12 The Hospital's Visit 1.

I felt more tears coming in as I stared at the paper in shock. I smiled when I saw what he last wrote. I always called him my hero because he was always there for me no matter what. I miss him so much, I miss them all. I’ll do whatever he wants me to because for some reason I feel like he’s still here.

“McKenny, are you okay?” Liam asked. I nodded in response and wiped my tears.

“Do you want to go visit Ian?” I asked Liam to which he nodded his head. He stood up and ran upstairs, I think to get changed. I looked at Victoria who was looking at me in sympathy.

“You wanna come along? I don’t mind.” I smiled sadly.

“I’ll love to. Just so you know If you ever need anyone to talk to, I’m always here for you.”

“Thank you.” I stood up and hugged her. In a day, I got myself two friends who promised to always stand by me. I released her from the hug and took my phone out. I immediately texted Adeline to meet us at the hospital to which she responded to almost immediately.

Adeline :

You know I’ll always be available for a free trip. See you in 30.

Liam came down fully dressed. I picked him up and checked his temperature. I made a mental note to have him checked up at the hospital.

“Let’s go.” Victoria offered to carry Liam to which I agreed while I picked up my bag and made my way downstairs. We stepped into the elevator.

“Do you think it’s okay to take Liam with us? He looks tired. He has been pushing himself too much since we called you this morning.” I looked at Liam to see his eyes drooping.

“He does looks tired but I was planning to have the doctor check him up when we arrive at the hospital.” She nodded. We stepped out of the elevator and made our way to my car. Within a few seconds, we were already our way to the hospital.

“Do you want to talk about the letter? I don’t mean to pry or anything but you weren’t really yourself when you were reading it. Is everything okay?” She asked with concern laced on her face. I smiled.

“I guess I just remembered I really wouldn’t be seeing him again.” She smiled sympathetically at me.

“You know that they’ll always be with you, right? They’re always here in your heart, they’ll be with you every single step of the way. You don’t have to be or feel alone, you have people who love you genuinely around you. Let them in.”

I pulled the car to a stop in front of the red light, I shifted in my seat slightly just to look at her face. How does she do that? I wondered.

“How do you do that?” I stepped on the gas just as the lights turned green.

“Do what?”

“Talk positively all the time.”

“ I guess when you’re faced with bullshits all the time, you’ll learn to do that.” She smiled sadly just as I pulled up in the hospital.

“I’m sorry for whatever you’ve been through. Life throws shit to us all the time but the fact that you came out victorious shows that you are a strong woman.”

“Thank you, McKenna.”

“We’re here. Let’s go.” I said as I immediately stepped out of the car. I opened the back door to see Liam asleep. I picked him up and made my way to the hospital with Vicky right on my heels. I made my way to the elevator trying to balance Liam in my hands.

“I can help you with him.” Vicky said smiling.

“Thanks, girl…I can’t believe he has grown all big.”

She smiled and took him from me. We stepped into the elevator and I punched in the 4th floor.

“Hold the elevator, please….” I immediately put my hands out to hold the elevator. Adeline came running into the elevator breathing heavily.

“Adeline? Why didn’t you just call me to wait for you at the lobby?”

“Ohh, hey, it’s you, McKenna. There’s no need for that, I can find my way round some hospital.” She said giving me a hug.

“Thanks for coming, Adeline. For some reason, I didn’t want to come alone.”

“Of course, girl. I’m here for you anytime.” She smiled just as the elevator dinged signaling we made it to our floor. I led them out of the elevator and to Ian’s room.

“Did you receive any updates concerning him?” Adeline asked.

“No, I just decided to check up on him since I don’t know when next I’ll have the time to visit.”I said and she nodded.

We got to Ian’s room just as Dixon came out of the room looking all handsome. I’ve never seen him in casual clothes so nothing actually prepared me for this sight. He’s wearing dark pair of jeans that seems to fit him perfectly well and a sky blue dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His hair is messily styled on his head looking like he ran his hands through them a million times.I can see the traces of black ink on his hands, I wonder what kind of tattoos he had. I’ve always been a sucker for tattoos, I have one on my left hip. I can’t even remember how I got it but it’s there. Jason never liked it though, he said his body is too clean to be polluted whatever that meant. Dixon’s so handsome. I can feel myself screaming in my head.

“Dixon!!!” I watched as Adeline jumped into his arms. He chuckled as he held her to himself. I felt a little pang in my chest. How do they even know each other? Are they dating? But Adeline always act like she’s into Luke, was she faking that? They look so good together though.

“Why didn’t you call me, duck face?” Adeline said.

“You really need to stop calling me that.” He whined.

”Never, you’ll always be my duck face.” She said pinching his cheeks. He glared at her as he removed her hands from his cheeks.

”You know I wouldn’t interfere with you and Adam. I need my head on my body.” He said.

“Are you trying to say I’m violent?”

He raised his hands in surrender and shrugged.

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You’re lucky you’re cute.”

“I know right? No one can resist this hotness.” He flipped his imaginary hair over his shoulder making us all laugh. He looked towards me and smiled.

“Dixon, meet McKenna my boss and bestie.”She said. If there’s anything I admire about Adeline, it’s the fact that she’s always so excited and she always seems to accommodate everyone.

“I know who she is, genius. Hello, Princess .” He smiled offering his hand to me in handshake. I took it and smiled back.

“Ohh, for the love of all things holy…we’re just going to go check on Ian while you guys can carry on whatever this is.” Adeline said and disappeared with Vicky and Liam. I looked at Dixon who’s already staring at me.

“So…I didn’t know you knew Adeline. Are you guys together?” I asked as I shyly placed my baby hair behind my ear. I was taken by surprise when he threw his head back in laughter. He was laughing so hard I wondered if his stomach hurts.

“Ohh, that’s probably the funniest thing I’ve heard all my life.” He said wiping the little tears that escaped while he was laughing. “Adeline is like a sister to me. She’s my best friend.”

“Ohh, I didn’t know…sorry.” I said embarrassed that I even assumed.

“It’s okay. We get that a lot when we go out.”He said smiling.

“So you came to see Ian?”

“Yeah, I was nearby so I decided to check on him. You don’t mind, right?”

“No, no…I wasn’t just expecting to see you here, that’s all.”

“I wasn’t too. I guess it’s my lucky day.”I smiled just as Liam came looking for me.

“McKenny!!”

“Hey, champ… how’re you feeling?” I picked him up and placed him on my hips. He rested his head on my shoulder.

“My head hurts.” He said weakly.

“Is he okay?” Dixon asked making Liam look at him. He smiled and stretched his hands out to Dixon. Dixon took him from me and rubbed his back soothingly.

“Hey, champ…you okay?”He nodded his head in negative.

“Let’s go see a doctor.” Dixon nodded and we made our way to the pediatric section.I saw a lady busy on the computer and made my way to her.

“Excuse me. I want to get my brother checked. He’s been down with flu all day.”

“That’s no problem. I’ll have someone come check him. But for the meantime, can you sit over there?”I nodded and made my way to the seat she pointed at with Dixon. I sat down while Dixon comfortably sat down with Liam.

“When did it start?”

“Early hours of this morning.”I said touching his forehead to feel his temperature. “I hope you don’t easily get the flu.”

He looked at me with his beautiful green eyes making my heart swoon. I can’t ever get over how mesmerizing and captivating his eyes are.

“Nah, I have a pretty strong immune system.” He said making me laugh.

“Dixxy, I need to pee.” Liam said.

“Alright, Champ. Let’s go. I’ll just take him to the restroom.” He said and I nodded.

“Okay then.” I said and I watched him leave with Liam. A young girl of around 6 came to where we sat. She kept looking at us curiously and she seems shy. I smiled at her hoping to ease her nerves.

“Hello, what’s your name, baby girl?” I asked.

“Stella.”

“That’s a beautiful name for a beautiful girl. You do know you’re beautiful right?”

“I’m not. My mother always say I am not beautiful.” She said smiling sadly. “You have a beautiful family though. I’ve always wanted one.”

I looked at the girl in curiosity. I wanted to ask her what she meant when her mom angrily came in.

“Stella, I told you not to leave my side. Why don’t you ever listen? That’s why you’re super ugly and so stupid.” The woman yelled making the little girl cry.

“Excuse me. You shouldn’t talk to her like that. She’s only a child.” I said making the woman look at me in disgust.

“And who do you think you are talking to me like that? What I do to my daughter is none of your business. Do mind your business, woman.” The woman dragged Stella out. The look on her face stabbed me straight in the heart.

“Hey, are you okay?” Dixon said.

“Yeah,I’m okay. Where’s Liam?”

“The doctor is attending to him. I came to get you.”

“Okay. Let’s go.”I followed him to the doctor’s office.