You'll Be In My Heart, chapter 8

It only seemed like one minute I had fallen asleep, but it turned out to be one hour. It was not long until I had woken up and sat up, looking around.

"Where is she?!" I asked, when I didn't see her.

"Who?" Mike asked from the corner of the room.

"Rene'e!" I said.

"Oh, she went to the bathroom. She'll be right back. We called your wife. She was so worried, Billie Joe! She says she is coming up right now. Tre' had to leave because Claudia is terribly sick. How are you feelin' man?"

I leaned back against the hospital bed, breathing out a long breath of air. I looked down now at my bruised arms. They had been stuck needles in so much that they were bruised. For the first time I noticed the hospital gown I was wearing. I looked up then at Mike. He looked awfully tired.

"Terrible." A croaky voice sounded from my mouth.

Mike shook his head.

That was when Rene'e entered. I looked up at her, kind of surprised when she entered. She smiled and sat down at the end of my bed, kind of cautiously but still smiling. This time I did not jump from my bed. Nor did I move at all. I was unsure of how to react. So I smiled back. She looked up.

"How are you feeling?" She asked quietly.

I looked at her for a second. She was wearing long sleeves. I knew why.

I sighed. I shrugged and smiled. "Good, I guess. Just... Kinda sleepy and... I'm hungry" I said, laughing. She laughed with me.

"Yeah..." I said as the laughter ended and we both ended up looking away from each other.

"Why don't they give you any food is my question," Mike said.

"I don't know! But what time is it?" I asked.

"3 in the morning" Mike replied.

I sat up. "You gotta be kidding me."

"Nope." Rene'e replied.

"What hospital is this?" I asked, looking at the rather extravagant blue, green, and pink curtains drawn over the windows.

"Alta Bates Medical Center. Closest one around," Mike said.

A few minutes later, Adrienne walked into the hospital room. Oh, how I wished to jump from my bed right then. But I had learned my lesson. I was quite embarrassed when the heart monitor beat faster.

We looked at each other for a second. Her face was tear-stained red. Then she walked over and gave me a huge hug. I held her so tightly that she began to laugh and kiss me on top of the head.

She found her place on the edge of my bed.

I rubbed her back. "Hey.." I said, fighting the tears from my eyes. "How's it goin?"

She smiled, laughing a little. "Ok.. You nearly scared me to death, Billie Joe." She said, looking over at me.

"I'm sorry... I don't know what happened, really..." I said without even looking at Rene'e. Even though I knew what the girl was thinking.

"Well.. You'd better not scare us like that again," She smiled. It was then that Adi noticed the girl standing in the opposite corner.

"Who.. Who might this pretty girl be?" She smiled. Rene'e smiled a little.

I sat up from rubbing Adrienne's back, careful not to pull out my IV's again. I looked at Rene'e.

"Oh you haven't met her have you? This is a little friend we gave a ride home from one of our concerts." I said.

"I'm Rene'e..." Rene'e said, laughing a little, holding out her hand politely. "How are you?"

Adi shook her hand, smiling. "I'm great to know that Billie Joe is so much better... Billie Joe you gave us such a scare.." She looked behind herself at Billie. He smiled a little.

I sat up to stretch, for some reason feeling so much better. Adrienne's scent was so great and powerful in affecting my spirits.

I smiled, "Alright, who's up for some Chinese?"