Life behind a photograph

Chapter 28 | Part II

"I don't doubt that you're not. And I know that you know how to put someone in their place. We just don't want you to blinded by her."

"You're opinion of me insults me. You know I've been through and how easily I make out people's characters and motives."

"Well you have to be wrong sometimes eh?"

I'm about to reply to her but a huge commotion coming from down the stairs interrupts me. We both stand up and bend to look. A murmur of people's voices and shouts were heard. The elevator dings next to us and my eyes watch as door opens and out steps...

Ash?

She looked as if she just came from a photoshoot with Gucci. Her hair is falling down her forehead in bangs and her ears each had five piercings in them. She was wearing a brown shirt with the top buttons undone and black pants with a black long coat over the whole outfit. Her perfume spreads the air and I look in shock at her. Behind her was Andrew holding a flower bouquet and one of her other bodyguards who I don't know the name of yet. He was holding multiple box bags and another huge box which looked like a cake holder.

"She okay?" Ash asks as she comes forward and pats Alex on her shoulder.

The commotion from downstairs gets louder and I watch in horror as security, paparazzi holding cameras and people storm from downstairs, pushing each other as if they're life depended on it.

The security holds the people from climbing to the last stairway.

"Leave the things here and help them Andrew." she says softly.

Andrew and the other huge guy leaves the things on the chairs me and Alex were sitting on and goes down to stand us a barrier between the people and Ash.

The chatter dies down immediately as people see the bodyguards.

One of the security guards speaks up and tells the people to respect the fact that this was a hospital and leave the premises quietly or that legal action will be taken against them.

There were still a shouts of disagreements here and there but the people were sent down reluctantly.

"Is she okay?" she asks Alex again.

"Uh... Yeah. It was a minor stroke and the doctors said it wasn't serious."

"Well you worried for nothing." she tells me, holding my wrist and pulling me closer. She holds up a box bag I didn't see before and takes out a red flannel out of it. She casually gives the bag to Alex to hold and puts the flannel over my waist, tying it at the front.

"It's cold. Weren't you cold?"

"Ash what are you doing here?"

"Visiting?"

"Like that?"

"What's wrong with this?" she looks down at her outfit.

"Nothing." I say and smile softly. "Thank you and yes I was cold."

"And..." she walks to the boxes and bags on the chair. "These are for Beli- Bianca, I didn't what she liked so I got a bit of everything."

"Looks like you bought a whole store," Alex says.

"Did you see her?" Ash asks me, not bothering to pay Alex any more attention.

"No not yet,"

"I'll go see if she's awake," Alex says and leaves with an awkward strut.

"You didn't have to do this," I say when Alex is gone.

"You were upset though."

I smile at her with all sincerity.

"Thank you." I whisper.

"Lunch?" she asks.

"Ah." I look down at my outfit. "I want to see Bianca first and yes but not dressed like this when your dressed like that."

"Abigail? You can come now." Alex calls out with the door to the room half ajar.

"I'll wait out here." Ash says, rubbing my wrist.

"Okay. I'll be soon." I say and kiss her shortly before going in the direction of the room.

I close the door behind me softly and I walk to the bed. Bianca was sitting up and a canola was fixed to her hand but other than that she looked healthy. I let out a sigh of relief at the sight of her.

"Hey..." I walk to the side of the bed and sit on the chair that was already there. She smiles up at me awkwardly. I should be sharing the awkwardness based on our last encounter. But all I feel right now for my best friend was affection.

"What happened to you?" I coo in a soft voice, taking her hand in mine.

"It's not even serious. They shouldn't have called you." she says.

"Yes they should and I'm glad they did. I'm sorry I'm late, I came as fast as possible..." I say with a guilty yet apologetic smile.

"I'm glad you came." she says smiling back but hers was much pleasanter than mine.

"Look let's talk later when your discharged and everything. But I just want to say I'm sorry for talking to you that way when you were just worried about me."

"And I'm sorry for making a scene like that. I know Alex told you this was your fault but don't even listen to her. I was stressed because I was so embarrassed of how I acted." she says.

"Bi-"

"Hey you forgot these!" Ash shouts as she comes barging in the door with all the bags in her hands and the bouquet in her hand.

"Oh hey Belinda." Ash says as Alex takes some of things from Ash's hand. She leaves the cake on the coffee table and comes up to Bianca, "I got you flowers."

Bianca looks at Ash as if she has grown two heads.

"People do get patients flowers? Do they not? I read that in many articles."

"Wow... I'm flattered." Bianca says. "Now I can tell everyone that Ash Williams visited me while I was in the hospital."

"Now now... You shouldn't be getting old people sicknesses at such a young age." Ash says.

"Ash!" I yell.

"I'm obviously joking. What happened anyway? A cat jumped you or something?"

Bianca laughs wholeheartedly.

"Ash now's not the time for jokes." I warn.

"No really. I feel much better. They do say that laughter is the best medicine." Bianca says.

"Good." Ash nods at me and I roll my eyes. "See we can leave now." she tells me as if the others weren't in the room.

"Ash oh my god."

"You can leave really. I wanna rest up anyways." Bianca yawns.

"Okay but I'm gonna be back at night." I say.

"Me too." Ash adds in confidence.

"Yeah we'll see about that." I smile at her and give Bianca a get well soon hug and Alex a small wave.

"Oh and Ash?" we turn back around to her voice.

"I'm not signing autographs today." Ash says looking at Bianca.

Bianca rolls her eyes. "I just want to say sorry for all the shit I said about you the other day." she says.

"Oh that's fine. I talk shit about you all the time."