Love Metamorphosis

Chapter 25

                  

Jetlagged and exhausted, Jemma walked into the E.R. with her bag wearily wheeling in behind her. The taxi had taken her straight from the airport to the hospital without any problems. There was a line and Jemma had to wait a few minutes before she was able to ask the nurse where the family of Elizabeth Morgan was.

When she rounded the corner the first thing she saw was the little girl with a clipboard on her lap and a crayon in her hand. When she heard the tip-tap of Jemma's heels she turned her big brown eyes toward her, a bandage covered half of her forehead. Her short black hair was pinned back from her face and there was a scrape on her cheek.

When Eric saw her he stood and walked straight to her, not hesitating to engulf her in a hug. He held on so tight that she nearly broke out in tears, feeling his heartache like it was her own. Dropping her bag she hugged him back, trying to comfort him as best she could. Yet she knew from experience that it was very little comfort.

"How is your sister?" Jemma finally asked after she found her composure. She kept her voice as calm and even as she could make it.

"She is still in critical condition." He answered, finally pulling back slowly, as though he did not wish to be parted.

"Thank God." Jemma's voice filled with hope, "I am sure they are doing everything they can."

He didn't move away but instead cupped her face in his hands. "You don't know what a comfort is to have you here." He uttered with admiration all over his face.

"Expert in Child Psychology reporting for duty," Jemma said weakly, trying not to let her emotions spill out over her cheeks.

Taking her hand he pulled her over, and she almost didn't have time to grab her purse. Mary was asleep in the chair and Jemma smiled at the sight, as Eric spoke to Adele, "Hello Addie, this is a very good friend of mine, Jemma."

"Hello." The little girl answered without looking up.

Eric looked at her, "Now Adele you should—"

Jemma put her hand on his arm. "Hello Adele, my name is Jemma. Can you show me what you are doing?" She asked in a friendly tone.

"Okay." The little girl set the crayon down and turned the clipboard around; it had a picture of a car.

"That is a very good picture," Jemma said softly. "Do you mind if I sit down next to you?"

"Okay," she said going back to work.

"Thank you." Jemma said sitting down.

Adele turned her head over and peered up at Jemma shyly, "You smell nice."

"Thank you," Jemma said a little embarrassed, unprepared for Adele's natural tendency for direct honesty, "I know another little girl who likes to draw. Her name is Lucy and she is nearly the same age as you are."

"What does she draw?" Adele said, her little face finally completely turned toward Jemma.

"She likes to draw a horse named Kendra," Jemma couldn't help but smile down at her sweet little face, "Do you have a friend you like to draw?"

Her head bobbed up and down excitedly, "I like drawing Francis my fish. She is really pretty, and has all these pretty colors."

"Will you draw for me what she looks like?" Jemma asked, leaning back in the chair, as Eric slid her luggage over next to her. She thanked him briefly before turning all of her attention back to Adele.

"Yes." Adele said excitedly and immediately pulled off the top paper to start on a new one.

Jemma looked over the top of Adele's head and met Eric's stare. For a moment an unexpected feeling of love overtook her, it filled her heart up from end to end. He smiled at her in his own unobtrusive way that implied his admiration for her went beyond her ability as a child doctor.

For a moment Jemma couldn't look away but Adele broke the moment by saying, "This is her tail, it looks like hair doesn't it?"

Jemma looked down and couldn't help but smile as she answered yes, because what Adele had drawn was a Beta Fish. Francis her fish was most definitely not a she because the pretty Beta fish were all male. Jemma only knew that because she had done the exact same thing as a child.