Love's Home

Chapter 2-1

Chapter 2

Trey rushes to Brent’s car as fast as he can with Jesse heavy in his arms. He yanks open the back door, jolting Brent awake.

“Dude, you’re okay to drive?”

“I’m sleepy, not drunk,” Brent grumbles. His eyes widen when he sees Jesse. “What the f**k, man? Who’s that?”

“Jesse, from the set.” Trey lays Jesse down gently on the backseat. He wishes there was something in the car to cover Jesse with, a blanket maybe. Jesse looks cold, his face pale, and there is a blue tinge around his mouth. He shrugs off his jacket and uses that instead. “Can you drive to the nearest hospital?”

“Jesse who?” Brent asks, turning the key in the ignition and bringing the car to life.

“An extra. Never seen him?”

“Nope,” Brent answers shortly, frowning. He throws a quick, thoughtful look at Trey.

They don’t say anything more to each other; Trey because he doesn’t know what to say and Brent, well, Trey doesn’t know what Brent’s thinking. They arrive at the hospital a short while later and Brent drives them straight to the ER. Trey spares him a glance, thankful that Brent doesn’t ask him anything about Jesse, for now anyway.

He jumps out of the car and helps the hospital staff get Jesse out and onto a gurney. He tells them what he knows, the condition Jesse was in when he found him, and answers tersely, “His friend,” when asked about his relationship with Jesse. He follows them into the ER but reluctantly complies when they tell him to wait in the hall while they push Jesse into an examination room.

Trey is extremely worried about Jesse, and he has this odd, heavy sensation in the pit of his stomach when he sees Jesse disappearing from his sight. He honestly doesn’t know why he is feeling this way. It is ridiculous, really, seeing that he only talked to Jesse for the first time last night. Why this feeling?

He hears someone clearing his throat.

“Hey, you okay?”

Brent.

Trey looks away. Yeah, he’s fine, nothing wrong with him. It’s Jesse who isn’t okay and Trey doesn’t understand it. He thought Jesse had looked a bit better for a while back at the alley when suddenly he seemed to crumble and simply collapse. Trey doesn’t know what’s happening and he senses something is terribly wrong. He hopes that Jesse is not bleeding inside his brain or something.

“I’m going to take care of the insurance and stuff,” Trey says, turning away from Brent. “Thanks for your help. You can go home now if you want. I’ll take a cab later.”

“You sure?”

There is doubt in Brent’s voice, and hurt, too. Trey feels a pang of guilt but he really can’t deal with that right now.

“Of course.” Trey turns to face Brent. “Look, I’m sorry, man. Something bad just happened to Jesse. I can’t leave him alone.” He looks pleadingly at his friend.

Brent nods, understanding flashing across his face, and Trey feels a wave of relief rush through him.

“I can wait, too, you know,” Brent says quietly.

“Yeah, okay.” Trey realizes, not for the first time, why Brent is his best friend. He walks to the nurse’s station with Brent following him, feeling more lighthearted as he fills out the necessary paperwork.

* * * *

Trey closes his eyes, massaging his temple with one hand while carefully balancing a Styrofoam cup full of steamy coffee with the other. Brent is standing beside him, and he suddenly nudges Trey on the shoulder.

Trey looks up and stands when a doctor approaches them. The doctor appears to be in his early forties with dark hair and kind eyes. He nods and smiles at them, extending his hand to Trey.

“I’m Dr. Wilson.”

Trey nods back and shakes the doctor’s hand. “Doctor. How’s Jesse?”

“He’ll be fine.” The doctor smiles. “He has two fractured ribs but that’s about it. The cuts and bruises are superficial and will heal in no time at all. You have nothing to worry about.”

“But he collapsed! Are you sure there’s nothing else?”

The doctor studies Trey’s face. “We did a CT scan of his head. There was nothing there, no intracranial bleeding if that was what you were worried about. He has a concussion, that’s all. We’ll keep him here for the night just to be sure.”

“I’m—I’m sorry. I don’t doubt you or anything. It’s just—I’m worried.” Trey turns away. “Is he awake?”

“He’s asleep at the moment.”

“Can I see him?”

Brent clears his throat but Trey barely glances at him. The doctor seems to understand, though.

“Yes, both of you can go see him. Keep it quiet,” Dr. Wilson adds as Trey and Brent start towards the hall.