Bringing Up Bonjo
by Linda Seton
Into the very peaceful place that the semi-conscious Chloe occupies there comes an incessant beep-beep-beep. Without opening her eyes, Chloe knows she is in the hospital. There is something almost soothing about the sounds of the nurses' rubber soled shoes in the hallway and the smell of disinfectant.
Chloe laughs softly.
"If I were you I would have woke up screaming." Lex half-whispers.
Chloe opens her eyes and lifts her head. Lex is sitting in a plastic chair in a dark corner of the room.
"One of the nurses called your father in Metropolis. He's on his way. The nurse told him about your car accident; she didn't tell him about the various predators involved."
Chloe sits up a little and asks, "Are you all right?"
He rises and approaches the bed. "That's actually my question to ask."
"I'm fine. My head and shoulder ache a little but it's not too bad. And you?"
Obviously uncomfortable he looks to the door and then back to Chloe as he chooses words. "I told you that I was on an island – alone for several months. I came home with the end stages of malaria, rickets and a severe vitamin deficiency. The drugs I was taking to correct all that proved a little too potent." He holds up his hand revealing a hospital wrist bracelet. "I'm under observation. I only really came out of the haze when the police arrested me at the castle."
"You were arrested?"
"The butler called the police after the leopard ate his shoe. The police arrested me for a variety of reasons – and you sprawled in a bloody heap on the floor was the primary one."
"I figured it'd be the leopard. At least that's something different."
Lex smiles and seems like he is about to sit down on the corner of the bed but stops himself. "Chloe, I don't know where to begin my apology."
"It's all right. You weren't yourself. And as long as the leopard is still alive none of the parties involved really got hurt."
"Bonjo, her name is Bonjo by the way, is on her way to the Metropolis Zoo." Lex methodically turns the bracelet on his wrist. "I'd feel better if you actually let me apologize."
The door opens and a grey-haired nurse steps into the room. A no-nonsense type she clears her throat for emphasis, "Mr. Luthor, we agreed to let you wear your own clothes but you have to return to your own room."
Lex turns to face the woman whose foot is now tapping an angry rhythm on the floor. Resigned, he agrees, "Let me say goodnight to Miss Sullivan and I'll be right with you."
The woman nods and closes the door. Chloe watches the older woman staring at Lex through the glass panel of the door.
"I don't think I'll gain anything but leg restraints by arguing with her. I'll come back tomorrow and finish my apology." Lex inches toward the door in his attempt to complicate the nurse's job.
Lex Luthor versus the RN strikes Chloe as funny and she has to fight down the laughter. "Lex, you're forgiven. I don't think I could take a more formal apology. Let's call it even. I mean you only tried to kill me twice and seduce me two or three times."
Lex pauses with his hand on the door. Without turning he offers, "If I really tried to seduce you Chloe you'd have a more precise count."
The door closes silently behind him.
Chloe's eyes widen slightly and then she laughs. Her hand goes to her head from the sudden jostling. "Ouch."
In the hallway, Lex smiles at no one in particular. He extends his arm to the waiting nurse. "I'm all yours."
Muttering a little about the quality of people the hospital attracts, the woman leads him down the hallway.
The End
by Linda Seton
Into the very peaceful place that the semi-conscious Chloe occupies there comes an incessant beep-beep-beep. Without opening her eyes, Chloe knows she is in the hospital. There is something almost soothing about the sounds of the nurses' rubber soled shoes in the hallway and the smell of disinfectant.
Chloe laughs softly.
"If I were you I would have woke up screaming." Lex half-whispers.
Chloe opens her eyes and lifts her head. Lex is sitting in a plastic chair in a dark corner of the room.
"One of the nurses called your father in Metropolis. He's on his way. The nurse told him about your car accident; she didn't tell him about the various predators involved."
Chloe sits up a little and asks, "Are you all right?"
He rises and approaches the bed. "That's actually my question to ask."
"I'm fine. My head and shoulder ache a little but it's not too bad. And you?"
Obviously uncomfortable he looks to the door and then back to Chloe as he chooses words. "I told you that I was on an island – alone for several months. I came home with the end stages of malaria, rickets and a severe vitamin deficiency. The drugs I was taking to correct all that proved a little too potent." He holds up his hand revealing a hospital wrist bracelet. "I'm under observation. I only really came out of the haze when the police arrested me at the castle."
"You were arrested?"
"The butler called the police after the leopard ate his shoe. The police arrested me for a variety of reasons – and you sprawled in a bloody heap on the floor was the primary one."
"I figured it'd be the leopard. At least that's something different."
Lex smiles and seems like he is about to sit down on the corner of the bed but stops himself. "Chloe, I don't know where to begin my apology."
"It's all right. You weren't yourself. And as long as the leopard is still alive none of the parties involved really got hurt."
"Bonjo, her name is Bonjo by the way, is on her way to the Metropolis Zoo." Lex methodically turns the bracelet on his wrist. "I'd feel better if you actually let me apologize."
The door opens and a grey-haired nurse steps into the room. A no-nonsense type she clears her throat for emphasis, "Mr. Luthor, we agreed to let you wear your own clothes but you have to return to your own room."
Lex turns to face the woman whose foot is now tapping an angry rhythm on the floor. Resigned, he agrees, "Let me say goodnight to Miss Sullivan and I'll be right with you."
The woman nods and closes the door. Chloe watches the older woman staring at Lex through the glass panel of the door.
"I don't think I'll gain anything but leg restraints by arguing with her. I'll come back tomorrow and finish my apology." Lex inches toward the door in his attempt to complicate the nurse's job.
Lex Luthor versus the RN strikes Chloe as funny and she has to fight down the laughter. "Lex, you're forgiven. I don't think I could take a more formal apology. Let's call it even. I mean you only tried to kill me twice and seduce me two or three times."
Lex pauses with his hand on the door. Without turning he offers, "If I really tried to seduce you Chloe you'd have a more precise count."
The door closes silently behind him.
Chloe's eyes widen slightly and then she laughs. Her hand goes to her head from the sudden jostling. "Ouch."
In the hallway, Lex smiles at no one in particular. He extends his arm to the waiting nurse. "I'm all yours."
Muttering a little about the quality of people the hospital attracts, the woman leads him down the hallway.
The End