesn’t mean anything,” I said. “I’m on your mother’s side this time.”

“Fine! This friendship is over!” He even stomped his foot like a five year old and looked away from me. I burst out laughing and I saw his lips twitch slightly.

We then discussed the accident and it turns out that it was the other driver’s fault. He didn’t stop at the red light so his car collided with theirs. The other driver was fine, though, with only a few bruises.

Another few minutes passed before we heard a knock on the door and six people came in. When they spotted Eleanor and George, smiling and safe, Chase, Mariah, Paul, Carson, Emily, and Josh visibly relaxed.

“Wow Alex, you called the whole town?” George joked and we all laughed.

“I called Paul only,” Alex muttered and Paul smiled sheepishly.

“I’m just glad you’re okay,” Paul told the couple and they smiled at him.

“Yeah, we’re fine, no need to worry,” Eleanor said.

The room was not one of the tiny hospital rooms so we were able to fit in it but of course it was a little crowded with ten people in there.

We all talked and laughed and it felt nice, even if we were in a hospital.

The funniest thing had to be when Eleanor started embarrassing the couples. All six of them were turning red and shifting uncomfortably in their seats.

Eleanor was exaggerating a bit but I could tell she was enjoying herself.

“So should we worry about any babies?” She asked.

I put a hand over my mouth to suppress a giggle. Alex was struggling too and I made sure not to look at him because that would make it harder to stop my laughter.

I haven’t seen anyone so red in my life. Their faces were the color of cherries.

“I mean come on guys, you’ve got yourselves some pretty girls,” she said. “But you know teenage pregnancies are a huge problem and I know all of your parents won’t approve of them.”

I couldn’t stop it this time, a giggle escaped my lips. Six pairs of eyes glared at me and I smiled sheepishly.

“Eleanor is right,” George said. “I don’t know how I will react if Alex came home one day and told me that Hailey has a bulging stomach.”

My eyes widened in horror and I think I turned redder than the three couples combined, who were now laughing at me.

“Dad!” Alex yelled at his father as his cheeks turned red as well.

“We were teenagers once, too,” Eleanor said. “No need to be shy.”

“This is getting too embarrassing,” Alex muttered then he grabbed my arm and tugged me along with him as we ran out of the room. We heard their laughter from the other side of the door as we left.

“Sorry about that,” Alex said when we were walking in the hallways of the hospital. “I think they were given a very high dose of painkillers.”

I chuckled as I placed my cold palms on my cheeks to reduce the heat in there.

We kept on walking in silence for the next few minutes as we headed to the cafeteria because we couldn’t go outside since it was raining.

“So...” Alex started, sounding a bit awkward. “Thank you for coming here tonight.”

I smiled at him and just nodded. Of course I would come. I will be right next to him when he needs me.

I was wondering if he would bring up our relationship now. I actually wanted him to do that so that I can tell him that I love him as well and we’ll get back together.

He stayed silent, though, until we reached the cafeteria. We got two cups of hot chocolate and sat in one of the small tables in the right corner of the room.

I looked around the large cafeteria, noting the blue tables that were either for two, four, or six people. The walls were a light blue color that went well with the darker blue of the tables and chairs.

There were only two groups of people on two separate tables for four. One group looked happy and they were chatting excitedly while the other group looked exhausted and depressed.

It’s weird how hospitals can bring so much joy sometimes and so much sadness at other times. Hospitals are the places where babies are born; where a new life starts, but at the same time, they are the places where people come when they’re sick; where a life is lost.

That’s life, though. Some people are born and others die. It’s a never-ending cycle.

I wrapped my hands around the cup and enjoyed the heat that was warming my cold fingers.

 We drank our cups in silence and I was still wondering whether he was going to bring it up. I kind of expected him to do that by now.

“Let’s go,” he finally said as he stood up from his chair.

I nodded and followed him as we made our way back to his parents’ room.

He kept on glancing at me as if he wanted me to say something. I knew he wanted me to bring it up and I had to. He already said his part, now it was my turn to answer.

I saw the look of disappointment when we reached the room and I still didn’t utter a single word. He was about to open the door when I blurted out, “Wait, I have to tell you something first.”

He looked at me expectantly and I froze. I didn’t know why I spoke now, but I felt like if I waited longer and we went into that room before I told him how I truly felt, it won’t be the same.

I had to tell him, now. I wanted to tell him, now.

I took a deep breath and looked into his beautiful blue eyes before saying the words he wanted to hear and I wanted to say.

“I love you, too,” I said and he grinned widely.

He surprised me by pushing me against the hospital wall and kissing me passionately. I wasn’t complaining, though.

“I won’t cause you any pain this time, I promise,” he whispered.

“I know,” I told him. “I trust you.”

I think the last three words were the hardest for me to say but they were true. I trusted him this time and I felt that it was going to be different from the other two times.

He hugged me tightly before we went back inside the room where the rest were talking and laughing.

Paul waggled his eyebrows suggestively when my eyes met his and I rolled my eyes at him.

Eleanor cleared her throat and said, “How about you guys go to that cafeteria and get something to eat while I talk to Alex and Hailey?”

They all got the message and nodded.

“See you later,” they said as they left the room.

I was a bit nervous and was wondering what she could possibly want to talk to us about. Did she know we were back together? Was she going to embarrass us like she did earlier? Or was she going to be mean to me like the last time?

“I just wanted to apologize for the way I treated you the last time we met,” She told me.

“It’s okay,” I reassured her. “My mom would’ve treated him worse if the roles were reversed. She would’ve thrown a pan at him.”

They all laughed, knowing that it was true. My mom would attack anyone that tried to treat me wrong. She was amazing.

“We’re also sorry about your parents,” George said. “They were good people.”

I nodded at him, feeling a pain in my heart that came every time I thought of my parents.

Moments of silence passed as we were lost in our own thoughts. Eleanor then broke the silence.

“So um you two are…?” She trailed off.

“We’re together,” Alex said and I smiled at his words.

“That’s wonderful!” Eleanor clapped her hands together. “How about dinner at our place Saturday night?”

“That’s two days from now!” I said, glancing down at her cast.

“Don’t worry, dear, Alex will help me out,” she said.

I thought about it then smiled and told her, “I have a better idea. Alex and I will cook dinner.”

“That sounds lovely,” Eleanor said. “So Saturday night?”

“Okay, Saturday night,” I agreed.

Sitting in that hospital room, my hand in Alex’s hand, and chatting with his parents was perfect. I felt like I belonged in that family, that I was wanted, and it was the best feeling in the world.

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Hello! :)

I think I'll write one more chapter and  then the epilogue.This story is coming to an end :( But, on the bright side, I have another story that I will start posting soon :)

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Anyway, I have a three song suggestions:

> Edge of Desire by John Mayer --- Suggestion by xxdsuirmvoanexx

> Catch Me by Demi Lovato --- Suggestion by xparamore13x

>  Fallin' by Alicia Key --- Suggestion by ashforever101

Thank you all for the suggestions!

Happy Birthday to ObsessedWithRandom  chippiecookie canada73 and nashali_infinite. Have a wonderful year! :)

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