PERRIE
With Jade falling directly into my arms, it was easier to carry her into the car. But the drive to the hospital seemed like forever. I can't lose her.
Good thing, Leigh was already in action once we arrived. I was told they have to do a surgery to take out the wedged scissors in her side and stitch her up. Anything that has to be done to keep her alive.
I was still puzzled over the sudden change in Jade after she woke up from her first snap tonight. And the emptiness that reflected in her eyes as she raged at me was much a quiz to me.
I sat in the waiting area, burying my face in my hands.
"That was Jade Thirlwall, wasn't it?" a weak voice asked beside me. I looked up from my hands and saw a very thin woman on a wheelchair, her bones already outlined in the rough skin of her arms showing from the end of her hospital gown's arm and a teenage girl behind her, I suppose to help her around.
I could only nod.
"Is she alright?"
Is this woman mocking our situation right now?
"I don't know yet." my voice cracked.
"I hope she is. I'd like to talk to her, and..." she closed her eyes tightly, as if summoning a memory from the depths of her brain, "and apologize for what happened a year ago."
I wanted to know. What happened a year ago?
"Perrie," I heard Leigh call me.
"Excuse me." I said to the wheelchair woman.
Leigh came to where I was sitting to break the news.
"We were able to successfully take out the scissors from her side." This made me sigh in relief. "A mere inch up and it could have pierced her lung. Great thing you were able to bring her in immediately without nudging the blade further in."
"God!" I gasped. "Will she be fine?"
"She is. She's come to as well and looking for you. We've moved her to private room now."
"Excuse me for butting in, Doctor Pinnock," the wheelchair woman pulled on Leigh's coat.
"Oh,Miss Alice." Leigh looked down at her. "Are you in pain?"
Alice shook her head no. "You said Jade is awake,isn't she?"
Who is this woman to Jade to call her by first name?
"You know her?" Leigh asked.
"I do. I do. I was her sister's friend..." Alice nodded,that sad expression still in her dull graying eyes intensifying at the moment she said friend. "Can I go see her and talk to her?"
Leigh looked at me for confirmation. I shrugged.
"I guess, you can." I finally said. "Can you show us, Leigh?"
Leigh nodded and led us to the direction of the private rooms, the wheelchair's rubber wheels squeaking on the tiled floor.
"The moment I saw her,"Alice spoke as we passed the hall, "I knew it was her. She and her sister were always the prettiest among all of us." her voice trailed off. "Everyone knew they would be successful in their career,and we all envied them. I especially envied Jesy. She was very talented and so fit for performing, our class had to dig deep to find a fault about her, and few days before we were set free from living a life feeling lesser than her," she coughed. A little stain of blood sputtered on her arm. The girl behind her stopped the roll. Leigh also stopped walking.
"Wouldn't you better be off resting yourself instead Miss Alice?" she asked very gently.
"Bugger." Alice waved her off. She clearly was struggling to speak, but she wanted to keep on "I know I would soon be resting anyway. You see, the cancer has eaten me up all through, and Doctor Hughes, bless his soul for his honesty, has told me that I've only a little chance to survive. Fate had made mine and Jade's path meet one last time for me to accomplish one last mission, and I would last until that is done."
With every bit of story of the past coming out of this Alice's mouth, the more intrigued I was becoming about what happened a year ago that she mentioned earlier.
We came to a stop in front of Jade's room.
"You want to go first?" Leigh opened the door and I stepped inside. In the middle of the room was Jade's bed with her sitting up on it, staring into nothing.
When I stepped in, she looked at my direction and sighed, very deep, before speaking. "Perrie..."
I moved closer to her, pulling a chair to her bedside, and cupping the side of her face in my palm, tucking a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. She closed her eyes at the gentle contact, feeling my hand on her face as her eyes welled up again.
"We need to find Jesy." she sobbed.
"Hush, Baby." I tried my best to comfort her. "We will."
"No you won't." That wasn't Jade. It was Alice who had been pushed in by her nurse. "And I'm so sorry, it was my fault."
