The Miracle Place

17.

{Jane}

JANE PULLED AWAY from Peter when someone knocked on the door. She turned to see Billy standing at the door with Joel peeking over his shoulder. They were both smiling with the same sympathy. "Hey, Peter, right?" said Billy. "I'm Billy, this is Joel."

"Jane's told me all about you," said Peter. "It's nice to meet you."

"Same to you." Billy cleared his throat. "I came to give you a warning, in five minutes, they're gonna come back in here and we're gonna have to leave, alright, Jane?"

Jane looked back at Peter who she assumed carried the same disappointment in his eyes as she did. She didn't take a moment to think about having to say goodbye again. She was too focused on the fact that he was here and alive. He squeezed her hand again like he was telling her he wouldn't let go. But Jane could tell that Billy and Joel weren't too impressed with the situation, either.

"Can we come back tomorrow?" she asked.

Billy inhaled deeply. "We'll see. Hopefully, yes, but... who knows how things will be tomorrow."

Jane frowned, noticing how anxious Joel looked, bouncing on his toes and glancing around the room and up and down the hallway. "Right." She mumbled.

Peter shook her hand, pulling her attention back to him. "I haven't heard about Melody, but she seemed worse than me. I think I'll be staying here with her for another day, even if... besides, I don't have anyone to..."

Billy took over. "We'll try to be back tomorrow, then." Though his smile was genuine, Jane was caught on his words like they were glued to her brain, and wasn't entirely convinced he meant them. Try, try, try.... Why try? Why not make it a promise?

Something caught Billy's eyes, and they followed the nurse as she stepped into the room. It was a different nurse than the one Jane knew. This lady was taller and thinner, and her hair was longer and darker, pulled back.

Before she could say anything, Jane stood from the bed and turned to Peter. "I'll see you tomorrow, then." She gave his hand one final squeeze as he nodded, and walked back to Billy and Joel. She didn't turn to say goodbye. She didn't want to.

They walked down the hallway until she was stopped when they turned a corner. Billy's hand was on her shoulder. "How are you doin'?"

Jane shrugged. "Alright, I guess. It's good to see him."

"Who's Melody?" asked Joel.

Jane didn't mean to, but she scowled at the mention of the girl's name. "She saved Peter from.... They've been sticking together all this time." Her voice lowered to a mumble as the sentence progressed. "Peter went to school for a while," she said, changing the subject. "That's pretty cool. It's great, y'know, but... I dunno- part of me hates it. That he got to go to school and make friends and learn to read and write- which is extremely frustrating when you can't-!" She sighed, lowering her voice. "Sorry. I just... I dunno the word for it."

"You're jealous," said Joel in his usual calm and quiet tone. "It's okay to be jealous, Jane. To want what others have. We all do at some point. Hey, Billy is jealous of my intelligence and I'm jealous of his-" he cut himself short, glancing around and lowering his voice, "his ability to lift really heavy objects."

"I knew it!" Billy cheered.

"I'm not jealous of his narcissism," he laughed.

Jane laughed, though she didn't understand the word.