“She’s in hospital just from been shoved up against a wall.” Said Sally in disbelief.
“There were complications and she has clots in her kidneys.”
“But they can fix it right?” asked Mary
“Yeh and now she’s in hospital all alone. I have to go and see her.”
“Are you crazy if Mrs Jaeger catches you.” Started Sally
“She won’t I’ll leave early tomorrow morning. If I don’t she will think I don’t care.”
“Jordan will you listen to yourself, you make it sound like you’re together.” roused Sally
Mary interrupted at this point “How will you get there.”
“I dunno haven’t thought about that.”
“You don’t seem to be thinking about much anymore.”
“You know you’re supposed to be my best friend, I need help and all you’ve done is give me shit Sally.”
Jordan gets up to leave but Sally grabs her hand and encourages her to sit back down.
“Why don’t you take a taxi” was Sally’s calm suggestion
“Yeh” said Jordan excitedly, then her mood changed. “I haven’t any money.”
It was 6 am and Jordan was already up and packing her bag for the journey. She quietly crept for the door.
“So you’re really going.” whispered Sally
Jordan nodded
“Have you worked out how to get there.” Whispered Sally
Jordan stuck her thumb up. Sally reached into her side draw and pulled out $10 and gave it to Jordan.
“Here take it, be careful.”
Jordan walked over to Sally and kissed her on the forehead “thanks.”
Jordan walked slowly into the hospital just after 7.30am. She looked at getting Kelsie some flowers but barely had enough money left to get a drink. She went up to the front desk and asked for Kelsie’s room
“and you are miss.” Asked the clerk
“Me.”
“Yes we are only allowing family to visit at the moment.”
“Well I’m her sister.”
The woman looks at her
“Her much younger sister, Mum had me late is what I mean.” Shut up Jordan she thought to herself
“Last room end of this corridor.”
Jordan continued then stopped as something caught her eye in another room. She crept in and watches an old lady sleeping. She carefully lifted the flowers from the vase and proceeded to Kelsie’s room.
She stuck her head in the room. Kelsie was still asleep she looked peaceful. Jordan laid the flowers on the table at the end of her bed. She then quietly sat down and watched Kelsie sleep.
The banging of the breakfast trolley in the corridor stirred Kelsie. She looked over and saw someone sitting and tried to focus.
“Jordan is that you.”
Jordan quickly stood and moved closer. “Yes I thought you might….” She didn’t know what to say “I bought you some flowers.” Pointing to the end of the bed. “kind of” she finished off.
Kelsie smiled and thanked her. There was an awkward silence then Kelsie spoke
“How did you get in here.”
“I said I was your sister.”
“Oh really and they believed you.”
“yes I’m a very believable person.”
“mmmmm. So how did you get here then. Oh my god my car.”
Jordan whacked herself “damn I never thought of that.”
“You’re angry I’ve come.” Said Jordan disappointed
“no no…I’m grateful.”
“I caught a couple of buses.”
“What about your classes Jordan
“I don’t have any classes until 2pm
“You thought of everything.” Said Kelsie
“Well actually I was hoping you could lend me some money, I don’t quite have enough to get back.”
“Yeh grab my wallet from the draw.”
Jordan opens it and takes out the $10.
“No take the $50 and take a taxi back, I’d feel better if you did that.”
“Ok…..do you want the change.”
Kelsie chuckled “No you can keep it.”
Kelsie’s breakfast arrived and it was put on the table over her bed. Jordan got back up and positions the table closer to Kelsie
“thanks.” She then flinches as she moves up the bed. She removes the lid off and the smell instantly turned her off. “Oh I can’t eat that.”
“Why not” asked Jordan
“I just can’t” and she pushes it away. She sees Jordan looking at it.
“Have you eaten yet?”
Jordan nods no
Kelsie pushes it towards Jordan “Help yourself.”
Jordan ate and talked about the soccer team’s preparation for the final and anything else that came to mind. “So we are ready to blitz.”
“Jordan”
Jordan looked up “What.”
“You can take a breath. You don’t have to tell me everything in one sentence.”
Jordan blushed “sorry.”
Then a smartly dressed woman entered Kelsie’s room. Jordan jumps up to greet her thinking it must be the doctor. She held out her hand. “Hi I’m Jordan Morton, Kelsie’s sister have you come to give us some news.”
The woman looks at the hand offered and shakes it. “Nice to meet you Jordan Morton.”
The woman then walks to Kelsie and to Jordan’s shock and horror she kisses Kelsie on the lips. She then turns back to Jordan “I’m Kelsie’s partner.
Jordan didn’t know which way to look. She even would settle for Mrs Jaeger to come in and drag her back to college right at this point.
The woman then turns back to Kelsie. “So honey how long have you been hiding this little secret.”
Kelsie laughs “Jordan this is my girlfriend Aimee, Aimee this is Jordan one of my students.”
Jordan looked sheepish “I’m sorry I thought you were a doctor dressing like that.”
“Yes well I suppose.” Aimee then turns her attention back to Kelsie and kisses her again, this time longer. The mood was broken when Kelsie cried out making both Aimee and Jordan jump to attention.
“Hey baby what’s wrong” asked Aimee concerned
“Oh shit it hurts again. Like someone is driving a hot knife through my back.”
She grabs her girlfriend’s hand for support. “Ok, shhhh.” Aimee strokes Kelsie’s face “I’ll go and get the nurse.
Kelsie starts to whimper, tears were streaming down her face. Aimee left the room for help
“Oh fuck make it stop.” She cried out.
Jordan felt useless so she held Kelsie’s hand and tried to soothe her. “Aimee’s gone for the nurse, hang in there.”
Aimee and a nurse returned and Jordan quickly lets go of Kelsie’s hand. She looked at the nurse getting the needle ready, then at Aimee who was already glaring at her.
Kelsie started to drift off to sleep so Jordan got up. “Well umm I should go and let you rest…all the girls say hi and get better soon. Nice to meet you Aimee.”
“Yeh likewise.” replied Aimee in a flat tone
Jordan was leaning against the bus stop when a black sports coupe pulled up and the door opened.
Jordan peered in.
“Get in Jordan I’ll take you back to college.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“GET IN NOW.” She ordered. Jordan obeyed
Aimee said nothing at first then “I’ve heard a lot about you Jordan.”
“Oh really.” Said Jordan happy that Kelsie talks about her
“Yeh you’re the one with all the emotional problems. In fact from what I’ve heard a real disaster zone.”
Jordan went silent
“She’s pretty good looking my girl don’t you think.”
Jordan still said nothing.
“We have been together for about 6 years now, she has a way of making you feel real special.”
Jordan clenched her teeth she wanted out of the car. Aimee pulled up just short of the college turn off. Jordan went to get out but Aimee used the internal locking switch to keep her in.
“Hey let me out.”
“Listen Jordan I think it’s really sweet you have a crush on my girlfriend but honey you’re not the first and I’m pretty sure you won’t be the last.” She let that sink in.
Jordan’s eyes start to get misty
“That’s the thing about Kelsie she has a big heart to go with that big mouth, but she’s not all that smart. She always ends up with the head cases and they ended screwing her over.” Aimee softens her tone. “Jordan if you care for her which I see you do, don’t let happen again that got her chucked out from the last college.”
Jordan looks at Aimee “what.”
“She let a student get too close, the student made complaint that Kelsie acted inappropriately and they kicked her out. It’s not fair because it’s always her that ends up copping the crap. You won’t let that happen will you Jordan.”
Jordan stunned by Aimee’s confession nodded. “Good girl, quick back to school.”