Chapter 14:
Hope
Brian could
not contain his excitement.
“Yeah
man, it’s me. I’m right here Kev.” He signaled with his arm to anyone who might
be nearby. Dr. Hite whispered to a nurse to tell her to get Mrs. Richardson.
“How do
you feel?”
Kevin
closed his eyes in a soft grimace. He was still ghastly pale.
“Terrible,”
he managed to say, although it was hard for Brian to hear him. Ann Richardson
hurried into the room.
“Kevin!”
she gasped. “Oh thank God.”
“Mom?”
Kevin asked, trying to focus his attention on her.
“It’s
me honey. I’m here.”
Kevin
said nothing for a moment, trying to sort things out in his confused brain. He
refocused on Ann. “Why?”
Brian
stifled a chuckle. “’Cause she’s your mom, numbskull.”
“What
happened?” He was genuinely lost as to what was going on.
“You
were in an accident,” Brian said softly. “You and me, and Howie, A.J., and
Nick. But you’re going to be ok, got that?”
Kevin
nodded. “I’m so tired,” he murmured.
“That’s
ok. You get some sleep. We’ll explain everything when you feel better, ok?”
Kevin
nodded again, drifting off. Brian and Ann turned to Dr. Hite, brimming with
enthusiasm. He motioned for them to move outside.
“Well,”
he began with a smile. “Obviously, this is wonderful. He’s still got a long
ways to go, but the fact that he was responsive to your questions and seemed to
know who you were is fantastic news.”
Brian
barely heard him. The joy of hearing Kevin’s voice again overwhelmed him.
* *
*
“Can’t
this thing go any faster?” Brian asked in irritation to the nurse who was
pushing his wheelchair.
“We’ll
get there, don’t worry,” she said, exasperated.
He
drummed his fingers anxiously. He had to get to Howie and A.J. to tell them the
good news. He pressed the oxygen tube up closer to his nose, feeling a bit
short of breath. The nurse saw him.
“Whoa
there,” she said, halting him. “Are you feeling ok?”
“I’m
fine. Just get me to Howie and A.J.”
“How is
your breathing? Are you short of breath?”
“Just a
little, but I’m fine. Don’t worry,” he said when he saw her pointed
look. “I am not going to pass out!”
“You
can tell the good news to your friends, but then you are going to your room and
resting.”
“But
what if he wakes up again?”
“Then
his mother and Dr. Hite or Dr. Westin can talk to him. You are going to rest.”
He scowled at her. “It’s my way or no way,” she said firmly.
Brian
caved. “Fine. Let’s go already.”
Howie
and A.J. were playing cards. A.J. was feeling particularly well that afternoon,
after sleeping half of the day away.
Howie had
taken that opportunity wander around a bit. He’d stopped up to see Kevin and
Nick earlier in the day, but Dr. Westin hadn’t approved of his wanderings.
Despite all of the extra security, he was concerned Howie would be spotted by
the wrong people and get mobbed. So, he had come back to his room, and was
thankful when A.J. woke up and felt like being ‘active.’ The fact that he had
received his hat, which he was now proudly displaying, had put him in a much
more cheerful mood than before.
“I win
again,” he said with a cocky grin.
“That’s
because you cheat,” Howie retorted.
“Hey,”
A.J. warned. “I can have you tossed out of here on your ass, you know. You
don’t have to be here. You are my guest.” He put large emphasis on the
‘you,’ removing his hat and pointing at him with it. Howie didn’t get a chance
to reply because Brian appeared, breathless in their doorway.
“He’s
awake!”
“What?”
they both exclaimed.
“Kevin’s
awake!”
“Shit,
that’s great!” A.J. cried, jerking forward. He scrunched up his face when his
ribs objected to his action. “Ouch, damnnit!”
“When?”
Howie asked, getting carefully out of his chair.
“Just a
few minutes ago. He opened his eyes, and he knew who I was.”
“That’s
incredible! When can we see him?” Howie yelped.
“Well,
he’s sleeping now. I don’t know when he’ll wake up again. Ask Dr. Westin.”
“Oh
this is great,” Howie said breathlessly. “Now if only we could get Nick to come
around…”
* *
*
The
next afternoon, Howie prepared to leave for the press conference. His trip out
to the hotel went more smoothly than they expected, considering everyone had
heard about the press conference, and knew that Howie would be leaving the
hospital.
Sure
enough, there were cheers and squeals from excited fans as he was escorted out,
but security kept them back a good distance. He reached the hotel in one piece,
where familiar faces from the record company were waiting to escort him inside.
He shook hands with the people he knew, and they told him how happy they were
to see him up and about. He had received flowers from most of them, as had all
of the others.
“Give
us a few more minutes to get everyone settled out there, and then we’ll get
this thing started,” someone told him.
“No
problem,” Howie said, and walked over to a chair with the help of his cane.
“Just make sure I’ve got some water out there, and make sure everyone knows
this needs to be on the short side. I promised my doctor I wouldn’t overdo it.”
When
they were ready for him, someone came to help him out to his seat.
“Ladies
and gentlemen, may I present Howie Dorough of the Backstreet Boys.”
***