Skin Deep (Featured - Completed)

Chapter Eighteen--Cheap Perfume

"John, it's not always muteness, it's the destroying of your brain! She just went deaf! She hasn't been writing on herself, has she? Oh my gosh, what if she does? It's so freaking genetic! When I first came in and had a chance of living, they told me any husband of mine would have to extensively be searched so our kids couldn't get it." She squints her eyes shut for a second, racking her brain.

"No, she hasn't, Jo. I need to go check and see what's going on with her."

I'm about to stand up when Josephine grabs my wrist. "No. Stay. I have to tell you. My mom was supposed to, but we don't have any time left so here it goes... They're bringing this man here. A man who survived Anglogo too, and they're going to run some tests with the two of us to see if what worked for him will work for me."

A slow frown pulls down at my mouth. "Who is this man?"

Josephine shrugged absentmindedly. "I don't know, he's in his twenties or something. I don't even know his name."

Against my will, petty jealousy starts to creep up into my throat. What if she connects with this guy, what if she likes him more because he can really understand her. "I don't want him coming here around you."

She pulls back from me, disgust all over her battered face. "What's your problem? He survived this asinine disease, John. They are going to compare our situations and hopefully fix me. Why do you care so much?" She pauses and the guilty horror on my face gives me away. "Oh my word. You think that something's going to go on with us? You're kidding! No!"

I take a deep breath and try to brush her hand but she pulls away. "Jo, it's just that I'm afraid you'll realize that I don't really understand what's going on with you--" And I might be falling in love with your sister.

"Oh my word!" The incredulous betrayal is written all over her face. "This guy is coming to keep me from hopefully dying. Do you seriously not trust me? Do you think it's easy having you run around with my gorgeous sister who is totally enamored with you?"

No. I know that it's not easy for her and it's definitely not easy for Jenna and me. But for some stupid reason, I can't get it out of my head that this guy is coming here and I have no control over it. "Okay, Jo, okay. I get it."

"Do you?" She just glares at me, the anger palpable.

"You're getting so much better. How can you even talk like this?" I'm sort of afraid to hear her answer.

"Maybe this is my last good day. Who knows?" The anger in her eyes has subsided to sort of a cool indifference. Something beside her bed beeps and she dry swallows three pills like nothing even happened. "I'm bound to have one, John. You know, the last good day but you never know it's the last until you're dead?" She tilts her head back and laughs manically, reaching for even more pills.

I grab her hand before she can reach it, she turns, ready to smack me. We sit there, both poised and ready to pounce, eyes locked. She finally collapses back onto her pillow, exhausted by it. "What the heck are we doing, John?"

I don't answer, but just lie back myself and put my arm around her. I don't realize that I've fallen asleep until someone wakes me up.

~~~

"John. Come outside." Jenna is standing there, in a hospital gown, her hair wet and spilling over her shoulders.

"Oh my word, Jen--" I mouth the words and tumble over the railing, crushing her in a hard embrace and spinning her around. "What happened?"

She smiles a little bit but acts pained when I put her down. "Sorry, still a little sore... Come. I'll explain."

I take one last look at Josephine, who is still sleeping. "I actually got to talk to our child Jo today, but she seemed a little psychotic. Kept talking about her last good day."