Exactly What I've Been Waiting For

Chapter 17

A/N: After 84 years....

-not edited-

A moment later, Baby Karl went to use the toilets, which left James some time alone with the blonde. "So how are you really?" She asked.

"If I tell you to keep it a secret, will you?" He teased. "I'm kidding. That's the last time I'll ask anyone to keep a secret for me. As for my condition, they're keeping me doped up on pain medication to keep me from acting unmanly." He coughed when he tried to laugh. "I just try hard not to act all drugged up. Especially with Karl," he gestured towards the bathroom with a nod to his head, "he's yet to understand anything that's going on. And I'm counting on the rest of the family to keep him distracted. He doesn't need to watch me grow pale, and weak, and eventually..." he trailed off.

"Hiding your condition won't make this easy on anybody. And I think Jade is taking it the worst."

"Stings, doesn't it?" He asked.

"What stings?"

A cough slash laugh escaped his throat once again. "Jade's the strongest out of my two kids. She puts on that front. But when she's angry, she'll shut you out and throw you out to a different universe. It makes it enough to make you wanna kill yourself. Trust me, I've been thrown to Pluto a couple dozen times when she was a teenager. Worst, yet best time of my life."

"I know she asked me to stay away, and I know that as her father, you want me to, but I love her." She chuckled. It was the first time she said it out loud to an actual existing person. "It's crazy. Everyone assumed that I was incapable of love. I even believed them myself. Not once did I ever consider the idea of falling in love with someone. But here I am, playing cards with her seven-year old nephew and there's nothing I'd rather be doing."

***
Meanwhile, Jade was just walking back to the room when something caused her to stop by the doorway.

She heard Perrie speaking.

"I'm head over heels for your daughter, and being pushed away like that made me want to kill myself." She ran her fingers through her blonde tresses. "Every time I see her crying, or know that she is -- I know that she cries every night in her bed -- all I want to do is wrap myself around her heart and take the beating for her."

Right outside the room, Jade leaned her back against the wall beside the door to steady herself while clutching at her chest.

"And when she said she was in love with me... I just knew I couldn't stay away from her. I'm sorry, sir."

"For what?"

"For hurting your daughter," she said quietly. "After falling in love with her."

"Ew!" Baby Karl screeched, walking back into the room.

Treating this as a sign that the coast was clear, Jade took a deep breath and slowly showed herself.

"Auntie Jade! Where are my cookies?" He had his hands on his hips, something she had taught him to look tougher and bigger than he actually was.

Everyone turned to look at her. "They didn't have cookies, but they had the next best thing -- chocolate cake."

Perrie stood up from where she was sitting and offered the chair to the brunette so she could sit down.

For the first time that day, Jade finally acknowledged Perrie's presence as she accepted her offer.

She genuinely smiled back at her.

***
They ended up staying at the hospital past visiting hours and was asked to leave, even had to be escorted out. Jade even ended up carrying her little nephew out after falling asleep.

"How about I drive?" Perrie offered.

Jade shook her head, opening the back door and setting her nephew there, making sure that his seat belt was secured. "It's fine." She sighed and arched her back. Her hand automatically cradling the lower portion of her back that ached.

"You must've had a long day. I was just offering."

Sighing, the girl conceded. "Thanks," she held out the keys to the blonde and walked over to the passenger seat.

When they got to Norma's place, it was Perrie who carried Baby Karl inside. "Would you like some coffee?" Jade asked, already making her way towards the kitchen after she had removed her jacket and placing it on the coat rack beside the door.

The blonde smiled, making her way upstairs so she could settle the boy on a bed. "I'd love some."

Moments later, Jade brought out a tray to the living room where Perrie was sitting. Hopefully, the blonde didn't expect anything, considering her mother was right upstairs. "Thanks for tonight. For Karl and for coming."

"You know I'd do anything for you and your family."

"About that..." she took a sip from her cup. "I wanted to apologise."

"No, I'm the one who needs to apologise. I never should've kept it from you to start with."

Jade wasn't going to disagree there. "But you did, and look where we are now. Look, all I wanted to say was that even though I don't agree with you keeping it from me, I understand why you did it. And it means a lot to me that you're here right now."

"How are you doing? Honestly?"

Jade chuckled. "Every morning I wake up and wonder: is this really my life? It's not exactly ideal, and I'm not gonna lie, the nights are the hardest. There's just so much I got used to that I don't have anymore." She said, looking directly at Perrie's blue eyes. Both knowing exactly what the brunette was referring to.

"You didn't lose everything."

"I'm losing a lot."

It was quiet for a minute. The silence was almost comforting to the point where Perrie even wished that they could stay right here in this moment. Nonetheless, she knew that there were still things they needed to sort out between them, but the blonde was just glad they were talking again. "I should go."

Jade nodded and followed her to the front door. "Listen, thank you again for everything. It means a lot that Karl has you." She said, opening the door for the other girl.

"Just know that I'm here for you too."
Perrie spun around quickly, resisting the temptation to kiss the brunette. But one thing the blonde knew for sure, she's not going anywhere.

So last night, my Nana went all apeshit on me because I tried sweeping the floor. It turns out, she still values this Filipino superstition wherein they say it's bad to sweep the floor at nighttime because you're basically 'sweeping all the luck and fortune away'. I mean, I love her and all, but I don't really see dusts and dirt as blessings.