The cameras rumbled to life in the parking lot of San Bernardino County Hospital. Jalie was sitting in the drivers side of her El Camino beside Carmen. The two of them were unusually quiet, observing the dashboard as though it held some of life’s hidden meaning.
“Why does god hate me?” Carmen inquired, more to herself than Jalie. But as usual, her sister opted to answer her anyway.
“Depends on which god you’re referring to. Some would be angry if you were lacking in sacrifice… Some if you missed church… Some if you ate a cow… It all depends, really.”
Carmen ignored her. Jalie often volunteered relatively useless information. It was like a hobby she would never admit to.
“Do you think Seth is pissed we came to see him?”
“At me, yes, due to the fact he was yelling obscenities when I pulled out of the driveway. As for you, it’s none of his fucking business…” she hesitated, “Carmen, is it wrong to want to hit your husband over the head with something non-lethal but still incredibly painful?”
Carmen bit onto her lower lip, pondering this. “Well, I guess it depends on the situation. If it’s just out of spite, then yes. But if he deserves it… Well, it’s probably still wrong but that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be very gratifying.”
Jalie sighed and finally turned off the ignition. She and Carmen climbed out of the car and headed up to the doors. A guy in an Armani business suit was leaning against a no-smoking sign and taking along drag from his cigarette. Jalie plucked it from his lips and extinguished it in his mouth when he went to protest. Stopping at the front desk Carmen informed the RN that they were there to see a Cody Carson.
“Are you friends or family?” The nurse asked, not even looking up from her copy of Martha Stewart magazine.
Before Jalie could respond Carmen cut in. “I’m his fiancée, this is his sister.”
When the nurse looked up Carmen flashed her diamond engagement ring. The nurse nodded.
“Room 328, second floor.”
They approached the elevators and Jalie leaned over to her sister.
“I thought you said you pawned that?” She asked. Carmen had the grace to blush.
“I couldn’t…” She said, slipping it off her finger and placing it back in her purse. Jalie punched the number two on the elevators keypad. An elderly woman was swiftly approaching them in her walker. Jalie frantically started tapping the close door button. It shut just as the old woman reached them, cursing them in a manner un-fitting for her age.
“That was rude.” Carmen pointed out.
“I’m not in the mood for polite banter.” Jalie said simply.
The elevator lurched as it stopped on the second floor. Jalie and Carmen walked off down the hall until they reached Carson’s room. A nurse was just stepping out, shutting the door. She put a hand up to stop them.
“Mister Carson doesn’t want any visitors.”
Jalie snorted. “Well, if Mister Carson doesn’t want any further injuries then he’ll be obliged to let me in.”
The nurse hesitated, then poked her head back into the room.
“Mister Carson, there are two women here to see you… Uhm,” she looked back at them, “Your names?”
“He knows.” Jalie said simply. Carmen brushed past her and called into the room.
“Cody… It’s me.”
“No visitors.” Cody’s voice rang out from the room. The nurse took this as her cue and shepherded the two women away from the door.
“You heard the man, no visitors. Now if you’re determined you can sit in the lobby and wait to see if he changes his mind, or you can come back tomorrow.”
Carmen stuck out her chin defiantly and stormed off in the direction of the second floor waiting room. Jalie, however, looked defeated. She turned and wandered back to the elevators sitting opposite each other in the hallway. She took the first one that opened, looking thoroughly depressed as the door shut. The opposite elevator bell rang. The doors opened, and Jalie stood there looking mischievous. She poked her head around to make sure the nurse had left and slipped inside Cody’s room.
“I told you, I’m not taking the fucking pills..” Cody trailed off when he saw her. “I should have known I wouldn’t get rid of you that easy.”
“Damn right. Nor Carmen. She’s in the waiting room.” Jalie informed him.
She slipped her boots off and dropped into the chair beside his bed. She grabbed the TV remote from him and switched it on. Cody glared at her while trying desperately to ignore the tune to the Fresh Prince.
“Why are you doing this to me?” He asked.
“Because you need some company. Somebody to rustle the feathers of the old hens at the nurses desk. I know you think everyone hates you, and yeah, a lot of a people do… But that’s to be expected when you carry the world title. As for me, I don’t hate you in the slightest. Not even after what you did to Seth.”
Cody raised an eyebrow. He didn’t look convinced.
“I know better than anyone that Seth deserves everything he gets. I don’t know what the fuck is wrong with him lately…”
Cody laughed. “I do. I know exactly what his fuckin’ problem is. It’s me and you. He doesn’t like how close we are. Lately people are more apt to think you and I are married as opposed to you and Seth.”
Jalie cringed at the thought. “Let’s hope not. I love you, dude, but so not in that way. Besides… There’s a problem with that theory.”
“What? That you’re like my sister? You and I know that, but obviously Seth doesn’t. Fucking thickhead.”
“No, dude… Think about it. Before you even moved into Yucca Valley, before you and I were able to hang out all the time, Seth was acting strange. Limiting my behavior and shit. Consider that. Because at first, yeah, I thought that must be what it was too but… He started acting weird a long time ago… Before you even won the title.” Jalie explained.
Cody frowned, knowing what she said made sense. “But, dude, it doesn’t make sense…”
Or not.
“I mean, if it had nothing to do with us, why attack me? Why turn on me like a fucking pussy? I don’t get it.”
Jalie shrugged. “I don’t know. Other than the fact he’s acting like a goddamn woman. If I wanted to be a lesbian I would have stayed with that chick I met after high school.”
“Or Brandi.” Cody smirked. Jalie rolled her eyes.
“You wish.”
In one of those eerie ‘speak of the devil’ moments, Jalie’s cell phone rang. She heard the bitchy protests go up out at the nurses desk.
“It’s Brandi…” Jalie said, not even checking the phone.
“Her ring tone is by Hole? How accurate…” Cody said. Jalie grabbed a blessedly un-used bed pan and hit Cody over the head with it. He groaned, running his hand over the already bandaged area of his head.
Jalie stepped out of the room and went to the elevators to step outside. Once there she dialed Brandi’s number back and waited.
“Hey woman. What’s up?” She asked.
“I told Rick…”
Jalie’s eyebrows raised...
“…Almost.”
…And they went back down.
“Well, I suggest you do it soon. Because if he makes a comment that you’re gaining weight I’m afraid I’ll have to stab him in the face with a soldering iron. And I know you don’t want that.”
“I know. And no, I don’t want that. It’s hard though. Every time the moment seems right something happens. And Mike keeps fucking calling his cell.” Brandi complained.
“Hmm… Well, if he comes home and immediately showers, or his shirts smell like Mike’s cologne, then you may have reason to worry.” Jalie pointed out.
Brandi giggled. Jalie, however, looked dead serious. “Hey, it’s usually the ones who are totally anti-gay that are closet cases… I mean look at Mike though, he couldn’t keep a woman if his life depended on it. He was even all jittery about going into a strip club. Not to mention he and Rick are all obsessed over Cody’s sex life. But I digress… Besides, you could turn any gay man straight anyway. Maybe that’s why Mike’s calling. He wants him back.”
“Lielee, they’re brothers.” Brandi pointed out.
“That never stopped Siegfreid and Roy.” Jalie argued.
“They’re not brothers…”
“You’re shitting me?!”
“No. But listen, I called because I wondered if you’re still having that Yule party at Carmen’s apartment. I wasn’t sure after… Cody’s accident.”
“It’s still on. He’ll have to get back on his feet soon anyway. I know he won’t miss the match.”
The two of them wrapped up the conversation. Jalie glanced to the side to see a man in an Armani business suit now leaving the hospital with a burn kit and looking irritable. She flashed him a smile and slipped back into the hospital. When she got upstairs and poked her head in Cody’s room, he was sleeping soundly. She bit onto her lower lip, debating whether to wake him up. Finally she opted to leave him alone.
“You can feign sleep now… But I’ll be back. Just because you want to shut out your life, doesn’t mean you can shut out your family.” She told him.
She slipped out of the room and went for the elevator. The cameras focused on Cody’s stitched up face, his eyes now open. He frowned, contemplating what she said as the scene faded to black.
Seems to me you babble endlessly, and yet you never actually say anything. I’ve never been one for un-intelligent dribble but seeing as you are an opponent I found myself somewhat obligated to sit through it. I get that you’re a wreck. You’re a pussy. You’re a pathetic excuse for a man. And you apparently are under the impression that I’m sleeping with Carson.
Now, I understand you may have a bit of an aversion to larger words but have you not heard of a platonic relationship, you blithering idiot? Aye, the incompetence is spreading like global fucking warming.
You think the fans like you because you’re suicidal in the ring? That may be true but not for the reason you’re thinking. Did it ever occur to you that they might be hoping you kill yourself just so they don’t have to endure any more of your intolerable whining? You were insulted when Rick compared you to Carson… I like that. Cute, really. When it’s actually Cody who should be insulted. Rick says he’s pissing an moaning… Yeah, I agree there. Oddly enough. But when it comes to his feud at least people are even vaguely interested, as opposed to the bullshit between you and Rick. Why, you may ask?
Simple. Because Seth and Cody don’t suck.
Really, dude, if you hate it so much then breech your contract. The “law” is bendable. Very much so. Believe me, I’m somewhat of an aficionado on the subject. Or hell, if you’re that miserable, just fucking off yourself. It’s not like anyone’s gonna fucking mourn you. Your brother, maybe. But he already has one woman to deal with, he doesn’t need to supply you with Kleenex and tampons every time you get dumped.
So, Rick…
To be honest, you’re not much better than your brother. And confused. My god are you confused. I’m not even going to comment on how you mis-construed almost my entire wording. Jackass.
I’m still trying to figure out what the fuck Brandi sees in you. The girl is like my sister, and we agree on most everything but… This is one thing that I will never understand. I guess I’ll just have to get used to you. Still doesn’t mean I need to waste time talking about you.
And yeah I suppose I should at least throw Ryba’s name in her. Don’t see why, considering the guy doesn’t deserve to clean the fucking arena, let alone get a title shot. Then again the Young brothers are involved in a world title match… I guess what you deserve and what you’re handed are two completely different things.