Back To You | Jerrie

Chapter 3

Perrie

Days pass by and nothing changes. She doesn't move or speak. I sit here wondering when or if she'll wake. Will she be the same woman she was?

Jade's mother arrived early this morning and she's everything she described her as. Her warmth is evident even in the situation we're currently facing. After she and Jesy embraced, she took me into her arms and held me close. I hadn't been sure what to expect, but it certainly wasn't that.

"Mrs. Thirlwall, do you need anything?" I ask timidly.

She smiles and places her hand on mine. "No, sweetheart. I'm okay, and please, call me Norma. I'm just waiting for her to stop being a stubborn ass and wake up." Her sweet voice reassures me that she has all the faith we need.

I smile at her as she sits in the chair next to Jade. I take the seat on the other side of her bed with the woman we love in between us. I grab her hand and hold it, feeling the heat that reminds me she's alive. The constant beeping of the machine gives me something steady to hold on to.

Beep.

Two seconds pass.

Beep.

One. Two.

Beep.

Norma clears her throat drawing my attention. "So tell me, how did you two meet? I wish I knew these things, but Jade has been distant. Her father and I are lucky to hear from her once every six months lately."

She smiles, but even I can hear the undercurrent of disapproval at her lack of contact.

"I didn't know she was being so ..." I struggle to find the right word, because really, I wouldn't know. We never had a meet-the-parents discussion. Not that my family would even require that.

"Oh, honey, it's not your fault. I raised her better than this. Once she wakes up, I'll give her hell, don't you worry. Now, tell me about you and Jade." Her eyes are alight at the prospect of learning about us. Not that our story has a very happy ending at this point.

"Well, it's kind of embarrassing ... but I fell on her." I giggle remembering that night at the restaurant. "I was out to dinner with my friends, and I tripped and literally fell into her lap. She asked me to have a drink, but I turned her down."

"You did?" Norma smirks, and I blush.

"Yes, I wasn't really ready to ... I don't know, date or contemplate dating anyone. I was hurt pretty badly by my ex. So the last thing I was looking for was a relationship," I try to explain. Too bad I didn't stick to that—it would've saved me some heartache.

Norma shakes her head in understanding. "Ahh, we all have one of those people, don't we? Mine was right before James. I swear I thought we had it all. There was always something keeping me back from going forward. However, as fools in love, we usually push forward against our better judgment. But then James came along and showed me what true love was. So how did you and Jade end up together?"

My voice softens as I tell our story. "Well, I'm a publicist and my company was bidding for Raven. I won the account and Jade was thrown back in my life."

"Sounds like fate intervened," Norma says with the voice of wisdom.

Fate or Jade Thirlwall.

"Yes, it did. We both tried to fight our feelings but I fell all over again. She's patient and understanding. She's everything I need. It was like no matter how hard I tried, I somehow found myself unable to resist her." I bite my lip and sniffle thinking about how much she owns me. "Sorry, I get a little emotional."