Deep Asleep

Chapter 21 : Rainbow

As usual, Max was in direction of the hospital. Those last days, her feelings kept growing again and again, at a point where it became hard to keep them inside her. Maybe she would find some courage to face Jane and tell her how she was feeling. Maybe. Or she would change her mind, like the days before. Anyway, she entered the room, and, as usual, Jane's smile made melt her heart.

- "Hey Jane, how are you?"

- "I'm good, and you?"

- "Same. What did you do today?"

- "Abs."

- "Oh, cool, how was it?"

- "Hard and tiring, as usual, but not as much as for my back."

- "Good, that's a great thing."

- "Yeah...I've something to tell you," Jane said. "Well, uh, my, my sister found a reeducation center, you know, to continue my reeducation..."

- "Oh...that's, that's great...where is it?"

- "In Seattle."

Max felt like hit by a rock. Seattle was so far, she would have no chance to see her in there. She couldn't even pay for a plane ticket, it was too expensive.

- "When are you leaving?" Max asked, paling.

- "Tomorrow..."

- "Oh, this soon!"

- "Yeah, the doctors accepted me to get out of the hospital."

- "Okay, okay, that's great, I'm really happy for you."

- "You're sure?"

- "Yeah, yeah, of course I am! It's just...I'm gonna miss you..."

Jane had a soft smile growing on her lips. The brunette held out her hand opened; Max looked at it before placing hers inside and intertwining her fingers with hers.

- "I'm gonna miss you too," Jane said.

Max weakly smiled and nodded.

- "We've to do something before you leave."

- "Yeah? What is it?"

- "Find out which damn bird is your favorite!"

Jane wasn't expecting this answer, explaining why she laughed hard. The brunette moved on her left to let some space for Max. The redhead took the book, laid down next to her, and began to turn the pages, searching for this bird. She liked how Jane was always touching the birds in pictures, like if it could bring them back in her memory. She liked her serious face when she was examining them, trying to know if it was THE bird or not. She was cute.

- "Are you okay?" Jane asked.

- "Yeah, why?"

- "You're staring at me."

- "Oh, uh, n-no, I mean, y-yeah, may-maybe..."

- "Relax, it's fine. I was wondering if you were feeling okay, that's all. You can stare at me, I don't mind."

- "Yeah...It still sounds creepy."

- "I've never said it wasn't!"

Max playfully pushed her which made Jane chuckle. The girls kept turning the pages, but the redhead was arriving at the end of the book. What if the bird wasn't in this book? She turned the last pages, closed the book, and looked at Jane.

- "THE bird is not in this book?" Max frowned.

- "Page 32," Jane answered.

Max frowned more before opening again the book at the page 32.