The Transplant ✔️

27. Terms of a Princess

Jolie's POV:

"It's eight in the morning, did you know?"

After my disastrous date with Andy, Jobe and I had developed a new form of trust that I didn't think was possible. So for the past few days after that, Jobe and I found ourselves on the phone with each other, whether it be to talk about the upcoming surgery, or just to talk in general. Every now and then I'd get a call from Andy, but I'd give him an excuse of being busy or something of the sort that could get me off the phone. But Andy never called at eight in the morning, which led me to believe this caller had to be Jobe.

"I know, wake up; I'm having a crisis. Dad let Avie sleep over last night, neglecting to tell me she had dance class today. How do you curl a little girl's hair? I tried to use the iron, but I didn't want to burn her hair off, which it was going to lead to." Jobe Boston was panicking, and it was both shocking and adorable at the same time.

"Did you ask your maid?" I asked.

"She's against using any type of hair products, don't ask me why."

I sighed over the phone, then without getting off the bed, searched for a pair of shorts on the floor. I slipped into the shorts and put my ear back to the find.

I felt bad for Avie; she didn't have a woman to look up to for these kinds of things, and it was an awful shame. I couldn't leave her with her brother to get ready. I can just imagine Emeric trying to do ny hair, and that wouldn't be a pretty sight.

"What are you doing?" Jobe asked.

"I'm changing so I can come over."

"Oh, uh, yeah sorry." He blabbed.

"I'll be over in a few minutes." I let him know.

"Thank you, really. I didn't know what I'd do if you couldn't help. Avie is so picky with her look." He laughed.

I'm surprised he wanted my help, and not his girlfriend, Lisa's, help. But then again. Lisa would make Avie look like a whore.

"Alright, see you." I clicked the phone off and trotted to the front door, taking my brown hair out of its ponytail.

"Where are you off to?" It was my mother.

This was one of the many reasons I wished I lived alone.

"Out for some fresh air. Can I borrow your car?"

My mom picked her suitcase up, brushing her newly highlighted bangs out of her face.

"I'm heading to work, honey. You can ride with me."

"No, no, Emeric is off work today, so he won't mind me borrowing his car." I didn't want to be rude to her, but I didn't want to be with her in a car, as she questioned me on where I was going.

I knew what she'd say next; she'd tell me to make sure Emeric was with me to insure I'm safe. I love her, but she hovers me. I know I'm sick, but I'm too safe all the time. I needed to live my life, and I was going to do just that.

"Okay, make sure Emeric brings you and remind him to lock up. He can be so forgetful sometimes, but I know I can count on you."

"Alright, Mom, I love you." I gave her a hug goodbye and waited for her to leave before leaving myself, sending Emeric a text that I'd be back home later.

**

"Everyone loved my hair." I waited with Jobe until the end of Avie's dance rehearsal, which mostly involved a bunch of twirls and splits that I could never do.

"Glad to hear it." I had curled her hair into large beach waves, and added a bobby-pinned floral headband to match her outfit.

"Did you have fun in class?" Jobe and I were parked into the dance driveway, leaning against our separate vehicles while we talked to Avie.

"Yeah, I told the class about my new friend, Jolie. I told them you were saving her life, and even the teacher wanted to listen! She wants to see you both! Could you please, please, please, come to class with me tomorrow?" She was tugging on both our shirts, somehow reaching both of us with out little hands."

"I don't know, Avie." Jobe was reluctant, but neither of us could flatout say no to her. It was easier to agree.

"We will see." I smiled at Avie, who began to twirl in her puffy tutu. Jobe was shaking his head, but smiled anyway.

"Want to get some ice cream; you're sweating from you dance class." Jobe looked towards Avie, and then to me for answers.

"I have to be somewhere. Raincheck?" I had to be somewhere important, somewhere I never thought I'd be going back to.

**

"Miss Jolie, I didn't think I'd see you again."

"Gigi, it's nice to see you." I found myself at the local publishing building, even though I had turned down the internship earlier this summer. Gigi, bless her heart, had told me if I ever had a good article to let her know about it.

I did, have a good article, written by yours truly. I had been working for quite a few days on telling my story about my disease. I did, in fact, include Jobe. He was the reason I had been given hope, that one day my kidney disease will no longer live inside of me. Even if he doubted his goodness, it was alive and well, and I wanted him to know that. Avie had mentioned getting us to talk in front of her peers, and I was hoping to get my article printed by then to surprise both Avie and Jobe.

"What brings you here, sweetie?" Without saying a word, I handed her my rough draft of the article, then watched as she placed her glasses on her nose to read.

"It's touching, and probably one of the sweetest articles I've read in a long time. Utterly beautiful, and I'd love to publish it if you'd let me." She smiled.

"That would be great. It's a personal story, but I can't see myself not publishing it. How soon can it be published?"

"It's going to take some time. A few weeks, possibly; I want my editor here to take a look, but I have a few articles being edited right now and as much as I'd like to boost your article, I'm not eligible to do so due to contracts. Plus, it'll give you time tweak your article if you wish to do so. I will, however, do my best to get it published as soon as possible. And I'll be looking forward to possibly having you intern for me next summer." I was thrilled to be offered an internship again, and the possibility of being able to do so. It was also quite amazing to have my article being published. It might not have been as soon as I'd wanted to present tomorrow for Avie, but that's okay.

"Thank you so much." I shook Gigi's hand, so happy at how things turned out today.