Lover

Mrs. Shah

Jaz was driving us from school as I told her about my day. It was a great day.

"Ryan finally asked for my number!" I say.
-"What? Really? That's awesome, Lia. I knew he'd come around."

Now all that's left is for me to make him fall in love with me. (Insert evil laugh and mischievous smirk)

Jaz had a great day also. She said that she saw Eliott's mum today and she told Jaz that Eliott finally settled down and bought an apartment.

We drove into the driveway of our home and Jazmin parks the car in Dad's regular spot. She has her license and been driving us to and from school everyday instead of Dad. My dad hasn't really been around lately because he's been kinda sick for the past few months. Mum said that we should just be patient and that it won't last another month. But she said that last month too...
I gather my stuff from the car and so does my sister.
Usually, Mum opens up for us when we come home but I don't think she's home today. She works longer hours now that Dad is hospitalized.
-"Mum?" Jazmin knocks thrice on the door.
"I don't think she's here. Her car isn't here either."
-"Right... Well I got a spare. Let me get it."
She goes back to the car and fumbles around for the keys while I wait there impatiently. Thankfully, she found it before I started nagging.
She opens up the door and we walk in. We're greeted by the thick air in the house as we set down our school things.
"God, it's so stuffy. I'm literally suffocating."
I pull at my neck, immaturely faking a dozen of coughs.
-"Open some windows then." Jaz shouts from the kitchen. And I do so. I go to put on a random episode of FRIENDS and flop on the couch like the fish I truly am.
-"There isn't really anything in the fridge," Jazmin says emerging from the kitchen. -"You wanna order pizza?" I reply with a much emphasized "Of course!" And she sits down next to me, tapping away on her phone, before calling Pizza Hut.
-"Yeah, and can I get the pepper- Oh... umm... sorry I'm getting another call, I'll call you back in a sec... thanks.
Hello?...
Yes, I know Mrs. Shah. She's my mother...
What?!"
She stands up abruptly. I snap my head in her direction. Worry is sprawled all over her face. Her forehead is creased and her mouth is ajar, and if I'm not mistaken I see her lip quiver.
"Jaz, what's wrong?"
She's gestures for me to wait a moment. She starts pacing around looking for things to stuff into her bag.
-"Where?...
Yeah okay... okay... we'll be on our way... yes thank you."
She lets out a breath, before closing her eyes and reopening them after a while.
"What happened? Tell me now."
She looks at me and opens her arms and hugs me tight.
-"Mum. She is... at the hospital..." She says rather conflicted.
"Oh... is Dad okay? What happened?"
She's cautiously trying to find the right words.
-"We need to go."
"What? No! Jaz, tell me what happened!" My impatience got the better of me.
-"Just go to the car, Alia! We're leaving!" Jazmin yells, taking me by surprise. She never yells at me. She never yells at all.
I grab my phone and jacket and storm off to the car, unlocking it and jumping in. Jazmin joins me soon, after locking up the house.

Everything is so confusing. All I know is Dad might be more sick, because Mum is at the hospital. And Mum didn't phone Jaz cause they asked if we know who's Mrs. Shah.
I'm sure mum would know who she was! Ha! Good one, Alia!
No, no, no, this isn't the time for jokes. This is serious.
————————————————————————
We reach. But the thing is that we're at a different hospital. Did they transfer Dad?

We walk in. Jaz tells me to have a seat while she speaks to the receptionist. So I do, because frankly I don't want her to yell at me again. I doubt anyone would want Jaz to yell at them. She scared the sh*t outta me before.
So I'm left alone on one of the sofas, I decide to check my instagram feed.
Yes! Tom posted today! Like!
Today really has been quite the day. First Ryan, then the call, then Jazmin, then Tom. I hope nothing bad happens to dad though...

-"Here," Jaz cuts me out of my thoughts to throw me a boxed up sandwich. Wow I almost forgot, I'm starving! I open in the packaging and take my first bite of the diagonally cut sandwich.
-"I'm sorry I shouted at you earlier." She lowly says. I look up at her.
-"I was stressed out and I just wanted to get here as quick as possible. I should've told you earlier." She has her head hung low, and avoids eye contact.
"Jaz, just tell me what happened. Why did they transfer Dad?"
-"It's not Dad..."