Beauty, Roses and Attitude (The First Book of The Reversed Roles Series)

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

“Are you sure I’m allowed?” I run my sweaty palms up and down the sides of my top, jumping slightly when Adam touches my shoulder. He smiles cheekily, making a clicking sound with his tongue.

“Of course you’re allowed. Mum would be glad to see you…”

I sigh, running a hand over my hair. As if today is not eventful enough, Adam announces in the middle of ‘movie day’ that we’re visiting Fiona right after we finish the video.

I’m ecstatic of course but it feels like it’s been so long since I saw her and I couldn’t help but shudder at all the horrible thoughts of Fiona’s condition.

What if she looks too sickly? I don’t think I could bare it if I look at my second mother in pain and I couldn’t do anything about it. Adam is not helping with my anxiety at all when he would simply shrug and change the topic whenever I ask how she looks like right now and if she’s close to recovery or anything. The closest indication I’ve got is when he answers with “She’s fine” as we passed by a playground.

Finally, after a long and tiring walk to the hospital –I’m informed by him that he doesn’t have a driver’s license yet- we’re finally standing outside of the too white and clean looking building with different busy people going in and out.

I wonder if they’re visiting their relatives, their friend, perhaps their lovers. Are they recovering or were they just admitted today? Are they in gruesome condition or are they here for their monthly check ups? There are so many questions about strangers that I don’t know and yet the curiosity kills me.

Maybe it’s because of the anxiety that I would finally see Fiona after the long days spending it with her son.

The longest I haven’t seen her before all of this is for four days when I was thirteen. She was needed to tend to some business she refused to tell me. I remember how lonely I was, dissing and making rude remarks at the replacement for four days. In the end, the replacement –whose name I don’t bother to remember- complained and even tried to file a case against me. Stupid really when she finally realised that I’m just a minor and what would the case be about? It’s not like I did anything majorly unacceptable. The worst that I’ve done was ‘accidentally’ cut a section of her hair while I was sticking and cutting lesson plans.

“Are you just going to stay out here or are you actually going to come in with me?” He says, breaking my train of thought. I finally realise that he’s opening the glass door for me, waiting for me to come inside.

Coughing awkwardly, I quickly make my way pass the doors and into the building. I immediately regret my decision as quickly as I came inside. Yes, the hospital is clean and professional looking and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with the staff but when my eyes gaze upon the patients either waiting for their turn or the patients on the beds, I feel my stomach twisting.

I have no idea if it’s because I’m a little bit of a germaphobic or maybe it’s because I have never been in a hospital before and the overwhelming smell of medicine and rubbing alcohol comes to my senses. It’s also when a person moans, coughs, sneezes and cries almost make me run as far away from here as possible.

“I’m here to visit my mum? Fiona Huttmane?” Adam tells the middle aged old receptionist who gives him a small smile before typing something in his computer. “Okay you can go ahead, room 28” He says before attending to a couple with a crying child beside Adam.  

He leads the way and I follow behind him, my eyes only on his back to avoid the stares and the wails of both patients and staff. I curse his back quietly, observing his broad shoulders and the way his shirt seems to fit perfectly over his broad back.