Alisha eased down onto the bed beside him. "Sorry," she huffed out. "I switch into overdrive in times like these."
"S'ok," he said with a bleary grin. "It's pretty hot that you're taking care of me."
She smiled then. "You're incorrigible," she sighed, reaching out to gently stroke the side of his face.
"Lean down, I got something to tell you."
There was a mischievous gleam in his tired eyes and she fought off the grin that threatened to split her face in half. (Oh, this man) She leaned down slightly and arched a brow at him, knowing he'd tell her to lean in further still.
"Shorty, c'mon," he all but whined.
She giggled before carefully covering his lips with hers.
"I don't need to knock, Sarah, I'm his mother," Rosemary Biggerman's voice sounded as she burst into Big's room. "Jake, sweetie, Mama's here. What the hell is this?" she snapped.
Alisha jerked back, her eyes rounding as she looked down at Big in a panic; he groaned (whether it was from pain or annoyance she wasn't sure).
"Ma, the fuck are you doing here?" Big grumbled, his head pressing back into the pillow. His hand rested comfortably on Alisha's thigh.
"Jake Ishmael Biggerman, don't you talk to me like that. I hopped on the first flight I could get because I was so worried about you and this is the greeting I get?"
Fucking Christ. His mother really should come equipped with a mute button. He slanted his eyes towards Alisha. She looked like she was about to bust a gut from holding in a laugh.
"Ishmael?" she whispered, catching her bottom lip between her teeth. "So that's what the I stands for." (She'd guessed Ian; he didn't correct her.)
"Shut it, Shorty," he said grumpily.
"And who's this that's kissing all over you while you should be resting?" Rosemary demanded, fisting her hands on her hips.
"Your turn," he teased Alisha with a crooked grin. If he didn't think it would hurt, he'd laugh at the scowl on her face right now.
"Oh, Ma, you know who that is. It's Jewish Alisha," Sarah said smugly from the doorway.
Big's eyes snapped to his sister's face and she smiled tartly back. Payback was a bitch. (And so was she) He had to admit this was exceptionally good payback; it was just too fuckin' bad that he was her intended target.
Alisha swallowed the lump in her throat and turned her head, offering his mother her warmest smile. "Hello, Mrs. Biggerman," she said sweetly, tucking a lock of hair back behind her ear.
The older woman's eyes grew wide and shifted rapidly between her son and the girl she'd been hoping he'd get involved with. Her face cracked into a beaming smile and clasped her hands together. "Alisha! How lovely to see you, dear. My Jake didn't tell me that you two were seeing one another."
Big rolled his eyes. His mother was a fucking lunatic. She'd come barreling into the room, seemingly worried about him, and now her attentions were focused on his…(The girl in his life? Dammit. They needed to have a conversation.)…on Alisha, and he could just hear the wheels turning in her crazy head. "Jesus, Ma, did you come all the way here to check on me or to bust my ba—" Three sets of dark, raised eyebrows implored him to not finish his statement. "Chops," he finished lamely. Damn women. Then, appearing like a vision for his salvation, a nurse walked in with a cup he knew contained pills.
Thank fuck.
"Your timing could not be better," he told the middle-aged nurse with a grateful smile, holding his hand out expectantly.
"What are you giving him?" his mother (also a nurse) inquired, folding her arms across her chest.
"Don't answer Nurse Ratched over there," he bit out. "She'd have me on fucking Motrin even if a shark bit off my arm."
Rosemary's eyes narrowed dangerously, and, for the first time, Alisha saw a hint of what Big was always going on about. (Scary!) She was growing increasingly uncomfortable by the amount of tension in the room circulating around the Biggermans and now the poor nurse caught in the middle. "I'll be back in a bit, Jake," she said, turning back to smile at him. He frowned in response and she damped down the urge to laugh. "I need to go call my director and get some coffee. You and your mother can talk."
"I hate you a little," he whispered darkly.
She did laugh then, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. "I won't be gone long. Rest…" The 'if you can' was implied. Rising to her feet, she grabbed her bag and turned to Rosemary. "Would you like some coffee?"
"Oh, yes, that would be lovely, thank you," Rosemary smiled kindly.
Alisha nodded and headed out the door.
"I'll just go and help Alisha with the coffee," Sarah said, smiling sweetly to her mother before flicking a sarcastic salute to her brother.
Big glowered after his sister (she wasn't fooling anyone with her innocent act, least of all him) and tried to drown out the sound of his mother who was now arguing with the nurse about his treatment (What kind of hospital is this? Don't tell me to lower my voice. Jake, tell the nurse I'm not talking too loud.)
Damn it all. He wanted some peace and quiet and he thought the Ramones summed it up best: I wanna be sedated.
Fucking A.
Alisha hung up with her director with the next two days off from the show. (Holly, her understudy, was going to be thrilled) Now she was free to spend time with Jake while he was in the hospital. The thought that he might not even want her to briefly flashed in her mind. But just as quickly as that thought had appeared it was gone again. He told her he wanted her around (last night proved that) and that's where she wanted to be. Around him. Still though, before everything went to hell in a hand basket, she'd wanted
