MADRIGAL

Chapter 3

Jane's mother lay in a hospital bed, surrounded by an array of medical monitors and devices. She smiled when her daughter entered the room and tried sitting up but winced for her efforts. Jane approached in tears. "Oh, Janie," her mother said, extending her hand.

Jane stepped close and started to lean over, but stopped, surveying her mother's form. "Where?" Her mother pointed to her left side; Jane hugged her on her right. "I'm so sorry."

"Honey, don't cry. I'll be all right." She patted her daughter's back "Hey, we need to talk about something." Jane stood up. "What, if anything, did they tell you?"

"That you were shot. That, and they found a tumor in your chest."

"They did." Her mother took Jane's hand. "And did they tell you it was only one, and that they think that they may have caught it early?" Jane nodded. "They haven't had a cancer specialist come to see me yet, they said this afternoon, but the doctor told me that it is very early stage. They think it gives me a really good chance, so I'm looking at this as a blessing. If I hadn't been hurt, we wouldn't have known about it, so let's see this as a good thing, okay?" Her mother squeezed Jane's hand. "I'm more worried about you."

"Me?" Jane wondered if there was something in her expression that set off the alarm bells of motherly intuition. "Why me?"

"After everything that you've been through recently, the last thing you should have to worry about is me. And now your vacation's ruined. I feel terrible about that. Is there any way you can get a refund, or reschedule your flight?"

"Don't worry about it."

"I do worry about it. I could tell you were so looking forward to it. You should have been gone by now."

Jane rubbed the back of her head and looked away. "And I still intend on going, just not now. Right now, you're the priority."

"I just don't want you putting your life on hold for me."

"Believe me, that's the last thing I'm doing. But we need to focus on getting you better."

"I just hate the idea... oh, goodness." Her mother tried to move quickly with a painful result. "Your cat. I didn't get to feed her tonight."

The thought of Silly feeling deserted in a strange place wrenched at Jane's heart. The conversation turned from her mother's well-being to Silly's. Jane wanted to stay with her mother. Her mother argued that Silly needed to be fed, and also that the surgery made Jane's mother very tired and that she'd like to get some rest. Jane insisted on staying another half-hour to assure all was good before departing with her mother's house keys.

Entering her old home, Silly was nowhere to be seen. Jane called her name as she checked each room. It wasn't until she reached her old second floor bedroom that a pair of gold eyes peeked from under her former bed. At Jane's call, Silly scurried to Jane's feet, rubbing against her mommy and protesting her abandonment with cries. Jane sat on the bed and tried to coax Silly up, but Silly refused to leave the security of the floor. Instead, Jane lowered herself to the ground and left her legs arched so Silly had the freedom to run around with ease.

Silly nuzzled Jane's right hand and side, ran under her knees, and rubbed the other side before jumping into Jane's lap. Silly crawled up her chest and sniffed Jane's mouth and squeaked a meow in her face, as if to ask what she had done wrong to have been left in unknown circumstances. Usually, Silly's head bunts and mews were enough to make Jane smile, but Silly looked as distressed as Jane felt and her affections appeared more a plea to not be deserted again, a promise that she would show Jane more love if Jane just wouldn't leave again. Jane stroked Silly's spine and tugged on the back of her neck and tried to reassure Silly that she wouldn't leave again, but both knew that wasn't true.