Jenny Was a Friend of Mine
Catastrophic Accidents, You're the Only One that D
The hospital was not so familiar to me. I had only been there a few times, twice for community service and once when my cousin was having a baby. I was the only one with her when she went into labor, and I remember speeding even though I only had a learner's permit. Now it was different. I was the only one who could save her now, even though I was unwanted in her life.
Her mom had called me to tell me her room number. Room 346. My body shivered when I stepped inside the dimly lit elevator and I scrunched my nose when I smelled disinfectant, formaldehyde, and flowers.
The elevator stopped on the third floor. Cautiously, I stepped out and turned to the right. It seemed to take forever to get to the end of the hall, but I was finally there.
Jenny was hooked to machines, a plate of food in her lap, eyes glued to a mounted television screen. I took a deep breath of the sick-smelling air and rapped on the open door. She looked up, saw me, and stared.
"H-hey,"I mumbled.
"Hey."
"Um. How are you feeling?"
"Awful."
"Oh." I scratched the side of my head and brushed against my ponytail. "Can I ask how long you were stuck there?"
"About two days. Nothing's wrong, I'm just hungry. Slightly dehydrated, too."
Her hair was unbrushed but still beautiful. Her eyes looked sleepy and dark, but I couldn't blame her.
"Jenny?"
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry I got too involved."
"It's...it's okay. Thank you."
"Yeah."
So that was less dramatic than it should have been.
"Taylor?"
"Yeah?"
"I--"
"Hi, Jenny?" A nurse with a brown bob poked her head in the room.
"Yes ma'am?"
"I just need to check you."
"Oh. Okay," she muttered.
I watched while the nurse wrote things on a clipboard and touched Jenny where Andrew had apparently bruised and beaten her badly. Jenny winced and my hands reached out for her out of instinct. I had to turn away.
A few minutes later the nurse left and Jenny and I were alone. I quietly shut the door and sat at the foot of her bed.
"I meant every word I said."
"About?" she inquired.
"Loving you." This time my voice didn't crack and I didn't stutter whatsoever.
Jenny stared at me, then whispered,"You're the only one...I...I love you. Too. Andrew didn't love me, and I left you for him."
And after so many months, I leaned over and pressed my mouth to hers.
Her mom had called me to tell me her room number. Room 346. My body shivered when I stepped inside the dimly lit elevator and I scrunched my nose when I smelled disinfectant, formaldehyde, and flowers.
The elevator stopped on the third floor. Cautiously, I stepped out and turned to the right. It seemed to take forever to get to the end of the hall, but I was finally there.
Jenny was hooked to machines, a plate of food in her lap, eyes glued to a mounted television screen. I took a deep breath of the sick-smelling air and rapped on the open door. She looked up, saw me, and stared.
"H-hey,"I mumbled.
"Hey."
"Um. How are you feeling?"
"Awful."
"Oh." I scratched the side of my head and brushed against my ponytail. "Can I ask how long you were stuck there?"
"About two days. Nothing's wrong, I'm just hungry. Slightly dehydrated, too."
Her hair was unbrushed but still beautiful. Her eyes looked sleepy and dark, but I couldn't blame her.
"Jenny?"
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry I got too involved."
"It's...it's okay. Thank you."
"Yeah."
So that was less dramatic than it should have been.
"Taylor?"
"Yeah?"
"I--"
"Hi, Jenny?" A nurse with a brown bob poked her head in the room.
"Yes ma'am?"
"I just need to check you."
"Oh. Okay," she muttered.
I watched while the nurse wrote things on a clipboard and touched Jenny where Andrew had apparently bruised and beaten her badly. Jenny winced and my hands reached out for her out of instinct. I had to turn away.
A few minutes later the nurse left and Jenny and I were alone. I quietly shut the door and sat at the foot of her bed.
"I meant every word I said."
"About?" she inquired.
"Loving you." This time my voice didn't crack and I didn't stutter whatsoever.
Jenny stared at me, then whispered,"You're the only one...I...I love you. Too. Andrew didn't love me, and I left you for him."
And after so many months, I leaned over and pressed my mouth to hers.