In Omnia Paratus (AU) - Book 2

One drink

So I made the decision to go back to university. I had a long chat with dad and Rachel and violet. They're going to be up in town a lot because of the children's hospital here is really good and they're getting referred here.

I decided to let go, see violet at weekends when I could and then help dad out as often as he needed to with anything.

I felt awful. I couldn't imagine my child having cancer.

"Babe, I'm so glad to see you back." Richard met me at my place.

"I'm glad to be back here. Away from the drama of home. I like being back with my mates." I smiled. "Also have you seen Lily?! It's amazing how well she's doing."

"Yeah she's in the kitchen..." he smiled.

"Great let's go." I said handing him one of my heavy bags and I rolled my suitcase into my room quickly.

"About that..." he stopped me quickly from exiting my room. "I don't think we should go in there."

"Why?" I scoffed.

"Well Lily's isn't feeling great and she just--" Richard mumbled but I pushed past him and walked through to the lounge and kitchen and stared at Lily.

She was on the floor, on her side in a ball crying, and matt hunched over her trying to comfort her whilst she cried in hysterics. They didn't notice I was there and I just stood scared and watching them both, I had no idea what was going on.

"Jen." Richard snapped grabbing my arm and pulling me out of the common room

"She's upset, what's happened? Is she hurt?" I said sadly trying to get back in the room.

"You weren't meant to go in there Jen..." he sighed.

"What's going on? She's screaming in there." I sadly tried to push past Richard. He was never going to forcefully move me so I made my way past him and back into the room.

Matt looked up this time and we made eye contact. "Jenna," he began looking up at me properly. "I thought I told you to keep her out..." he snapped at Richard who appeared behind me.

"What's going on?" I frowned.

Richard took my hand and pulled me not only out of the kitchen but out of the flat and into the hallway and in the lift. "Lily fell, she was walking all fine and then she just fell to the ground and started holding her legs, she said something about her legs feeling...wrong."

"Fuck." I spat. "She's not better then?"

"We didn't want you knowing." Richard sighed.

"I know, but I should know Richard, she's my best friend. Forget about the accident or my depression or whatever, she's sick and I want to help." I nodded proudly.

"She hysterical, thinks she'll never be able to walk again so matts taking care of it for now. Need a doctors opinion before we start taking things too serious." He explained to me.

"Just when we thought everything was back to normal..." I rolled my eyes.

"Nothing's normal anymore." Richard said sadly.

- - - - -

"Hey." I smiled at Lily as she came in the flat in her wheelchair with such a face on. She had been told everything was fine, but she needed to rest in between learning how to walk again. Apparently she'd been taking things too fast.

"Hmm." She hummed back at me angrily.

"It's only temporary." I told her.

"I don't want to be sat down anymore. I was so close!" Lily sighed.

"I know, but you're almost there. They're saying next year you'll be able to do dance again." I tried to make her realise how quick it would be.

"I would be able to dance this year if it wasn't for yesterday." She sulked.

"Lil, you've got to brighten up about this. At least you can walk. At least this chair isn't a permanent thing." I told her.

"You don't understand I can't take it anymore." Lily kicked down really hard on the chair and then just put her head in her hands, she started to just cry again.

"Hey. Lily. You're smarter than this." I placed a hand on her arm. "Please don't make his worse for yourself. Look on the bright side of this..."

"Leave me alone, please." She actually said it quite nicely for once.

- - - - -

"Fuck off Richard, I'm not going out with you tonight, everything's tense at the moment..." I rolled my eyes at him as he followed me down the corridor.

"Just one drink? All the guys... and girls, loved you last time you came out with us." Richard laughed.

"That's because I was drunk and I'm very kind to people when I'm drunk." I laughed at him. "I'm also very stupid drunk so I'm not going."

"Please, Jen. All these people I've met recently don't believe me that I have a girlfriend, they think I'm making up this gorgeous girl I'm telling them about. How about we prove it to them huh?" Richard held my hands and stopped me from walking past giving me a little peck on the lips.

"I don't know..."

"One drink, it's a Friday night. Enjoy yourself, you definitely deserve it. Hey I'll let you invite your flatmates, Max, Holly, Grace, Tom any of them... oh and uh... lover boy what's his name? Alex?" Richard mocked.

"Alex has a girlfriend now so stop mocking." I laughed at him. "Maybe I'll invite some of them and I'll have one maybe two drinks..." I smiled up at him.

"Yes!" He laughed letting me pass and we held hands as we walked along. "I love drunk Jenna, i love drunk talks with Jenna, I love drunk sex with Jenna... everything about tonight is going to be good." Richard laughed.

"Who said I'd be drunk and who mentioned sex?" I moaned at him.

"You know what you're like when you've had a few. You're dying to shag someone, just hopefully me." He joked.

"Only you." I frowned at him. I don't know what he thought of me, but that needed to change. "Hey I always wanted to ask you, am I the weirdest girl you've been with?"

"Weird...meaning?"

"Meaning, I've even had your kid and we're still together." I told him.

"You're the only girl I've properly loved." He smiled at me.

"You didn't love honour?" I asked.

"Nope I used her to make you jealous and look it worked." Richard explained.

"Just like I used George from modelling. Even though the sex was good, I never loved him." I told him to reassure him that that was okay to feel that way.

"I just can't imagine my life without you. I want to marry you, have your kids, be grandparents together, and die together. I just always want to be with you." Richard smiled at me so happily.

"Ah babe... stop kissing up I'll come to the pub with you tonight." I laughed it off. That speech was very serious saying he wanted marriage etc. Freaked me out.