“JC, what do you think is going to happen when we get there?”
“Hopefully, Nicole will be glad to see us, and not kill Anna for telling us everything.”
“I know she won’t be upset. Probably she’ll start crying. But then try to play it off like everything is okay.” Symone sighed. “I’m just so scared for Adrienne. What if she doesn’t get better? What if she gets even worse?” JC looked at Symone, tears welling up in her eyes. He stretched his arm around her shoulders and hugged her to him, best he could on a plane.
“Shh, don’t worry about that now. It’s a long flight, so just lay back and try and get some rest.” He said, trying to calm her down.
Symone gradually fell asleep, while JC sat, eyes wide, not sure what to expect when they landed in Orlando.
“Symone, hon, wake up.”
“Are we there?” Symone asked sleepily.
“Yeah, the plane landed about a half hour ago. I wanted to wait for it to clear off before we left.” JC picked up her crutches and helped Symone regain her balance.
Symone and JC tried to make it through the airport as quickly as possible. They had each only brought a small carry-on bag, so they didn’t need to wait for their luggage.
Symone hobbled along, trying to keep up, as JC power walked through the terminal.
“Josh, slow down!” Symone finally called.
“I’m sorry, Sym. I’m just so anxious...” They both knew what JC was trying to say.
JC slowed his gait as they walked out side silently, and hailed a cab. It was deadly silent on the way to the hospital, except for Symone giving the driver directions. When they arrived at the hospital, JC’s hand was almost white from Symone’s tight grip on it.
“You go on in, I’ll pay for the cab.” JC knew that however worried and scared he was, Symone was that tenfold. She had known Adrienne all of the little girl’s young life, and she and her sister were extremely close.
“Thanks.” Symone could barely speak as she made her way into the main entrance of the hospital.
“May I help you?” A kindly woman was sitting behind the main desk as Symone approached.
“Yes, I would like to know what room Adrienne Hill is in.” Symone controlled her voice, sounding steady and confidant.
The woman gave her a sympathetic smile. “Are you a relative of hers?” she asked. Symone nodded, and the woman continued. “Adrienne is a favorite here, such a sweet little girl; and so brave. She’s in room 237, -second floor. The pediatrics wing.”
Symone thanked her and headed to the elevators as JC joined her.
“Are you ready for this?” She asked him, as they waited.
“There’s not much to be ready for. I just pray we’ll get good news soon.”
The ride was short, and when the elevator opened, Nicole was standing right there, almost as she was waiting for them.
“Nicole!” JC and Symone cried in unison. JC rushed forward and pulled his stunned fiancée into his arms, and Symone followed. She got so tired of maneuvering with the crutches; she dropped them and hopped on one foot to her sister.
Nicole wrapped one arm around JC and the other around her sister, as the three silently cried.
Finally Nicole pulled away from them and wiped her eyes and nose. “How did you get here?” she asked, trying to will herself to look strong.
“It’s a long story, sweetie, and I swear we will tell you later, but is it possible to see Adrienne now?” JC asked, rubbing circles along the small of Nicole’s back, grateful to have her in his arms again.
Nicole smiled at them both. “Well, whatever the reason, I’m glad you’re here. You are the two people I need most right now. Adrienne’s room is right down the hall. She’ll be so surprised to see you.”
Both Symone and JC knew it was a fake smile Nicole plastered on her face, but neither one said anything. There would be time to talk later.
Terri lay in the hammock, one hand holding open a book for her to read the other lying on her swelling stomach. At 6 and a half months pregnant with twins, her stomach was indeed rather large. She didn't mind, though. Chris had told her often how beautiful it made her look. "Hey Terri."
Terri closed her thumb in the book, and looked at the curly-haired man standing in front of her. “Hey Kid," she smiled. "Come lay with me." She folded over the page in her book to mark her place, and slid over a little. Justin lay in the hammock with her, his head on her shoulder, with one long leg slung over the side, rocking them gently.
The two just lay, rocking, and listening to the sounds of nature around them.
"You haven't called me Kid in a long time," he said thoughtfully.
"What's on your mind?" Terri asked knowingly.
"How do you know something on my mind?"
"Because you're not talking a mile a minute. Normally, I can't get you to shut up, so I know something's up when you’re this quite. You're thinking about Symone, aren't you?"
Justin nodded. "I just don't get it. Any of it. Her, me, our hearts...I feel like every time we make some sort of progress, we only wind up having to start all over again. We finally agreed to be friends, then she had to leave to go back to Orlando. I know Adrienne's really sick and everything, but this little part of me is selfish and wish she had stayed so we could work everything out. It's crazy, Terri. No matter how crazy she makes me, I can't help but forgive her and want her back."
"She's in your soul. You two shared so much in the time you were together. When you got sick that one time, on tour, she flew out just to help you get well. And when her band was first getting their brake, you were at every concert, interview and appearance you could be at, cheering her on." Terri paused. “When I first starting working with you guys, Chris drove me up and down countless numbers of walls. You know I did my best to avoid him at all costs. But slowly, he became less irritating, and I became more interested. He showed me who he really was, and he saw me in ways I've never let myself be seen."
"I know all about you and Chris, but I really don't see---"
"Trust me, Justin, you don't know the half of it. You don't know about the five hour phone calls, how we both cried when I left, for hours on the phone, or how he came to me when he was unsure. There is so much to tell you in that story. So much no one knows about either one of us. Maybe someday, after this story, or part in our lives, is over, I'll tell it to you. But the thing is, no matter how mad he made me, I had to forgive him. He was in my soul. Once someone is in your soul, they'll never leave." Terri bent slightly to kiss the top of his head. "Ohh!" She cried suddenly, her hands going to her stomach.
"What's wrong? Should I go get someone?" Justin shot straight up, his voice alarmed.
"No, no, my little soccer players are kicking. I swear, these really are Chris's children." Terri smiled. "I'm going to go inside and find something to eat. Lately I've been having a craving for feta cheese and lemonade. I'll leave you to your thoughts."
