Signs

Untitled Part 34

Chapter 34.

Carole was still out, looking as though she was peacefully asleep. She had tubes in her arms and nose and wires coming from her chest, matching beats with the monitor.

They stood either side of her, without lipstick she looked even more unlike herself

"Wow. She's quiet" he noted

Renny knitted her brows almost together "she's medicated"

"I wonder which ones. Could be handy"

"Davis!" She held back a laugh

While it was quiet, there was more he wanted her to hear

"Renny, there's something else i have to tell you, its about Amber"

"I don't need to know, Davis honestly. It's your business, and you deserve happiness...'

'No, it's not that"

"Please. Please don't, not now" She said, and then a whisp of air rushed through them, carrying the scent of roses with it and the words 'listen Renny' drifted with it, whispering so only she could hear, her grandmother's voice, determined and direct

"You're going to hear me out damn it, Amber came over that night, she was upset, because she had a crush on Molly and she came over to talk, that's it. She's a friend, like i told you and I'm one of very few people who know, you know?" he got the words out as fast as he could, not wanting her to stop him. She had to know. "Renny, I don't want anyone else, i want..."

"Renny?" her mother choked out, her throat dry and scratchy, her eyes blinking and fluttering trying to adjust

"Mom" Renny immediately bent down closer to her mom "Oh mom" she kissed her cheek

"What happened?" she was confused and weak

She looked to Davis

"You had a small, very mild heart attack Miss Carole. The doctors think it might be stress related" he spoke softly to her

"A heart attack?"

"Shhh mom, you're ok, doctor said it wasn't that bad"

Carole was quiet for a moment, taking in the news and then she frowned "i heard grandma" she searched her mind "and her perfume, i swear i could smell it"

"What did you hear?" she asked, carefully and gently

"She told you to listen"

Renny stood tall.

The doctor came in, the same one who had seen them in the waiting room "Oh good, you're awake, how are you feeling Mrs. jackson?"

"Like i played tag with a bulldozer"

He laughed "well i'm glad to see you have a sense of humor" he turned to Renny and davis "were going to keep her overnight, for observation. Her blood work is great, cholesterol a little high, but we'll go over that in discharge. You and your husband may as well go home, she's probably going to be out for most of the afternoon and night, we can call if there's any changes but i think a good night sleep and we'll evaluate again tomorrow"

"Ok" Renny said, her mother's eyes heavy already "wait, husband?"

"She's about to nod off, i'd say my goodnights" he urged

"Mom" She said, "I'll be back later OK?"

"Hmmmm" she said before her head slumped to the side

The doctor gave her a big smile "you may as well be comfortable - she is"

Davis smiled back, and Renny twisted her face up.

"Come on" Davis took her hand and renny left stumbling after him, still looking at the older doctor, handsome, and funny? Something about him, she thought.

Nothing much was said on the way home, so much was said already and all that was left wore the lingering truths, that Renny had misjudged the Amber situation, he had tried to tell her but she was determined to ignore it.

Her and Davis were too close, they had an unbreakable friendship. They had fought, but stayed friends. All these years and none of them had opened themselves as much as they had now, to this day. In the last month, Renny and Davis had both learned years worth about each other, tight personal secrets of sorrow, shame or pain.

They both knew each other now, what made them who they are.

She wondered why she couldn't open herself up to Brody like that. He had tried for more but she couldn't let go, or let him in.

But none of that was as hard as seeing all the signs she didn't see that led her mother to being in the hospital right now. With the shop, Brody and Davis, the garden she had let her instincts down, this was one of the reasons she liked to keep things as simple as possible, to not let too many people in, so she could read correctly, so she could see without distraction.

It was all too much.