The apple juice was cloyingly sweet with an artificial, near medicinal, taste. The container felt strange in his hand, feeble; garbage even when in use. Unable to stomach the taste of the liquid masquerading as a natural nectar, he reached for the muffin instead.
It was dense and heavy. Its scent made it seem edible, but as he tore the top off, the texture proved to be dry, and it crumbled into pieces. Had it not been for the gnawing ache of hunger in his gut he wouldn't have forced himself to eat it, reluctantly turning to the 'juice' in order to wash it down. Thankful that the flavor of the muffin masked the worst part of the drink.
Hutch was no stranger to feeling hungry, but this wasn't the same as he was used to. This wasn't a hunger driven by working all day. This hunger was because he needed to eat. He was thin, scrawny, and weak, and as he went through the motions of consuming what was before him, he became irritated by still being in a bed.
Hutch was used to a routine and found it frustrating that he couldn't just get up and leave. He had already spent too much time laying around, when he knew there was nothing wrong with himself. In his mind he was still an adult, capable of making adult decisions, despite inhabiting the body of his youth. But being aware of his current predicament, he thought it best to wait for his mother to arrive, before asking to leave.
Near two hours passed before Cherry arrived, full of apologies and excuses; nothing Hutch found unreasonable given how late it was when she left the hospital. And despite how many years had passed for him, it had been but days for her, making her unenthusiastic reunion with him, completely normal.
Hutch couldn't deny the cantankerous nature of their relationship, knowing well enough that it had mostly been his fault. He went from a boy to an angry, bitter, and defiant, adolescent, who despised the circumstances of his life, without the knowledge or understanding of how to change it. This made him impatient, and when he was bored, he became frustrated and irritable, and having no guidance or proper outlet, he took everything out on his mom.
Ghan'dono, however, never left him time to get bored. Most days, he didn't have time to think about anything aside from the task before him. And when he did manage to find a moment of spare time, it was little more than an opportunity to reflect on what he'd accomplished during that day, so far, and what else he could fit in before dinner or bed.
At first, Hutch didn't enjoy much about being pushed to his limit and beyond, each day. He was accustomed to a lazy life, doing only what was critically necessary and not much else, stewing in his own boredom and unease for sitting still, lashing out to feel better and blaming his mom for everything wrong. However, after a few weeks, he began to grow accustomed to that new way of life. The routine gave him structure and purpose, and he came to value, both the hard work, and the inner workings of the community he became a part of because of it. Not a day away, and he was already missing it.
"How soon can we leave?" Hutch asked his mother, his tone more desperate than he had wanted it to be.
He was trying to appear less agitated and impatient than he was, but given his current age, he found it more difficult than he thought it should have been.
"I talked to the nurse on the way in. She said the doctor wanted to check-in before we left, but she was getting the discharge papers ready so we can leave as soon as he's done with us. And here," she replied setting a plastic bag on the end of the bed, "brought you a set of cloths. Figured you'd be okay with me grabbing something for you since the alternative is walking out of here in a hospital gown or something scrounged up from the lost and found."
"I appreciate it."
"Any chance you remember what happened to the cloths you were wearing?"
"Disintegrated, most likely," he replied absentmindedly, too focused on unpacking the bag to consider his answer more carefully. When met with silence, however, he realized his mistake and corrected himself. "A joke. Sorry. I don't actually know or remember, but I was planning on looking for them. I was considering reaching out to Brett to find out if I made it to see him."
"Don't bother. Called him before I came. Said he hadn't seen or heard from you. All sorts of concern, that one, but don't worry, he made sure to tell me what a shit mother I am, letting you run off like you do."
Reaching out, Hutch took a firm hold of her hand, "You won't need to deal with him ever again. He's had every opportunity, for years, to do better, but he will never do better. He's never going to do better. I understand that now. I'm just sorry it took me so long to realize it."
Pulling her hand away, she clutched it to her chest, starring down at him with concern in her eyes.
"I don't know what's gotten into you Jules, but you need to stop it. It's freaking me out."
He smiled to himself as he adverted his gaze, offering a faint nod. "I truly am sorry, but I think you'd better just get used to it. Thanks for the clothing. If you wouldn't mind," he remarked motioning for her to step to the other side of the curtain so he could change.
"Your I.V.?" she muttered, motioning in returned at his arm.
"I'd still like to put some pants on."
Cherry huffed as she turned around. "I'm your mother. I used to change your diapers. Nothing I haven't seen before," she grumbled as she stepped passed the curtain and further closed it behind herself.
Hutch could hear the defiant sadness coming from her. The aggressive words were nothing but a cover for how bothered she was by his abrupt change in personality. Like him, she had become stuck in a bitter cycle of arguing, ignoring, and repeating. Something he could now see clearly, but had been blind too before growing up.
With a touch more privacy and his mother standing guard, he put on the clean pair of socks before swinging his legs out of the bed and standing up. Taking a moment to awkwardly stretch, finding it odd that there was no discomfort, no cracks or pops from his back or neck, with no sore muscles or achy joints.
"The difference a few decades can make," he uttered quietly to himself before changing his boxers and putting on a pair of old and questionably clean sweatpants. They weren't uncomfortable, but they also weren't as comfortable as the work pants Kahlala made for him.
"Feel better already," he commented more than loud enough for his mother to hear as he repositioned himself on the bed.
"Glad to hear it," she replied, returning to the chair she'd been using the night before. "Really hoping this doesn't take too much longer though. AJ asked me to pick up an extra shift today. I'm supposed to be at the club at noon. Mind you, that was three days ago, before all of this, but I couldn't get a hold of him this morning to tell him what happened or to warn him I might be late. Really going to need the extra shifts now too."
"How much time do you have?"
"It's just past ten now, but by the time I drop you off at home, it's going to be pushing it if the doc doesn't show up in the next twenty minutes. Too bad you only have your learner's permit, otherwise I'd just let you take the car home and I'd grab a ride with Tonya at the end of my shift."
"I don't remember the club being all that far from home. If I must walk it to spare you the trip, I will."
"In your socks?"
"Right, shoes. I only had one pair," he muttered, rubbing at his chin. "Wasn't… I mean, isn't there a thrift shop not too far from here?"
"Are you sure you're feeling alright, Jules?"
Hutch sighed and ran his hand over the top of his head, scratching at the back of his neck as he tried to figure out what to do. He hated having to pretend to be something that he wasn't, and his behaviors were off-putting enough that it was clearly disturbing his mom. Regardless of their past, Hutch was glad to have the opportunity to make things right with her, and he knew that couldn't happen on a foundation of lies.
"I promise there is absolutely nothing wrong with me. But we do need to talk, just not here. So, right now, I need you to trust me, because getting out of this place is what's best for the both of us."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"It means that I know what happened to me and it also means that I know you can't afford for me to stay another night… or longer." Cherry froze as he locked his eyes onto hers. "I give you my word, mother, I will explain everything to you, once we are out in your car."