Chapter 3 Joey’s friends had come by the room, seeing how Angela was doing and checking on Joey.  They tried to coax him out of the room, but he didn’t want to leave her side. “What if she wakes up to an empty room?  I ain’t leaving till she wakes up.” “Joe, you gotta get some fresh air sooner or later,” Lance said convincingly. “Yeah you look like shit,” Chris blurted out as Justin elbowed him. “Thanks,” Joey rolled his eyes. “He didn’t mean it man,” JC said.  “But you have to at least take a little walk.  Go outside for a few minutes.” “I’m not leaving,” Joey’s teeth were clenched. “OK, OK,” Justin threw his hands in the air.  “We’ll come back later.” “Later guys.” “Later man.”  They hugged Joey and left. Joey started to go back to Angela’s room, when he saw someone standing behind him.  “I told you I…” he turned around and stared.  “AJ?” “Hey man,” AJ looked at Joey.  Joey shook AJ’s hand.  “How you been?” “The question is how you been?” “I’ve been better.” “I wanted to come down when I first heard, but…” “No, it’s OK.” “How is she?”  “No change.  She’s still in a coma.” “I’m sorry bro.” “For what?” Joey gave him a questioning look. “For… what’s happened with you,” AJ stammered. If you only knew… he thought. “You wanna see her?” “Is it cool?” “I think she’ll be happy to see ya,” Joey led him to the room.  “She’s in a bad way, I just wanna prepare you.” AJ nodded as Joey walked inside and AJ followed.  The sight almost made AJ cry. Oh my God!  He cried in his mind as he looked at Angela.  The sight was too painful as the tears started to come to his eyes.  “AJ?”  Joey looked at him. “I can’t believe this,” AJ shook his head and tried to calm himself. “She’s gonna be OK,” Joey reassured him.  “We just gotta hope and pray.” “We all will,” AJ tried to smile but inside he wanted to throw a hysterical fit.  “When’s the last time you went outside?” “What day is it?” “Why don’t you go and at least take a shower?  They have one here ya know.  I used it when my mom was in the hospital for her surgery.” “I don’t want to leave her.” “Look, I’ll wait with her, and if anything happens,” AJ gave him his cell phone.  “I’ll call ya.” “Well…” Joey looked hesitant as he took AJ’s cell.  “You are her best friend, and I do feel pretty ripe. OK, I’ll be just a few minutes.” “Good.” “Thanks man,” Joey gave AJ a hug. “Anytime,” AJ gave the best smile he could.  “Go on.” Joey walked backwards out of the room as he took his bag and ran to the shower. AJ took Joey’s seat and sat down next to her.  He took a long look at her. God, this wasn’t what he was used to.  “Hey Angie.”  He carefully leaned on the bed next to her.  He folded his hands and looked up at the sky. God, please make her wake up… she’s too young to join You up there… I promise I will take back everything I said to her… I don’t care if she wakes up and forgets everything about me; I just want her to be here. He looked back down at her.  “Come on, let’s see those baby browns that blaze when you have a smart-ass remark about my hair or my flavor of the month.”  He took a deep breath.  “Forgive me, if I… if we… oh Angie, please, you gotta wake up.” He was about to lean his head back, but then he noticed something.  Her eyes began to flutter.  It wasn’t much, but they did move.  “Angie?  Come on honey, open your eyes!” Her eyes fluttered again.  “You’re doing it, just a little more.  Angie, open them damnit!” Her lips began to tremble.  AJ had a look of hopefulness.  “Angie!”  Her eyes moved again as the heart monitor began beeping faster.  Dr. Hanlon ran inside.  “Excuse me,” he pushed AJ aside as he checked on Angela.  “She moved her eyes,” AJ explained. Dr. Hanlon looked at the printout of the heart monitor.  “Did she open them?” “No, but she fluttered her eyelids and her lips moved.” Joey, noticing Dr. Hanlon and AJ talking, walked quickly in the room.  “What happened?” Dr. Hanlon checked Angela’s vital signs again.  “Her heart rate shot up for a minute.” “Is that bad?” AJ looked down. “No, actually it’s a very good sign.  It shows that she responded to outside stimuli.  She didn’t open her eyes?” “No, but there was a definite sign of movement,” AJ said as Joey looked at him. “She moved?” Joey asked. “She fluttered her eyes, and her lip trembled,” AJ explained.  Joey gave AJ a big hug.  “So that means she’s coming out of it?” “It’s the first good news we’ve had so far,” Dr. Hanlon smiled. He turned to AJ.  “Who are you young man?” “I’m AJ, Angela’s friend,” he explained. “Well, AJ, whatever you did, she responded to your voice.” “She… she did?” “Yes, why don’t you try coming back tomorrow?  If you keep talking to her, maybe we can get a better response.”  Dr. Hanlon checked his watch.  “I better go.  I’ll be back later.” “Thanks Doc,” Joey shook his hand as Dr. Hanlon left the room.  “Wow.” “Yeah… wow,” AJ bit his lip. “Thanks for coming man, I really needed that shower,” Joey ran his hands through his hair. “No problem,” AJ smiled.  “I really better get going.” “OK,” Joey watched AJ turn towards the door.  “Hey AJ?” AJ turned around.  “Yeah?” Joey walked up to him.  “I know that we’ve been ‘rivals’ for the past couple of years, but I just want to thank you for being a friend to Angela.  You know how hard it is for her to let people inside, and, well, just thank you.  I just want to let this whole Backstreet/N Sync thing go.” AJ bit his lip again.  “Me too and you’re welcome,” he shook Joey’s outstretched hand.  I really need to get out of there.  “I gotta go.” “Tomorrow?” “Yup, tomorrow,” AJ turned and walked away. ~*~ AJ poured the last drop of Jack Daniels out of the bottle into the shot glass.  He stared at the shot glass in his drunken state, grabbed the glass and drank it down.  He managed to get up from the table, steadying himself as he closed his eyes to calm the room from spinning.  He looked down at his dog, wagging his little tail, expecting a hello. “Come here, ankle biter,” he reached down and extended his hands as the little Yorkie jumped into his arms.  He went to his couch and settled the dog into his lap.  “Vegas, can I ask you a question?” The little dog cocked his head and his ears shot up.  “Of course I can.  Why is it that I’m cursed?”  The dog let out a little bark and wagged his tail.  “I mean, first Amanda—well, that wasn’t a relationship, that was a soap opera—and then all those other girls I brought home, but they were just looking for a story to tell their friends.  And now… it seems that something just happens with me and women.  You understand don’t you boy?  I…” AJ passed out as his dog gave him a lick on his face and slept on his stomach. 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