The Road that leads to Somewhere

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

            Jamie was out of hospital. I hadn’t been back to see him for a few days, while he was still there, partly because I had to make up my shifts at work and I was starting my lectures at university, but also he was in and out of tests and meetings with doctors so I had decided to wait until he was home. Dan had arrived home around dinnertime to inform us of the recent developments. Dad and I were watching T.V in the living room and mom was in the kitchen making dinner. He flopped down next to me on the big, fluffy brown sofa, of which I was curled up in the corner flicking through the T.V channels. He stole the remote control from me and I scowled at him as he flicked to a traffic cops show.

            “Hey douche, give me that back,” I said, trying to reach for it but to know avail.

            “Why? You weren’t watching anything anyway” he responded nonchalantly. I huffed and crossed my arms, scowling at the T.V like it was the one that had annoyed me.

            It was on the tip of my tongue to ask about Jamie. I still felt a bit weird talking to my brother about him and Dan still couldn’t understand my interest all of a sudden, but I brushed it off as much as I could. I hadn’t received any texts from Jamie to say he was home, but then I wondered why I would. Would he really think to let me know? Maybe I just wasn’t that important to him anymore. But he had asked me to go and see him again, that had to mean something right? He obviously wanted to be my friend again.

            “Jamie is out of hospital,” Dan said, looking at my mom as she bought dinner out to put on the table. It was like he had read my mind, but I knew that wasn’t the case as he had completely disregarded me as he said it, like I didn’t want to know this vital piece of information.

            “Oh Dan that’s good, when can we go and visit him? Is he up for visitors?” my mom asked, motioning for us all to join her at the dinner table. We all got up and sat in our usual places, me next to mom on one side and Dan opposite me and next to dad on the other side. They all started to tuck in but I had lost my appetite, wanting to know more about how Jamie was but not wanting to ask the questions myself.

            “Jules said that tomorrow evening would be ok, he is absolutely knackered mom, with not sleeping very well in hospital so he will probably sleep for 24 hours straight” Dan responded, shoveling moms spaghetti bolognaise in to his mouth.

I scrunched up my nose at his disgusting table manners and pushed my food around the plate.

            “Right ok then, well me and your dad can nip up to see him tomorrow evening after work, what about you Beth? Can you make it tomorrow evening?” mom asked, turning to me and noticing my nearly full plate of food.

She frowned at me but didn’t say anything. I could practically see her making the mental note to mention it later and stuffing it into a pocket inside her mind.

            “I’ve been asked to help with a stock take tomorrow evening with Frank and Marie and they are counting on me, I’ll just come the next time” I said.

As disappointed as I was at not being able to see Jamie for another few days, I planned to go and see him during the day on one of my days off from work and University the following week. I knew it was probably dangerous of me to see him when other people weren’t around but I wanted my time with him to myself, as selfish as that may seem. I just couldn’t be myself around him when other people were there. I think the same went for Jamie too.

            “Oh that’s a shame, never mind I’m sure Jamie will understand” my mom smiled at me softly and I smiled back. I hoped he would understand, not only why I wasn’t there tomorrow, but why I wanted to see him on his own.