An Open Window

Chapter 12

A week later

She's gone. Mrs. Jensen is gone. I want her back. I hold a glass of water in my bedroom, trying hard to force down the Advil to calm my pounding head, as Jenny sits downstairs, probably waiting for me to come back down.

It's only been an hour. As soon as she whispered her sweet, final words to Myles, she flatlined. Myles had to be pulled away with force, and he couldn't stop crying. When I was leaving to go home, he was on his knees, and his family wouldn't let me near him.

I didn't know who to call, so I just called Jenny, because she's my best friend, and I knew she wouldn't ask questions. I didn't even say anything to her as she drove. She pushed to stay with me for the night, because she knew something was wrong, and I didn't argue. I just let her.

Myles had texted me a few minutes after coming home, saying how he wanted me with him, and how his family were jerks to not let me near him. I didn't respond, since this is something I'm letting sink in.

I'm still haunted from the moment she took my hand to say her final words to me. She was so cold, as if she was already gone. But the warmth in her eyes and her smile gave her away. She looked so alive, and healthy as she looked up at me from the bed.

"Sally, I want you to remember me. I want you to remember me as your backup mom, as the one who always believed in me, even if it wasn't as much as Myles. You two are meant for each other, friendship-wise. And I'm happy to know that I've been there to see you grow into this beautiful, strong, and courageous girl I see you as now. I love you, so much. You're really the daughter I never had. I wish for you to have a long, long, loving and happy life."

I don't want to deal with this pain. I don't want to lose her or Myles, since he moves away in two weeks. My hands shake, and I let my anger thrive, letting out a loud yell as I throw the glass at the wall, shards flying everywhere.

I sob uncontrollably, collapsing to my knees, and I ignore the sound of pounding feet through my house, and my hand bleeds from the shard that dug into my palm as I collapsed.

I just sit there as Jenny rushes towards me and holds me in her arms, stroking my hair.

She whispers soft words into my hair, and they help me go down from the half-screaming sobs I was letting out to soft ones.

"Sally, what happened when I picked you up? You barely spoke on the ride home and now...." She whispers, trailing off.

"I lost the closest person I had for a mom." I croak, and I burst back out into sobs, leaning into her chest.

She only rocks me back and forth, and after about five minutes, helps me up and leads me to the bathroom, where she patches up my steadily bleeding hand.

She's silent as she wraps the bandages around my hand, and tears still fall down my cheeks.

"Jenny...Mrs. Jensen is gone. She passed not even two hours ago. Myles is going to have to move and my parents are going to be even farther away from me, all the way in New Zealand, and they can't even make it to her funeral. I don't know what to do anymore." I sob, and she pulls me in, holding me tightly.

I don't know what I'm going to do without her.