Keegan knew he wasn't wanted around here, or was he? At first, that guy Darry, who was evidently important to Junie, questioned him. And that twin of Junie's. Was she a sister, perhaps?
Keegan didn't ask. He knew it might not have been the best idea to show up at the hospital, but he felt the need to know. Was Junie ever going to be all right?
When he first showed up, they all went out for coffee since it was painstaking, waiting for someone to wake up. And Darry was nice enough.
"Are you two dating?" Keegan got up the nerve to ask while they had gone from one waiting room to another just to find a vending machine with coffee and snacks. At least it was cozy at the hospital, but Keegan wasn't one to go to the hospital, until now.
They both cracked up as if Keegan were such a funny guy. Of course, they didn't tell him anything. He should have expected it. And the days got warm, Keegan made his way back. Darry and that girl were still there.
Finally, it felt like a touch of spring in the air, and when Keegan went to ask about Junie at the nursing station, Darry and company were not there. It felt a bit unusual, but then another day or two went by, and no Darry. Keegan was beginning to wonder if he was the only one. Did anybody else care about Junie?
Once, he did get to meet her brother KC, who thanked him for finding Junie. KC was with Junie's mother, who looked so small and unfortunate. Keegan found himself crying with her as if maybe it was just a contagious bug going around. Later, he thought he might really be sick with a bad cought so he missed about a week of visits.
And then he woke up to snow one morning, out in the country farmhouse. It was like a sign. He got ready, dug his little car out of the snow, and warmed it up for the drive into town. Junie just had to be awake.
But she wasn't. This made Keegan bitter. Wasn't God listening? Did he need to go back to his OCD? Walk around the house at least five times before he could go to bed to make sure the place was locked up and thoughts of Junie on the mend. Maybe he could go up and down the flight of stairs continuously at the hospital, hoping this would somehow wake Junie. Anything was possible. But Keegan always felt he was never trying hard enough in life to will anything.
Finally, after his long legs couldn't take any more and he almost passed out in the waiting room before he could find enough change for a cup of coffee in the vending machine, a nurse came.
"Are you Junie's family?"
Keegan looked at her bug-eyed with a nod. The nurse said she was awake. He followed her down the hall. He was practically in a sweat, even if he looked out the gigantic window, exposing the outside world of snowy roads and dark grit. He found himself shivering, and when he saw Junie, she didn't look awake.
The nurse left them alone. All Keegan could do was bite his bottom lip. He knew he shouldn't get too close, but he stared at her as if he was waiting for her move in this odd game. He scratched the back of his head, thinking he could sit awhile and just sleep. Maybe that's all she needed. Someone, in the room with her.
"Hey..I mean hi." His voice carried. Keegan didn't like the sound of it. It must have been a false alarm, but her hand reached out and touched his fingers on the metal guard rail of the bed.
She mumbled something. It sounded like it might be his name.
"Yes?"
She grabbed his fingers. Then his hand. She wasn't letting go. It startled Keegan. Suddenly, he felt like he might be a hostage.
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