Stray

by Solveig Yrsa

  “Okay, I’m Dr. Richards, I’ll be taking care of you today. First thing I’m going to do is a physical exam, then we will go from there. So what I’m going to need you to do is just relax, okay?” As he said that, he started to lay the bed flat, causing Layla to jump.

  Spencer rested a hand on her shoulder and told her to calm down. She nodded and closed her eyes. The doctor looked over her body, checked her bruised side, her swollen ankle, and her bad arm.

  “Okay, the technician will be in shortly to get some x-rays. After that I’m going to start you on an IV drip with some pain meds and some fluids, because you’re obviously severely dehydrated. I’m also going to run a few tests to see how your levels are.”

  She just nodded and watched as he left the room, then turned to Spencer. “What is he going to do to me?” she asked nervously.

  He chuckled. “Don’t worry, you’ll be okay, it won’t hurt, and it’ll make you feel better, I promise.”

  She nodded and laid her head back on the pillow, closing her eyes for a moment. She was so nervous about everything that was happening, but honestly this was the nicest place she ever remembered being, and she never wanted to leave.

  Moments later, the x-ray technician walked in to wheel her back to the radiology department. Spencer told her he would see her when she got back, and then he headed to the vending machines. He pulled out his cell phone and rolled his eyes at all the notifications from Rachel. Nine missed calls, each with a voicemail, twenty-seven text messages, and countless social media notifications. He ignored them all, and went to his mom's contact and called her.

  “Hey Mom, I know I’m late, I’m sorry. Did Sam show up? Is there any way she can take you?” He ran his hands through his messy hair and then rubbed his tense neck. “Okay great, yeah, I’m sorry, something important came up, I’ll tell you about it when I get home. Tell Sam I owe her. Okay, I got to go, I love you too.” He sighed as he hung up the call. Patting his front pocket, he came in contact with something hard. He pulled the small silver flask out of his pocket and took a couple swigs before putting it back, and sitting down on the chair in the waiting area.

  ***

  Layla tensed up and squeezed her eyes shut tightly as her nurse, Sue, stuck the needle into her skin.

  “Okay sweetie, your IV is in and we got the fluids going, now that you are showered and I got this pain medicine in you, let us try to comb out your hair.” Sue went to the supply cabinet and grabbed a big plastic comb, then started trying to comb the knots as best she could.

  Layla looked across the room at the mirror that hung over the sink. She was shocked at how different she looked now that she was clean, well cleaner. She loved how she smelled and how her skin didn’t feel so gritty, Sue had put lotion all over her and it felt so soft.

  After a long while of combing, and three broken combs, Sue stood up. “Well,” she said, wiping the bead of sweat off her brow. “That was difficult, and it’s far from perfect, but at least now we can put it up. You are just so breathtaking, it’s amazing all this beauty was hiding under there.” She pulled Layla’s long hair up into a messy bun and smiled in satisfaction.

  Layla blushed at her compliment and looked away. No one had ever said anything positive about her looks before. “T-thank you,” she whispered as Sue smiled and took her leave. Layla laid her head back against her pillow and closed her eyes. The medication was starting to make her very sleepy.

  Spencer walked down the hallway and back into Layla’s hospital room. He had been gone longer than he had planned, but got caught up listening to all of Rachel’s ridiculous voicemails.

  He was taken aback when he walked into the room and didn’t see Layla anywhere. He saw a woman in there cleaning up the room. “Excuse me,” he said, getting her attention. “The girl that was in here, Layla, why isn’t she back yet?”

  Suddenly Sue popped in and touched Spencer’s arm. “Mr. Williams, they moved her to a more private room upstairs. She is in room 511.” He nodded and turned toward the elevators.

  He made it up to the fifth floor, and followed the signs until he found her room. He opened the door, and when he saw the woman lying in the bed, he blushed. “Oh sorry, they gave me the wrong room number.”

  “Spencer?” Layla said, furrowing her brow as she weakly sat up. “What are you talking about?”

  Spencer turned back around and looked at her. He looked at her crystal blue eyes. “Wow, you look completely different,” he said, shutting the door behind him. He couldn’t stop looking at her. He felt bad for her. Now that she wasn’t covered in several layers of filth, you could see the physical toll that being homeless had had on her. Her skin didn’t have a pink hue, it was a more grayish color, that he figured was because of malnutrition. Her hands looked rough and scarred, her lips cracked and chapped. Her eyes were hallowed and her cheeks looked sunken in. He noticed her shifting uncomfortably and figured he had been staring too long.

  “So… How are you feeling?” he asked while walking over to the chair by her bed and sitting down.

  Layla shrugged slightly. “I’m not really in much pain anymore, I just feel funny and tired.”

  He noticed that when she talked, she had her hand in front of her mouth. He had seen her teeth a couple of times before, and honestly, they were really messed up. He wondered if he had accidentally stared at them too long and she had noticed.

  “The pain medicine,” he said pointing to her IV, “it’s pretty strong, so it will make you tired. Why don’t you close your eyes and get some rest?” Layla looked at him warily. He gave her a reassuring smile. “I promise you’re safe, go to sleep.”

  She nodded and closed her eyes, letting sleep take over her.

  ***

  Spencer looked from the slumbering girl to the clock on the wall. Layla had been asleep for about two hours. It was shortly after she fell asleep that the doctor had come in to explain the situation to him. Her shoulder was pulled out of its socket, she had a broken wrist, cracked ribs, and a sprained ankle, but unfortunately that wasn’t all.

  ***

  “We ran her blood work, did a chest x-ray, and several throat swabs,” Dr. Richards explained while adjusting his small, rectangular glasses. “She has a very severe case of pneumonia and bronchitis that I’m very concerned about. With her being malnourished and living in those conditions, her body hasn’t been able to fight it, and the normal round of oral antibiotics we would prescribe wouldn’t be enough.”

  “So,” Spencer sighed, looking from the sleeping girl to the doctor. “What do you suggest?”

  “I suggest we admit her here for a few days and give her IV antibiotics. We will also be able to get her some food and keep her fluids up to try to help her get over this.”

  ***

  Spencer was snapped out of his thoughts by the door opening. The nurse, Sue, and Dr. Richards filed in. “Alright,” the doctor clapped his hands together, “let’s get her up so we can put her cast on.”

  Spencer turned to Layla and shook her gently to wake her up. She stirred, opening her eyes slowly and looking around. “W-what's going on?” she asked groggily.

  “They’re going to wrap your arm in a cast,” Spencer said calmly. “It won’t hurt, but you need to hold still.” She nodded, and watched as the doctor and nurse wrapped her broken arm.

  A sudden loud vibration made everyone jump. Spencer looked at his phone that was dancing across the tray and rolled his eyes. It was Rachel, again. “Excuse me, I need to take this,” he grumbled while walking out of the room. He walked down the hallway until he found the lobby with the vending machines. Swiping his credit card, he began to making a hot cup of coffee. He looked around, and when he was sure no one was looking, he poured some alcohol from his flask in it and took a swig, before dialing Rachel’s number. She instantly answered.

  “Oh, my god, Spencer! Where are you? I’ve been trying to reach you for hours.” Her voice was frantic.

  He rolled his eyes as he took another drink of his coff
ee. “I’m at the hospital.”

  There was a long pause before she responded in an irritated tone. “Why?”

  “A… friend needed help.” There was an even longer pause, he figured it was a solid minute before she spoke again.

  “If it’s that homeless bitch, Spencer, I swear to God!”

  “You swear to God what, Rachel? I took her to the hospital, I didn’t fuck her. What is the problem? She was sick and needed help!” He was tired of this. If he did anything for any woman besides her, she freaked out. That included his own mother and Samantha.

  “I’m not worried about you having sex with her, she is disgusting. What I’m worried about is that you would rather spend your time with that smelly, filthy, lazy waste of air over your own girlfriend that, need I remind you, was voted one of the hottest bikini bods last summer.”

  He couldn’t even respond to that. He simply hung up the phone. There was so much wrong with everything she just said, that it made him want to move to a different country just so he’d never have to be associated with her again. Shaking his head, he finished his coffee and headed to the cafeteria to get Layla something to eat.

  Spencer got back to her room and walked in to find Layla sitting in the hospital bed, running her fingers over her fresh cast. She looked up at him and gave him a closed-lipped smiled before looking back at her cast.

  He walked over and sat a couple containers down in front of her on her tray. “I uhh… I didn’t know what you liked but, my mom always made me chicken noodle soup when I was sick so, that’s what I got,” he said awkwardly, gesturing to the steaming cup of soup.

  She smiled again, and took the container and began drinking it. “It’s really good,” she said between sips.

  “Do you, want your spoon?” he asked slowly while looking at her oddly.

  “My what?” She looked at the plastic utensil in his hand and cocked her head to the side. “Yeah, okay… I haven’t used one in years, but I think I remember.”

  Years? How the hell long has she been on the streets? He placed the spoon next to her, then grabbed his own and began to eat his own container of soup. Layla watched him and tried to mimic his motions, but her hand shook too much and the soup kept falling off the spoon and back into the bowl. He looked up from his food to see her look of frustration and embarrassment as she tried to keep the utensil steady.

  “You know what…” He took his spoon, and tossed it into the trash. “Your way is much better, plus the soup is still nice and hot when you reach the bottom.” Taking his container, he pressed it to his lips and took a drink. Layla watched him, and then covered her mouth as a large grin crept on her face, before grabbing her own container and following suit.

  Once finished with their meals, Spencer took the empties and tossed them in the trash.

  “Hey, Spencer?” Layla said softly.

  “Yeah?” he replied while opening her bottle of juice and handing it back to her.

  “You ummm… You hate me, right? And I made it very clear my feeling towards you, so, why are you helping me? Why are you doing all of this?”

  He sighed and sat back in his chair. “I don’t hate you, Layla…” He stopped his sentence when he saw her eye roll. “Look, I know I’ve been a dick, and for that I am sorry, but I don’t hate you. I guess I just don’t think about what I am doing before I do it. But anyway, I honestly don’t know why I’m helping you, I mean, I guess I just feel bad for you.”

  She nodded softly. “I want to tell you to piss off, and that I don’t need your pity but, I know I do.” She looked away, ashamed. “I hate that I have to be like this, I just want to be able to take care of myself, to not have to rely on others.” She looked up at Spencer when he gave her a small laugh.

  “Yeah well, you need help to get better, I need a clear conscience, I’ll help you, and you help me, deal?”

  She smiled and nodded. “Deal.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  It had been three days since they had admitted Layla to the hospital, and fortunately she was showing some signs of improvement. After the first night, Spencer went home, but spent several hours with her each day. Layla appreciated it, but constantly told him that it was unnecessary. He was under the impression that she was lonely or bored without him there, but she truly was okay.

  The nurse, Sue, would stop by every so often, and even spent her lunch and breaks with Layla. Layla liked Sue a lot; she was very kind and was one of the few people that knew Layla was homeless and didn’t treat her differently. Sue was a fun, outgoing, and bubbly woman, she loved her job and her life. But Layla had found out that Sue’s life hadn’t always been one to be happy about. When she was younger, Sue’s parents died suddenly and she jumped from foster home to foster home. She started drinking, doing drugs, and selling herself. Thankfully, she finally got a break when she met her husband. She got clean and sober, enrolled in nursing school, and now she’s here. Layla wanted to be like Sue. She wanted a home, a job, and happiness.

  Layla looked out her window in her hospital room; it faced a beautiful garden that was created for patients to sit in while recovering. She enjoyed looking at the garden. She wanted to go out there and sit, but she wasn’t well enough yet according to her doctor, so she just sat in her room and day-dreamed. A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. She looked over, and saw the auburn hair girl and guy that hung out with Spencer. Crap, did they ever tell me their names? I can’t remember.

  “Hi.” Samantha smiled as she and Liam walked in. She sat the large vase of flowers on the counter and walked over. “Layla, right?” She walked to Layla and sat down in the chair. “I’m Sam, and this is my brother, Liam, we’re Spencer’s cousins.”

  Layla nodded and gave her a small, awkward smile. “I remember you, I yelled at you and then you gave me money, thanks.”

  Samantha waved off the thanks. “We got you some flowers, I hope you like them.”

  Layla looked over at the bright array of flowers and then back at her, “They are beautiful, I’ve never gotten flowers before, thank you.”

  “Oh.” Liam walked over and handed Layla a stuffed animal. “This is from Spencer, he saw it the other day and said it reminded him of you.”

  Layla took the stuffed animal from him and looked at it. It was a small, dark brown stuffed kitten with big blue eyes. She was confused why Spencer thought of her, but thought it was sweet nonetheless. “Thank you.”

  “So how are you doing?” Samantha asked as Liam took a seat. “Spencer told us everything that happened.” She shook her head in disgust.

  “I’m doing okay,” Layla mumbled. “I feel better than I have in a very long time. The only issue I have is that the food is making me really sick, so the doctor put me on… protein shakes, I think he said.”

  Samantha nodded. “Yeah, they’re just meal replacements. But that’s good, at least you’re getting nutrients!”

  Layla looked at Samantha in awe. She was so beautiful, her long auburn hair was in a large, loose braid. She wasn’t super thin, but you wouldn’t call her overweight. She looked very fit and strong. Her hazel eyes looked so deep and concerning, Layla noticed that she always seemed to have a furrowed brow, like she was always worrying about something. Samantha moved her braid off of her shoulder and Layla saw a tattoo across her clavicle.

  “What does that say?” Layla asked, motioning to the tattoo.

  Samantha looked at where Layla was pointing. “Oh, my tattoo, yeah I guess I’m a little far away for you to read, it says ‘lost but not forgotten’, Liam and I got matching tattoos for our mom who passed away.”

  “That’s really nice that you would want to do that for your mom.”

  Samantha cocked her head to the side, “Well we loved her, she was our mom after all.”

  Layla gave an uncomfortable laugh and looked away. Memories of her mother came into her mind. There was nothing about her mother that would make her want to do that. If anything, she wished that she could forget about her mother.

 
; Layla was snapped out of her thoughts by a tapping on the door. She turned her head in time to see Spencer walk in.

  “Hey,” he mumbled.

  Layla noticed that he didn’t look like his usual upbeat self. His hair was messier than usual, his eyes looked tired, and his usual stubble was becoming longer, though she actually thought that looked pretty good. She instantly blushed. What am I thinking?! I can’t think Spencer is cute!

  “How is Aunt Cat?” Liam asked as Spencer walked over to the group.

  “Uh… about the same, she was sick all last night, so I was up with her. How are you doing, Layla?”

  Layla’s heart thumped. She didn’t know why, but whenever he said her name, she got flustered. “I… I’m fine. They had to put me on shakes, but other than that I’m fine.”

  Spencer sat down, and smiled softly when he noticed the stuffed cat in Layla’s lap that she was currently fidgeting with. He had been at the drug store the night before, and while waiting for a prescription to be filled, he noticed the small stuffed cat with its crystal blue eyes, sitting all alone, and all he could think of was Layla.

  Layla noticed him staring at the cat. “Thank you for the gift,” she said while squeezing it tighter.

  “Not a problem.” He smiled.

  “So…” Samantha looked at Spencer. “When does Layla get out of here?”

  Spencer pulled his phone out. “I think if everything goes well, the doctor messaged me saying she could leave in a week.”

  Layla looked between the two as they continued to talk as though she wasn’t there. She felt panic setting in. She couldn’t leave this place. Where would she go? She felt a burning sensation in her eyes as she held back the tears. She couldn’t go back onto the streets. If she did, Marcus would kill her.

  Spencer stopped his conversation with Liam and Samantha when he noticed a couple streams of tears running down Layla’s cheeks. He raised a brow as he got up and walked over to her.