“Nick Carter?” I ask as I run up to the reception desk in the ER. “Where is he?”
“He’s in cubicle two. Who are you?”
“I’m his girlfriend,” I say and run down the corridor to find the right cubicle. I find it and run in. Nick is sat up looking incredibly pale with a bad cut on his head. “Oh god baby!” I launch myself into his arms and hold him tightly. “What happened? Are you ok? Jay is dead?”
“He got shot,” Nick mutters against my body and I sit back to look at him. “At the club. The guy he was with shot him.”
“Oh my god,” I cover my mouth with my hand. “Did he shoot you too?”
“No, I just knocked myself out. They said Jay died immediately,” he starts to cry. “It hit his heart and that was it… Dead before he even hit the ground.”
“Oh god…” I whisper again. “Not Jay…” I shake my head and start to cry. He pulls me into him and holds me tightly.
“I’m so sorry Ali.”
The flight from Washington to Tampa was awful. I just sat staring out of the window praying that I’ll wake up any minute. So far I haven’t and I’m at the hospital now. The smell hits my nose and I realise it’s real. If I was dreaming, this clinical smell would’ve shocked me awake. I walk over to the desk.
“Uh hi,” I say. “My name’s Jade Li… Greene,” I correct myself. I’m not married anymore. “Jade Greene. My brother Jay was brought in earlier.”
“Let me just check the system for you,” she says with a smile and turns to the screen. If I didn’t already know he was dead, I would now. Her face changes so much as she looks back at me. “Uh, if you just go wait in the family room, a doctor will be right in to see you.”
“Thanks,” I turn and walk into the private room. I sit down and stare at the floor, waiting for a doctor to come and tell me just how my brother died. I don’t think I really believe it yet. I’m on auto pilot. Just zombeying my way around.
“Ms Greene?” a doctor walks in and I nod. He sits opposite me. “Your brother Jay came in with a gunshot wound and I’m afraid there was nothing we could do. He died before the medics could reach him.”
“Was he in pain?” I whisper. Everybody always asks that but it really is something you need to know. I need to know that Jay’s last few minutes weren’t full of pain and fear.
“No. He was shot in the heart so he died immediately. He wouldn’t have even known he was hurt.”
“Thank you,” I say.
“I understand your parents can’t fly out?”
“No, my mom is ill. You need me to identify him or something?”
“I’m sorry but we are required to identify him officially.”
“I’ll do it,” I whisper.
“If you just wait here, I’ll get a nurse to take you to him.”
“Thank you,” I say as he leaves the room.
Brian walks through the hospital corridor. He’s just been to see how Nick is. He’s being kept in overnight because he was knocked out for a while and is complaining of nausea. Brian’s going to head home and try to get some sleep. He glances into a room and sees Jade sitting there alone. He stops and stares at her, feeling completely torn. He wants to go and be with her, wrap her up in his arms and make everything ok. But he can’t just let go of everything that has happened in the past. He’s scared that he’s the last person she wants to see, that he’ll make things worse. As he hesitates, Jade looks up and their eyes meet. He smiles slightly and walks inside. She looks awful – pale and thin with wild hair and dark eyes.
“Hey Jady,” he murmurs and sits by her.
“Hi.”
“I heard about Jay. I am so sorry,” he tells her.
“It wasn’t your fault,” she mutters.
“Are you ok?”
“What do you think?”
“Sorry. Dumb question,” he sighs. “I guess you wanna be alone. I’ll go,” he stands up.
I watch Brian walk slowly out of the room and bow my head. He didn’t want to be here. He had only come in because I saw him outside. It had been so obvious that I was the last person he wanted to see. I mean, he hates me and we’re divorced. My brother dying doesn’t change that.
“Ms Greene, are you ready?”
I look up at the nurse and nod. I follow her out of the room and see Brian. He’s leaning against the wall looking so sad. He looks at me and straightens up. I really need him right now. I push away my pride and let him see the tears in my eyes.
“I need to go identify him,” I whisper.
“Want me to come?”
“Please,” I say and he nods, walking beside me as we follow the nurse down into the hospital mortuary. We don’t say a word as she leads us into a private room. There is a body on the bed covered with a sheet. I feel my breath catch in my throat as she pulls the sheet off the face. It’s Jay and Brian reaches for my hand. Jay looks so perfect, just like he’s sleeping. There’s no mark on his face, no sign that he’s dead except that he’s pale.
“Can you confirm that this is Jason Greene?” asks the nurse quietly and I nod.
“It’s Jay,” I say, my voice breaking into tears. “Oh god it’s Jay…”
“Come on,” Brian wraps his arm around me and we leave the room and the hospital, walking outside into the cool air. I move away from him and lean against the wall, closing my eyes as if it will stop the tears. When I open them again, Brian is still there.
“You don’t have to stay.”
“I know. I want to.”
“Why? You hate me. We’re not even married anymore!” I yell, lashing out at him just because he’s there. “Jay wasn’t even your family!”
“He was,” Brian says quietly. “He was always my family.”
“Just leave me alone!” I sob, dropping down onto the floor. “I can’t do this Brian!”
“I know it’s hard,” he sits by me, trying to hold me but I push him away.
“You don’t know!”
“I know I haven’t lost a brother or anything, but I remember when Kevin’s dad died. It devastated the family, especially Kevin. Please let me help you Jady.”
“I don’t want you here,” I tell him coldly. “I don’t want you to be here because you feel sorry for me. I don’t need that.”
“Why can’t I be here as your friend?”
“Because you’re not my friend. You’re my ex-husband,” I tell him and stand up. “Just leave me alone.”
Brian watches Jade walk away and stands up himself. He had wanted to tell her that she was wrong. That he loves her and they’re still married but it wasn’t the right time. They need to sit down together and talk about what they want. Brian needs to know that she loves him and that it is enough.