Audrey Hepburn's Pearls: Part I

Chapter 61.1: 1995, Georgina

Chapter 61.1: 1995, Georgina

 

Across from me, the fragrant smells I'd become accustomed to this past week were drifting from the bed. I watched patiently as the daughter of my new Korean roommate spooned a strange soup into her mother's mouth. Or grandmother. I couldn't tell her age. There was no way to know, because whenever she or her visitors spoke it was always in Korean. The soup smelled very spicy and was a deep red color.

"Do you want to use the restroom before we go?"

I swung my head around to the voice beside me. Cha Cha was peering at me with the same worried expression she'd come in with. She'd seemed very stressed out since she got here, and it was making me nervous. What was she so stressed out about? She was fidgety, too. It wasn't like her to be fidgety. Even as a child she'd always sat still.

"No, I want to get out of here." I spoke slowly, looking her straight in the eyes.

"I can understand that." A small wane of a smile. What was going on with her? I wanted to ask but feared the difficulty. What would be the right way to ask? Would she tell me, then? She snapped down the clasps of the magenta suitcase she'd brought. I didn't have many things that had needed packing. "Do you want to say good-bye to Derek and Kelly?" she asked, patting down the rough material of the bag.

Good-bye? Not particularly. If I did, it would be more for them than for me. But it was the polite, nice thing to do. I was much more concerned with Cha Cha, and didn't want to waste any more time not knowing what her trouble was.

"Its lunch time. They're probably at lunch," I said, trying to deflect her question.

"Yes, it is lunch time. Are you hungry? I made some raviolis at home. I hope that's okay."

Darn it, she hadn't understood me. At least she was on a different subject now. "Sounds good," I agreed with her, watching my roommate eat a very spicy looking boiled egg from across the way. The yolk was the most orangest yolk I'd ever seen.

"Good. Let me go find Derek. We'll get you a wheelchair. It will be easy to get to the car that way." 

I curled my toes in my shoes. It felt weird to have them on after such a long time. I'd been surprised she'd found something of mine that didn't have heels. "I don't need a wheelchair." I fingered my azure blue skirt, feeling awkward. I didn't want to leave this hospital in a wheelchair. Not again.

"Are you sure?"

Success. She'd understood me this time. It felt good, a streaming of relief. "I'm sure."

She pulled the suitcase off the end of my bed and held it steadily in front of her with one sturdy hand. It didn't seem too heavy. "Take my hand at least. I don't know what I'd do if you fell." The worry came back into her deep brown eyes, absent in her trying to hide it but there was no hiding it now. I had a feeling me falling was not her main worry.

"Okay, I can do that." I offered her my hand and she took it. Her grip surprised me, so sure and strong. I knew it was there, but still. It was a grip that assured me that under no circumstances would she allow me to slip. With it, she helped me off the bed and was patient as I found my center and personal gravity. It was a great relief as well how my body as a whole was working now compared to a month ago. Such a good sign.

"Ready?" 

"Ready." 

"Do you want to lean on me? Would that be easier?"

My mind traveled to the first day here, when I had leaned on her on my way to the bathroom. How pleasant it had been in my time of need. 

"Okay," I agreed quietly, still remembering. With this, I adjusted my position and leaned on her side a little bit, feeling the weight shifting. It was a relief. As I did, she released my hand and surprised me by wrapping her arm around to my other side, holding me to her side securely but still allowing me to walk on my own. Such a feeling of well-being and security descended over me, all the way to my toes, which made me just a little bit confused by it all, with my reaction.