The Sweet Summer Of California

Chapter 30

Jc looked at me and I saw he was expecting an answer. But I didn´t know what to say.

"Jc I ..." was all I could say

"I know it came all of a sudden. But I've thought about it for a while and I wanted you to know that."

"But you know that I am with Kian." I said. He looked disappointed. "Sorry Jc, but I love Kian. And you know I love you too, but just as a friend." He became silent and looked down at the floor. I didn´t know what to do. I didn´t want to hurt Jc, but I couldn´t lie and say that I had feelings for him.

"But why were you flirting with me?" He asked and looked at me, his brown eyes were sad and I had to look away. Suddenly I felt a lump in my throat.

"What do you mean? I haven´t flirted with you? Jc, I don´t know what to say." I could feel the tears burning behind my eyelids, I was so shocked and didn´t want to hurt him. He took a step towards me and lifted up my chin. Our eyes met and both looked sad.

"I love you, Jess." He said, and I felt a tear ran down my cheek.

"Please Jc, can you go... I just…" I said and walked away from him. He was one of my best friends, I couldn´t ever imagine that something like this would happen. He looked hurt but went out and closed the door behind him. I sat down on the floor and began to cry. I don´t know why I became so emotional. But I knew that Jc were really looking for a girlfriend and he was one of the kindest and wonderful guys I knew. But I feel anything for him, not at all.

I picked up my phone and texted Sam and asked if he could come over.

Coming in two minutes!

He wrote back and I put my phone on the floor. I waited for Sam to come and I tried to wipe away the tears but as soon as I thought of the look Jc had given me before made me cry again. Suddenly I heard someone pull the door handle and in came Sam. He opened his mouth to call out my name, probably, but then he saw me.

"Jessie what happened!?" He exclaimed, and ran up to me. He sat down on his haunches and held out his arms. I crawled up in his lap and he sat down properly and held me.

"Tell me." He said, stroking my hair. I took a deep breath and sat up.

"Jc was here before, and he ... he told me he had feelings for me, and that he loves me." I said and Sam looked shocked at me. "And he looked so sad and disappointed when I said I had no such feelings for him. Sam, I don´t wanna lose him as a friend." I said and tried to calm myself by breathing deeply several times. He looked speechless.

"I had no idea he felt that way." He just said. Suddenly, I heard my phone and I reached for it and it said on the screen. I had to answer because it could be something important. I took a deep breath and Sam took my hand while I replied.

"Hi mum!"

"HONEY! YOU HAVE TO COME TO THE HOSPITAL NOW!" She exclaimed in despair, it sounded even as she cried.

"WHAT´S HAPPENED MUM?"

"Grandma had a heart attack and you have to come to the hospital, now!" She almost screamed. I felt my heart started pounding and the tears began to flow again.

"Mum!" Was the only thing I got out.

"Just get over here now!" She said before she hang up. Sam stared at me.

"Jess, what happened?!"

"Grandma ... she's got a heart attack ..." I said, still in shock. "Can you drive me to the hospital?" I asked before my voice disappeared and I burst into tears. Sam had panic in his eyes and threw his arms around me.

"Of course I´ll drive you!"

This could not happen, my grandmother was my best friend. She couldn´t disappear.

"Jess, we have to go now." Sam said and stood up, he grabbed my hand and pulled me up. He took my keys and locked the door behind us. We hurried away to his car and he drove quickly away. I cried uncontrollably and Sam held my hand and tried to calm me. I was thinking too much, she needs to survive, she can´t disappear, and she must cope. Since my grandparents didn´t live in a big city they were going to a hospital in LA so it would take us about an hour to get there.

"She will be fine Jessie. Okay? I know that." He said. I tried to calm down and when we finally arrived at the hospital, I had at least stopped crying. We went in together and he held me tightly. We walked up to the front desk and I asked Sam to ask for grandma because I was afraid that my voice would crack.

"Hey, I wonder which room Diane Wood is in?" He asked politely.

"One moment." Replied the receptionist who looked much stressed out.

"She just came to the emergency room so you have to go to the waiting room where you will find her and someone will help you there." She said and smiled kindly. We thanked her and walked towards the elevator to find the emergency room.

When we got to the waiting room, I saw mum, dad, Lily and Grandpa sitting there. All looked sad and mom was red eyed. Since she was a nurse, she knew more than us how grandmother's condition was, and what could happen. I and Sam hurried up to them and I threw myself in mum's arms.

"It will be okay sweetie, everything will be fine." She whispered in my ear. I had to calm down because there were other people in the room, I didn´t want to scare anyone. Although the clock was around one in the morning, hospital staff rushed by with patients all the time back and forth, it was not one minute of silence in the waiting room. I sat curled up in Sam's arms and waited for the doctor to come out.

Suddenly a doctor was walking towards us and mum and dad stood up.

"Are you Diane Woods’s family?" He asked.

"Yes, I'm her daughter, this is my husband." She said and dad shook hands with the doctor. Grandpa was still sitting down, he looked very sad. Lily was sleeping in the chair next to him.

"Could I speak alone with just the family?" The doctor asked, he meant of course mom and grandpa. Mum nodded and dad switched places with grandpa. They walked away with the doctor and again we were all silent.

"It will be alright Jessie." Sam whispered in my ear. He held me tightly and I tried not to think about anything other than his breath right now. Just when I would answer him, I saw the doctor approaching. I looked up and saw that he was walking by himself to us without my mother or grandfather. We all looked up at the doctor and waited impatiently for him to say something.

"How is she?" I said before he had the chance to open his mouth.

"There were complications and we had to operate her. But unfortunately we could not do anything for her to cope with the surgery." The doctor said. I started crying again.

"No, no, she must live. She cannot be dead." I said and looked at the doctor.

"We did everything we could. Mr. Sands your wife and father in law is with Mrs. Wood. So if you could come with me."

"Honey will you be alright here?" My dad asked and hugged me. I saw that he was close to tears, but I knew he wanted to be strong for me. I just nodded. I couldn´t talk. He took Lily in his arms and walked away with the doctor away in the white hallway.

"Sam…" Was the only thing I was able to say. He had tears in his eyes and I couldn´t help but to cry even more. He pressed me against him and I heard him crying too.

What would I do without grandma?