Like Real People Do - Jill Roord

Trying To Hold On

TW: death, breakdowns

Jill's POV

"That paella yesterday was amazing," Mapi told me once again, filling in the silence after Hunter had gone to wake Nana. 

I shook my head, chuckling trying to run from the compliments I simply didn't deserve, "It's Nana's recipe, she taught me, I just followed her instructions."

"Well she'd be proud," Alexia told me, "Finally someone in the family can cook."

A small smile made its' way to my face, 'someone in the family', Alexia's words ran through my mind and warmed my heart. I couldn't hide the smile, those words meant so much but my heart stopped, running my blood cold, as I heard a scream from upstairs.

"Nana!" They were shouts of pure terror and wrecking pain; it was Hunter. 

All three of us immediately got up, I saw their faces drop as everything hazed into this slow, delayed panic; time defied its usual speed. Hunter's yells continued, each more heart breaking than the last, it didn't take a second until I was racing up those stairs, racing towards Hunter. 

The door to Nana's room had been left hanging open, a frame into the horrors inside. Alexia pushed past me, I didn't feel her arms pull me to the side until I saw her run into the room, nothing felt real. Alexia picked Hunter up from Nana and put her to the side, the girl was a mess.

I reached Hunter, pulling her into my arms as she fell to the floor, her knees giving in and sobs wracking against my chest. I ran my hands through her hair, panicked, and trying to calm her down as my eyes darted around the room; Hunter falling apart, Alexia checking Nana's pulse and begging her to wake up, Mapi watching from further back with tears streaming down her face. 

The entire room was a scene of pain and loss, trying to hold on for those final promised three weeks but having lost a person we all loved. 

"Nana, Nana," Alexia repeated over and over, starting off calm as she shook the woman's shoulders, "Nana por favor, despierte. Nana por favor estar bien (Nana please wake up. Nana please be okay)," she yelled frantically, feeling the world fall apart. 

I watched as Mapi walked over to the older Putellas sister, gulping back the tears and gently pulling her from Nana, "Alexia se ha ido. Alexia vamos, vamos. (Alexia she's gone. Alexia come on.)" Mapi pulled Alexia into her arms, trying to comfort the girl but Alexia pushed away, shaking her head.

"Tenemos que llamar a la ambulancia, (we need to call the ambulance,)" Alexia said, though I wasn't sure what either of them were saying as I didn't speak Spanish, and even then, my attention was focused on Hunter. 

Hunter didn't say a single word, not one that I could distinguish at least, they were sobs of agony and fear like our homes were being bombs and it would be our turn next; it was this despair, having lost the best thing she'd ever had. 

"It's okay," I hushed her, knowing everything was the exact opposite, "It's all going to be okay liefe."

"Jill. Jill," Mapi repeated my name over and over, catching my attention, "What's the emergency number in England?" She quickly asked me.

It took me a second to remember, every thought in my brain a scattered fragment, "999."

Mapi nodded, watching as Alexia frantically typed in those three dreaded numbers; the numbers that everyone wishes they'll never have to use and then she said the words no one ever wished to say, "We need an ambulance. Nana's died, someone's died," Alexia somehow managed the words, practically tripping over each syllable.