Back to the Dream Page
Chapter 1
"Why is it that I'm always the one who gets hurt all the time?" Justin asks in a barely audible whisper.
"Because... You're the more popular one?" Chris responds after not being able to find anything else that's really funny to say.
"Justin, don't talk. You shouldn't be talking for at least a week. You received a big amount of trauma to your throat and vocal cords," JC reminds him.
"Well if Lance hadn't shot the puck so hard, I wouldn't even be here. I still can't believe you hit it so hard and at my throat Scoop," Justin remarks.
"Well, I'm sorry. I didn't know it would hit you there. I didn't plan it. What can I do?" Lance asks, feeling extremely guilty.
"Nothing for now. What are we going to do about the recording?"
"We have no choice but delay it and take a week of unplanned vacation. There's no other choice."
"I can get out of here in a day though."
"Not according to the doctors. You have to stay here for observation and further testing. We'll be here everyday though to keep you company," Joey states.
"Excuse me but you all have to leave now. Visiting hours are over and Mr. Timberlake does need his rest," a new voice says before the sound of the closing door echoes throughout the room.
All five look up and spot an Asian girl, about 5'5", with slightly wavy, shoulder length hair standing at the door. She has on a white blouse and pants, along with a pink and white apron thing to signify her as a volunteer candy striper.
"Looks like you won't need our company after all," Joey says, turning his attention back to Justin.
"Shut up Jo-" Justin gets out before feeling his throat area constrict with pain.
The girl takes a cup off the table and fills it with water. She then places a straw in it and approaches the bed to give it to Justin who gladly takes it.
"Thank you," he says after drinking half the cup and placing it on the table.
"Now, all four of you do need to leave now," the girl says, turning her attention to JC, Chris, Joey, and Lance.
"Sure thing. We'll catch you tomorrow Justin!" JC says, leading a chorus of good-byes and then heading out of the room.
Once the door closes, the girl proceeds to put things in order around the room and opens the cabinet to get something. She comes over to Justin's bed with it in her hand and gives him the small dry-erase board. "Use this if you want to talk in the future. I'll go get some markers and a towel."
In a few minutes, she comes back and hands Justin the stuff. He opens one of the pens and writes "Thank you" on there.
"You're welcome. Now, get some rest. Push the button if you need any assistance." Justin watches as she exits the room, silently kicking himself for not getting her name.
With nothing else to do, Justin puts the board aside and closes his eyes, willing the pain medicine to finally kick in. The next thing he knows, the sun is up and the smell of lunch comes wafting in as he hears people hurrying around out in the halls.
Justin lays a hand on the TV remote control and flips on the TV. Just then, a knock on the door is heard before he spots JC stick his head in.
"You up for visitors?" JC asks, leading Lance and Joey in. Justin nods his head and turns the TV off while grabbing the board and a marker.
"So, what's that cute candy striper's name?" Joey asks right off the bat.
"I don't know," Justin writes out.
"How could you not? She would have been my comfort last night."
"Sicko!"
"And proud of it. Oh yeah, Chris says he's sorry for not being here. He had to take Busta to the vet."
Justin nods his head and looks at JC.
"How are you doing Justin?" JC asks.
"Good. Did you the tell managers?"
"Yes. They send their regards to a speedy recovery. They've also made me promise not to let you and Lance play ice hockey again for a while."
"I didn't know that!" Lance exclaims.
"Yup."
"Man, that sucks. Now I feel even worse."
"Well, we have a meeting with the press in an hour. We better go," JC tells Justin.
He nods his head and watches them leave, trying to get himself to enjoy this rare time of peace and quiet.
Justin is discharged on his fifth day in the hospital when most of his voice has come back and the doctors feel that he is stable in all health aspects. His days in the hospital were about the same, lying in bed, watching TV, and talking with friends and family who came to visit when his voice got stronger.
He never saw that one girl again, leaving her name a mystery to him. All he knows is that she made some unique connection with him in those few minutes that no one before had ever made. Justin had actually asked the nurses for any hints of her identity but doesn't get anything clear since there was apparently more than one Asian candy striper. As Justin is being wheeled out, he looks around for a possible sign of her but doesn't see anyone even like her. 'I guess it wasn't meant to be,' he thinks as he looks at the hospital one last time as his mom drives him back home.