Letters to Juliet

Juliet

    As soon as the cab arrived at the hospital, We both jumped out, very nearly tripping. I ran through the first set of sliding doors as his mom stayed behind just long enough to throw some money in the front seat of the cab. After shoving a few 20 dollar bills at the driver and listening to the obscenities he threw at us, she caught up to me and we took a deep breath as the second set of automatic doors slid open, revealing a small foyer with a desk in the middle of the room.

    We slipped inside the first room and were immediately hit with the strong smell of antiseptic. As we walked up to the front desk in the next room, we took a few deep breaths to calm down and both opened our mouths to try to talk to the clerk at the same time, causing her to roll her eyes, plop her chin down on her wrist, and sigh dubiously. I stopped and smiled sheepishly at the floor, then gestured for his mom to continue without looking up.

     She stepped closer to the desk and requested the room and status of Devon Calloway. The woman looked slightly annoyed and gestured to a side staircase. "I don't have his file in front of me and, quite frankly, I don't feel the need to go and get it anytime soon just to tell you how he's doing when you'll be seeing him in 5-10 minutes. As for his room, it's 214 on the second floor." We thanked her and she rolled her eyes and mumbled something incoherrant, but it sounded rude enough to make me angry.

      I wasn't in the mood to be sassed, and after everything that had happened, I wasn't about to let her talk to us like that. So I stood in front of the desk and cleared my throat delicately and said, "Excuse me? Ma'am? May I speak with you?"

     She looked up dubiously and raised an eyebrow. "Is there something I can help you with, little girl?"

     I smile sweetly, take a deep breath, and tell her, "Yes. Of course you can. I just wanted to say fuck you and would it honestly kill you to show a little respect to the visitors? We're on the verge of losing someone we love and you have the nerve to sit here and disrespect us? No thanks. I'm about to lose someone I think I might be in love with and it's my fault, and I really don't care what you think of me. So, if you'll excuse me, We'll head up to his room now."

     She sat there at her desk, stunned and openmouthed. Devon's mom was having the same reaction. I just gave her a small smile and grabbed her arm, pulling her towards the staircase.

       "I like you, Bethany." She said as we began to stomp up the stairs. "I can see why Devon did too."

      I let a tear slip down my cheek and I turn to look back at her and smile once more.

      "Thank you."