The Gift

Holly shows up not long after they leave.

“So how was you visit with Ben?” was the first thing she asks me.

I grumble knowing she had to have talked to Anna. But she didn’t ask about my kiss, so maybe Anna just told her she brought Ben.

“Good,” I say, and she and she lifts her eyebrow. “Fun,” I add.

“Did he tell you why he kept saying it was his fault?”

“Because he suggested the playground and went along with me pushing everyone,” I lie. “It wasn’t his fault though.”

We talked about her day at school and my therapy with the marbles.

She tells me about some of the things I’ve missed at the hospital. Some of the candy stripers heard what I did on the sixth floor and asked if they could do more than just pass out magazines and books or man the information desk. They wanted to play with the kids and help out when they could.

The head of the program thought that was a great idea to pair those candy stripers who were looking to follow a career path with someone in that profession. That way they could get some on the job training before they even started school for it.

Holly was going to start helping out with the nurses until they could convince the doctors to do it too.

I didn’t think it would take long to convince them. They already had a start teaching. It was already part of every patient’s care to learn about their disease and it always started with the doctors and nurses.

I was happy for Holly and still giddy over my kiss, so I decided to tell her about it.

“Oh my god, are you kidding? That’s so cute,” she gushed.

I, of course, blush even though I told her.

“Did you like it? Is he a good kisser?” she asks.

“Is who a good kisser?” someone asks from the door.

We both turn to see Brittany standing at the door on crutches.

“She had her first kiss from a boy today. First real kiss, I mean,” Holly tells Brittany.

“Who? Do I know him?” she asks walking over to us, using the crutches.

Holly lets her sit in the chair and moves to the bed next to me. “It was Ben,” Holly says.

“I think I’ve seen and maybe met him around here,” she says.

“What are you doing here solo?” I ask hoping to change the subject. It wasn’t that I didn’t want Brittany to know, I just figured I’d get teased by the two girls to no end.

“I’ve upgraded,” she says pointing at her crutches. “PT got them for me and showed me how to use them, so here I am.”

“I get a walker tomorrow. Maybe your old one,” I say.

“You won’t need it long from what I hear,” Holly says.

I just shrug and say, “It’s because of her,” I say pointing at Brittany.

“Huh?” she says.

“I couldn’t let you show me up. From nothing to a walker in one day. Now crutches in a day. Guess I have my work cut out for me,” I say winking at Holly.

“We’ll see who walks unaided first then,” Brittany says in a false huff.

“You’re on, but only if it’s done safely. We don’t need more accidents.”

“Deal.”

“That’s the spirit,” Holly tells us. “Now, back to Ben.”

I groan. “There’s nothing more to tell.”

“Sure there is. How did he do it? Was it good or did he get all spitty? Did you use tongue?” Brittany rattles on.

“Whoa, slow down there and take a breath. Asking TMI there. I vote for kiss virgin,” Holly kids Brittany.

Brittany turns slightly less red than her hair and says, “So?” defensively.

“Calm down, I didn’t mean anything by it. You just have to have it happen to know. It’ll happen soon enough to you. You’re a knockout,” Holly says to her. “Now, tell us whatever you want to,” she says to me.

So, I describe how he took my face in his hands, used his thumbs to find my lips, tipped my head back and kissed me. Then we got interrupted by Anna.

Both girls laughed at me because of this. We sat talking about all kinds of girl things for a while when Jason comes into the room.

“Hello girls,” he says.

“Late shift tonight?” I ask.

“Nope, just dropping something off.” He sits something clear down on my table in front of me.

“What is it?” I ask.

“Well, I heard you had an issue losing your marbles today, so I made it easier for you to hang on to them,” he says, pointing.

I pick it up and see that it’s a clear glass rock, like the kind you use in a fish tank or something. It resembles a squished marble. “Har-de-har-har,” I say.

“If I can make a suggestion… It’s a little before your time but I’d suggest using like The Rainbow Brites for your punk band name. Or Sunlight Split or Prism.”

“Out! Out!” I command, teasing.

“Fine, time to go home anyways.” He gives each of us a hug and heads for the door.

I say, “Give your girlfriend a kiss for me, lucky man,” and he stops in his tracks and turns around. “Bye,” I say shooing him out the door with a wink.

“What was that all about?” Holly asks.

“Payback,” I say.

We talk a little while longer and Holly says she has to get back to work, giving both of us hugs and asking Brittany if she’ll be okay going back to her room alone.

She replies, “Yes,” so Holly leaves, leaving us alone.