Breathe-Chapter 11
By: Panda Angel
Jillian climbed into her car and sighed. The cool December breeze blew through her hair and across her face. She closed her eyes and breathed in the sweet smells surrounding her. Her mind left her current problems and drifted back to her favorite memory as a little girl. She was playing tea party with her daddy in the play house that he had built for her. Interrupting her reminiscing, her cell phone rang.
“Dr. Craig,” she answered robotically, opening her eyes to the bright sunlight.
“Hey baby!” Michael’s voice cooed over the phone.
“Oh hey hon,” she replied automatically. “How’s it goin’?”
“Great! I’m really glad I’m getting to spend some time with my family.”
“That’s great sweetie. I guess I’ll let you go spend time with your family. Bye now,” Jillian reached up to click the power button on her phone.
“Whoa, wait! Jillie?!” Michael’s voice called her ear back to the phone.
“Yeah?”
“Are you okay? I’ve been paging you all morning and you haven’t returned any of my calls. What’s going on?” Michael asked concerned.
“I’m fine, Michael. I’ve just been uh, preoccupied.”
“With work?”
“Um yeah, you know….being at the hospital,” Jillian was trying her best to avoid telling him about AJ.
“Sweetheart you should really take it easy. Are you sure you don’t want to take an early vacation and come stay with me in Cali?”
“Yeah, I’m sure.”
“You know I’d love to spend time with you, or I could come home and spend Christmas with you.”
“No!” Jillian practically shouted, then lowered her voice. “I mean no, sweetie. Thanks, but really I’m fine. I’ve got to go okay?”
“Okay.” Michael’s voice indicated a bit of disappointment. “Love you.”
This time he waited for a response. Jillian closed her eyes and groaned. “Me too. Bye.” Finally, the strained conversation between the couple was over.
Although Jillian didn’t have much of an appetite, she decided to go grab some lunch.
~Next Day~
“Mom, please go get some rest. You were here all night!” AJ pleaded with his mom to leave. He thought it was sweet and all for her to be there and want to take care of him, but he wanted some space.
“Are you sure, sweetheart?” Denise ran her hand over his cheek. “I’ll stay if you want.”
“I’m fine. Thanks mom. Bye now.”
Denise had just barely gotten out of the door when she popped her head back in. “Want me to pick up anything for you while I’m out?”
AJ thought for a moment. “Um yeah, but it’s not for me.”
Finally Denise left the hospital room. AJ looked around the gloomy hospital room and sighed. He glanced down at the casts on his two broken legs and tears formed in his eyes. He was terrified by the thought that he may never dance again, or walk again. Suddenly, he broke into an outburst of tears, no longer able to contain his pain and fear.
Jillian drove back to the hospital after having lunch. She dropped by the maternity ward to see if Dustin was working-he wasn’t. Then, she went by the ER to see if Molly was working-she wasn’t. ‘Hmm…maybe they’re out somewhere…together,’ Jillian thought to herself with a smile. Eventually, she made her way up to AJ’s room-the real reason she had come. She stopped outside his door when she heard sounds of someone crying. She peered inside and saw AJ there, alone, tears streaming down his face. Jillian knocked on the door, to let AJ know she was there, and scooted inside.
“Hey you,” she said softly, nearing the bed. AJ wiped his face quickly, trying to pretend like he wasn’t crying. “AJ it’s okay. You don’t have to act tough and strong around me,” Jillian said taking AJ’s hand into hers.
“Jillie…” AJ closed his eyes and took a deep breath to steady his voice.
“Shhh…” she placed her finger over his lips, instinctively already knowing what he was about to say. ”I know what you’re thinking and just stop right now. You are going to walk again and believe me, you will find a way to dance again.”
AJ looked into Jillian’s deep, sparkling green eyes and for a moment, all of his problems seemed to fade away. She was the only person in the world that made him feel like his world was perfect, only she didn’t know it.
Email: panda_angelaj@hotmail.com
