Til Kingdom Come [Harry Styles- Bk 4]

ch.55 Faith-based

I drove home in tears. I refused to believe that Luxie was dy-dying. But she certainly wasn't getting any better. Everynight, when Harry came home, he grew angrier and angrier at the littlest things.

"They don't serve jell-o in the cafeteria. Goddamn. It's jell-o. Nobody dies from eating jell-o," he complained, kicking his boots off. I hugged him carefully.

"They'll come around," I mumbled, unsure what else to say.

Harry kissed my cheek lightly and slumped down on the couch. I helped him take his heavy jacket off.

The kids were in their own worlds. Darcy was plotting a way to get back at Brock. J.D and Candy couldn't stop making out "quietly" in J.D.'s room. Des was spying on J.D., trying to show Candy embarrassing photos of J.D. in diapers (but he looked so cute in diapers). And little Farah was multi-tasking: coloring in her room and singing 90s Britney Spears hits.

"And they're cutting visiting hours. Who cuts visiting hours?" Harry demanded. I handed him a cup of tea.

"Heartless people," I nodded.

"Yes, heartless scumbags," he agreed. 

I rubbed his shoulders, trying to squeeze the tension out, but it only made him stiffer.

"She'll be ok," I whispered so quietly, I barely heard myself. Harry looked up at me.

"You promise, Angie?" 

I swallowed back a tear.

"Yes."

***

Gemma kept calling and txting me, but I continued to ignore her. I really had no interest in hearing what she had to say, but part of me knew that what she and Vince had said wasn't the full story. Gemma had more to tell me, but right now, I was more worried about Luxie and Danny. 

I decided to drive to the hospital before work. I needed to see Luxie for myself. Maybe Sam was just depressed and was letting her emotions weigh down reality. 

The hospital was busy. As usual. I waved to Connie, the woman who used to supervise Harry when he did his service work at the hospital. Her desk was filled with candies and roses. My heart sunk in my chest. Is she retiring?

"Connie?"

Connie looked up at me and gasped.

"Angela! It's so good to see you, honey. How are the babies?"

"Babies" I shook my head. "They're taller than me." 

Connie held her wrinkley, grandmotherly hands to her chest. 

"My my my, how the sunsets faster than we can blink," she shook her head. Her hair was paper-white and curled like marshmellows.

"If only we could stop blinking," I whispered.

Connie laughed.

"Honey, I've been trying to do that since 1969," she winked.

I laughed nervously.

"Your Nonna had fond memories of those years," she nodded. Connie knew Nonna briefly, but only because of me. I introduced them since-- to be honest-- they were the oldest women I knew and I figured they could talk about the olden days.

I glanced at Connie's desk.

"So you either have dozens of admirers or you're--"

"Retiring," she nodded plainly. I took a step closer to her.

"But the hospital is your home," I shook my head. Connie took my hand.

"I know, dear, but I'm too old for the job. I can't keep up," she shrugged her shoulders.