The Right Time

Chapter Twenty One

Saturday night had finally arrived, and Beca was knocking on Chloe's door.

Knock knock.

No answer.

Knock knock.

No answer.

Beca had been waiting at the door for the past five minutes. She looked at her phone to see that Chloe still hadn't replied to her message.

'This is weird', she said under her breath.

Suddenly, her phone began to vibrate in her hands. She answered the call.

'Hello?'

'Beca, it's dad. Chloe's aunt has just called me'

Beca felt her heart drop.

'What's wrong?'

'You can't stay at Chloe's tonight- her mum has been in a car accident'
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Beca started the engine of her car and drove as fast as she could to the hospital. Her heart was racing, and yet she felt numb. All she could think about was her girlfriend.

After parking her car in the hospital grounds, she made her way to the ward that Chloe's mum was on. The blinding, fluorescent lights zipped over her head as she paced through ward after ward.

Then she saw her.

Chloe was sitting on a chair, resting her head on her mum's bed whilst holding her hand. Her mum was asleep and covered in cuts and bruises. Both of them looked so vulnerable.

Beca plucked up the courage to step inside the room, and walked over to her girlfriend, but she didn't know what to say.

Chloe glanced up, and then broke down in tears, before Beca wrapped her arms around her.

'It's okay', the brunette whispered.

She let Chloe cry on her for a few minutes, then pulled her out of the chair. Beca sat herself down, and gestured for Chloe to share the seat, slipping under the brunette's arm. The redhead rested her head on her shoulder, still sobbing.

'I'm so sorry', Beca said.

Chloe sniffed and took a deep breath.

They sat in silence until visiting hours were over.
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Beca met Ms Robinson in the corridor outside of Mrs Beale's room.

'Would it be inappropriate to ask if I'm still staying over tonight?'

'It's not inappropriate. I think that Chloe might need some space though', Ms Robinson replied.

'I don't know what to say to her', Beca said, voice wavering.

'Oh, darling. No one knows what to say in these situations- we don't prepare for these things', Ms R put a reassuring hand on Beca's arm.

'Shouldn't I automatically know what to say? She's been my best friend for years'

'I've been her aunt for even more years, and I'm lost for words, so don't worry'

The brunette held back the tears that were welling up and looked at the floor.

'I know that she'll ring you if she needs you', Ms R told her.

Beca said goodbye to Chloe in the hospital car park before they parted ways.

'I'm only a phone call away. You can call me whenever you need to and I'll be there'

Chloe gave her a warm hug, and whispered a thank you into her ear. Beca gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Saying goodbye to Chloe was incredibly hard.