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He chuckled as he let Tripp go. Donna leaned in and gave him a hug too. He rested his hand on Tripp’s thigh. He needed to touch him, to make sure this was really real. Tripp was awake and talking. It was a miracle. The doctors didn’t have high hopes in the beginning, especially with Tripp dying on them twice. He proved them wrong.
Tripp yawned. “I’m tired.”
“Go to sleep. We’ll be here when you wake up,” he said.
“M’kay.” Tripp nodded and shut his eyes. He was asleep a minute later.
Jayme looked at Donna and smiled. “He’s back.”
Donna smiled in return and nodded. “Yes, he is.”
Tripp woke up again a couple of hours later. His eyes opened wider, and he was more alert. The doctor came in and checked on him, did some tests; and said that he didn’t see any signs of brain damage. Tripp was one lucky son of a bitch. The doctor also decided that it was time he was moved out of the ICU.
A few hours after that, Tripp was in a new room on a different floor. He took another short nap, then was complaining that he was hungry. His new nurse promised to have something sent up for him.
Jayme was sitting in the chair next to the bed, and Donna was sitting in another chair over by the window when an orderly brought in a tray of food for Tripp. He put it on the rolling table and pushed it over to Tripp.
Tripp looked down at what they sent him and groaned loudly. “Broth and a jello cup? What the fuck?”
“Babe, you haven’t eaten anything in a little over a week; you were being tube fed. You need to start slow,” he said.
“But I’m hungry,” Tripp whined.
Jayme fought off a smile, so glad Tripp was feeling well enough to whine. “I know. Maybe tomorrow you can try something solid.”
Tripp grumbled to himself as he picked up the broth and took a sip. He made a face and set the cup down. “Tastes like dirty dish water.”
Jayme barked out a laugh, and Donna snickered.
“Honey drink it anyway; it’ll fill your stomach,” Donna said.
Tripp shook his head. He thought Jayme was stubborn. Tripp grabbed the cup of red Jello and opened it. “I don’t even like Jello, but it’s better than that shit.” Tripp put a spoonful in his mouth, and grimaced. “It’s the texture. I can’t.” He spit it out into his napkin, before dropping the cup and spoon to the tray; and shoving the table away. “This is bullshit.”
Jayme stood, and walked toward the door. “I’ll be back.”
He went to the nurse’s station, and smiled sweetly at Tripp’s new nurse, Hannah. She narrowed her eyes at him. “What do you want?”
“Can Tripp please get some yogurt? He didn’t like the broth or the jello, and he’s starving. And when he’s starving, he gets really cranky. Then he’ll not only be a pain in my ass, but a pain in your ass.”
Hannah rolled her eyes and sighed. “Fine. I’ll have them bring some up. Any particular flavor for the princess?”
He smiled. He liked her. “Vanilla would be great.”
“Okay.”
“Thanks.”
He walked back to Tripp’s room where he was still complaining to his mother about the food.
“Where’d you go?” Tripp asked.
“To talk to the nurse. She’s going to have them send up some yogurt for you.”
“Vanilla?”
“Yes, vanilla.”
“Good.”
With Tripp semi-satisfied, he sat back down in his chair. The yogurt showed up ten minutes later, and Tripp dove right in.
“Babe, go slow; your stomach isn’t used to having food at the moment.”
Tripp huffed, but took his time eating the yogurt. He sighed when he was done. “I’m still hungry.”
“Well, that’s all you’re getting right now; you’re gonna have to deal with it,” he said.
Tripp pouted. He was the worst patient ever. Jayme knew he hated being out of commission, but there was nothing he could do about it. It was going to take time to build his strength back up. It was only the first day he’d been awake, since he was first injured. He needed to take it slow.
Later that night, Donna and Jayme decided it was time to go get some sleep at the hotel. He got up from the chair he’d been sitting in and stretched his arms over his head. His joints popped, and he groaned. He was tired and ready for bed.
“Jayme, will you stay with me tonight?” Tripp asked.
“Of course.”
Donna said goodbye to them, then headed out. Jayme asked the nurse for a cot, which she said she would gladly bring in. Tripp laid his head back against his pillow and looked over at Jayme where he stood next to the bed.
“As much as I like my mom being here, I want some alone time with you,” Tripp said.
Jayme reached over and took Tripp’s hand. “Agreed.”
