"She's a stupid sister"
A young beautiful lady sat beside Elizabeth's bed, reading 'Pride and Prejudice'.
"And god, I can't help but love her though," She said, without looking up from her book. "No need for introductions. I've heard about you, and you probably know about me as well."
Jay didn't know what to say. He knew that without any explanation that she was Claire, but she was different but what he had imaged. Claire still didn't look at him, and all he could do was stand awkwardly beside the door, wondering if he was interrupting something. Claire marked a page, and closed the book yet still didn't acknowledge him.
"It wasn't a suicide attempt, don't worry. I know since she's my sister, and since she called me when the accident had occurred," Claire said. "You know what she told me? She told me that she hated me. Hated the idea of me. What does that even mean? What 'idea'? My perfection and all that bullshit. Like I was ever 'perfect'... What a joke... But she told me that she loved me as a person, as Claire, as her one and only sister. And she said that although I was the reason for all her insecurities, she didn't care because she loved me..." Tears brimmed her eyes, her knuckles turned white as she pressed her hand against Elizabeth's. "The Turners have a common trait. They all feel too much and don't know what to do with them, and end up trapping themselves into their own personal blizzard. Elizabeth was just the same. And I would goddamn slap her awake if I ever see her so lost again. And I swear that I would be a better sister..."
Claire wiped the tears away with her hand, not caring for her mascara and makeup. Her other hand still tightly around Elizabeth's.
"Sorry for being like this although this was the first time we've met." She didn't sound sorry at all, and Jay didn't mind. "But I've heard that you come here everyday. Thank you for that. I just want you to know that she's not suicidal, she's not in that hell. I know, because she has you. So I'll trust you for now. Take care of her," And Claire left without saying goodbye, leaving Jay to wonder if that was another common Turner trait.
Jay picked up Claire's book that she had left behind: 'Pride and Prejudice'. He flipped the first page and it filled him with such nostalgic memories. It was a strange coincidence that the book that Claire had left behind was the one that had linked him with Elizabeth. 'Pride and Prejudice' was exactly how their relationship was before. Neither of them wanted to lose in an argument. Both had strong beliefs, and was very proud of them. And both of them hated the sting in their tongues whenever their beliefs was contradicted. They despised each other at first. They held unfair and biased image of the other and was extremely judgemental and quick to assume things. Jay hadn't dreamed that their relationship would have built up to this. He never knew that he could come to love another human being as much as he loved her. A foreign feeling erupted inside him, warmth pervaded through his body. His heart was pumping a new type of blood.
Then all the space and time around him had stopped, as Elizabeth's eyes were on him. The book slipped our of Jay's fingers, and a smile creeped into his eyes before he knew it.
"Jay...?" Elizabeth said. Her voice cracked when she said his name due to long-term disuse. "Where am I?"
But Jay wasn't in a state answer any of her questions. He was overwhelmed by relief and the breaking of tensions, that he couldn't form a coherent thought.
"Elizabeth.Elizabeth!" He cried her name. Elizabeth's eyes were still hazy from sleep, unable to comprehend anything.
"Jay...?" She asked again, gradually regaining consciousness.
"You're home, Elizabeth," Jay coped her face. "You're home."
"Then why're you crying?" She asked, slightly smiling along with Jay.
"'Cause I'm so a happy, so glad. I'm the luckiest man in the world," He said. "Now I have to tell everyone." And Jay raced out to bring back Claire and tell Elizabeth's parents the good news.
"Claire!" He shouted down the corridor. He earned a glare from an older nurse. "She's awake. She'a awake!" And Claire met his eyes, and gave him a knowing smile and ran up to ward 305. Jay called Mr. and Mrs. Turner, who cam quickly to reunite with their daughter. Jay watched as the Turner family crowded around Elizabeth in tears and in relief. Jay felt calm. Jay felt like himself again. No, he felt more than that. He was complete. And if he were to die in this very moment, he would not have any regrets.
He left the Turners on their own, knowing that Elizabeth need the time with her family more than ever. He could give Elizabeth the world, but that could wait. They had tomorrow waiting for them. And he felt so, so, glad that there was such thing as a 'tomorrow'.
