Love In Disguise

Chapter 10

It has been almost a month since the car accident, and I have been spending as much time with Jada and her family as my work will allow. Most of her family turned around and met us at the hospital that night, and some even stayed for the remainder of the weekend. Jada has been a soldier for her mom. After she broke down for that moment in the hospital, she pulled herself together and hasn't really cried as much. I haven't seen her cry at all after that night.

We were allowed to see Mr. Smith, who was in ICU, that night before we all went home. Jada and I both stayed with her mom for the first few nights but when he finally woke up out of his coma and was moved to a regular room she stayed by his side every night. He suffered from a concussion and a broken collar bone, arm and leg. Last week he started taking PT and was now giving permission to come home.

Jada and I were now headed to pick him up; Mrs. Smith stayed behind to get the house ready for him when he got there. We pulled up to the front entrance and Jada went inside, ten minutes later her, her dad, and a nurse were all walking out the door. I got out and went to the passenger side and opened the back door for them. Jada opened the trunk and put his bags in there before helping the nurse get her dad in the backseat of my truck. I got his wheelchair and folded it up and put it in the back with his bags and closed it down. After Mr. Smith got in the car Jada and I hopped in the car and I pulled off.

The entire ride we rode in silence and I spent that time thinking. Thinking how thankful we were when we heard that Mr. Smith hadn't died. Since I have known Jada both of her parents welcomed me into their family with open arms, and although Mr. Smith isn't a man of many words he goes out of his way to make me feel welcome. He is the only father figure I have had since I lost my dad when I was younger. He never made me feel uncomfortable nor unwelcome in his home. I'm just so happy that Jada didn't have to deal with the loss of her parents like I did. As a child sometimes comprehending that you will never see your parents again doesn't hit you until you get older, but as an adult the affect is instant. You have them there and sometimes take for granted their presence never thinking they are going anywhere any time soon. I look around and see it every day, before Diamond died I tried to get her to talk to her mom but she was so stubborn. She lost her mom before she graduated college and took her passing the hardest. That is why I'm glad Jada has the relationship she does with her parents and is going to have the time to give them their flowers while they are still here.

We finally arrived at Jada's parents' house and were instantly greeted by her mom. I had already talked to the nurses back at the hospital about having a home nurse to help Mrs. Smith, who was walking out right behind her. We got out and Jada grabbed the wheelchair out the back and assisted the nurse with getting her father out of the truck. I grabbed the bags and followed everyone back in the house.

Mrs. Smith grabbed the bags from me and took them to the back while Jada and the nurse got her dad set up in the guest room downstairs. I sat in the living on the couch and went through my emails on my phone. I replied to a few of them before Jada and the nurse walked back into the room. I never really got a good look at the nurses faces but she kind of looked familiar to me. I didn't want to look crazy and keep staring in her face but I knew her from somewhere.

"Hey Jaz, how are you." the nurse asked breaking my attention from my phone.

"I'm fine, how are you."

"I'm good, so glad to be back home."

When she said that, I instantly remembered who she was. I hadn't seen her since my dad's funeral. She left town afterwards and I found out because of Diamond. Kayla was my best friend, aside from Diamond, we grew up together and I really missed her.