The Big Fish by Madison Henley (best free e reader .TXT) 📕

standing position so she wouldn’t fall.

“Thanks.”

“How’s your ankle?”

“It’s fine.”

“I’m really sorry.”

“It’s okay. It didn’t hurt that much.”

Gabrielle gave Meredith a look. They both knew that she wasn’t talking about Meredith’s ankle.

“Well thanks for the evaluation.”

“You're welcome.”

It looked as if Gabrielle was about to say something else but Meredith closed the door on her and hopped back to her bed. She threw the index cards out of anger but giving their lightweight, they just flew to the ground. Meredith grunted, unsatisfied that her throw didn’t suffice her anger. After minutes of silence and Meredith staring into space busying herself with mindless thoughts, she picked up the two index cards and found the one that had her name on it.

***

“Is chamomile tea like a Kerouac thing or something?”

Keliah grinned as she placed the styrofoam cup on the hospital desk connected to the bed.

“Guess so. That’s all Georgie and I use to drink back in the day when it was cold and rainy outside.”

“And you liked it?”

Keliah didn’t mean to scrunch up her face but she just didn’t understand how someone could possibly enjoy ruining their taste buds like that.

“Yep. I take it you don’t?”

Mr. Kerouac laughed.

“No, it’s disgusting…no offense.”

“None taken. Thanks by the way.”

“No problem. I’m not huge on hospital food either.”

“Yeah, the Jello here is probably several weeks old.”

“And I’m pretty sure the bread is molded over.”

Mr. Kerouac scrunched up his face.

“Well jeez Keliah. I still have to eat that stuff. You’re not helping.”

“Oh right. Sorry. Green bread is good for you…”

Keliah deadpanned. Mr. Kerouac’s laugh turned into a fit of coughs and he sipped his tea as Keliah patted his back.

“So I wanna know how your game went last week. I couldn’t watch it on TV. We don’t get that station in here.”

Keliah grinned, reliving the moment.

“Amazing! I don’t know- -I just, it was perfect! My touches were crisp, I made excellent runs, my timing was just right. That night felt good.”

“I assume you scored?”

“Oh yeah!”

Keliah was about to tell the older man in full detail just how her goal happen when she heard someone outside of the door.

“Good afternoon, Rebecca. He’s in here?”

“Shit!”

Keliah looked around the hospital bedroom for a second exit when clearly there wasn’t one. Not even a curtain to hide behind. The door bumped Keliah in the back and she moved out the way and tuned around to face Georgia. They had identical facial expressions.

“Keliah?”

“Professor Kerouac, hi.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I just- -I was um, visiting Mr. Kerouac.”

“Well that is very thoughtful of you Keliah.”

Georgia smiled at Keliah, never taking her eyes off of her as she took off her leather brown jacket, placing it on the chair next to the hospital bed. Keliah smiled sheepishly at Georgia and that’s when Georgia’s dad interrupted their staring contest.

Georgie, that’s Keliah?”

Georgia widened her eyes and turned to smile thinly at her father.

“Hi daddy. Did they give you enough morphine? I can tell the nurse to give you some more.”

Georgia was just about to turn her foot to walk out the door, anything to avoid an awkward conversation that she knew she was compelled to have but her father stopped her.

“No, no. I’m fine Georgie. Sit, please.”

Georgia gritted her teeth and sat in the chair next to Keliah.

“Keliah and I were just talking about our favorite tea.”

“Chamomile.”

Keliah stated, smiling at Georgia.

“How nice.”

“She was so kind to bring me it. Georgia you know how much I hate hospital food.”

“I understand that dad, but I have to abide by the rules. And you should too.”

Georgia gently took his empty cup of tea and placed it on the counter. Keliah stayed quiet, not really having a place to talk. Instead, she observed Georgia. Georgia was dressed in dark jeans, a sweater, leather boots and the jacket to match. Keliah had never seen her wearing casual clothes and she looked really good. Not that Keliah expected anything less. It was Georgia. She would listen quietly as Georgia and her father would spit playful banter back and forth to each other as they told Keliah the many memories they shared over the years. Georgia had laughed several times and Keliah’s heart just about liquefied the first time she had heard it. She could tell Georgia was genuinely happy being around her father. The sound warmed Keliah’s entire body. She couldn’t help smile. It made her happy. It could just about cure any disease. Keliah didn’t realize she had been smiling the entire time at Georgia. It was contagious. When Georgia caught her staring and smiling, she paused.

“What?”

“Nothing. I just have to get back to um, school.”

“How’d you get here?”

“I took a taxi.”

“Keliah!”

Keliah raised an eyebrow.

“What?”

Georgia’s protective instinct took over her that she wasn't aware she had and Georgia offered Keliah a ride before she could process what she had just said.

“That is a lot of money. Come on, I will take you.”

Georgia grabbed