A Little Bit Of Joy | ✔

Chapter Thirty : The Boy Who Left

She gestured at the disgusting hospital food and disappeared. My taste buds were pretty much destroyed due to all the medicines which I religiously took each day, but this food didn't look appetizing at all- pure goo. It was nice to eat delicious looking food although I couldn't taste half of it. Maybe food would motivate me to get out of here.

I forced the food down my throat and right when I managed to finish it, someone knocked on the open door to draw my attention. I looked up and it was the nurse- my mum and sister lurking behind her. The nurse stepped aside and mum dashed towards me, engulfing me into a warm hug.

"I'm alright maa," I mumbled against her stomach. I felt wet tears dropping on my head and I laughed lightly. "Stop crying maa, it's embarrassing."

I could feel her smiling against my hair. "Okay, I won't cry, but it's a horrible thing to be embarrassed of your mum."

"Sorry," I said playfully, humouring her. "Now let go of me, I'm not dying this moment, but I'll definitely die of suffocation."

My mum released me, smacked my head lightly, but her eyes held a depth of seriousness. "Don't talk about that."

"Alright, alright." I sighed and mum dropped a paper bag on my lap.

"Green smoothie from home, the only thing I could make quickly. If you don't get discharged by night, I'll try to bring some good, hot meal," she promised. "The food here will make my poor Joy more sick."

"Thank you maa!" I gave her another quick hug and then stretched my arms out at Gemma. "Come here Gem." She obediently fell into my arms and I clutched her tightly. I missed her so much. She squeaked a protest since she didn't like hugging much and I laughed, freeing her. "Okay, okay, you go."

I had frequent trips to the hospital and each time my family tried their best to contain emotions. We didn't weep every time, but today was somewhat different. This was the first time after a long time I had broken down and it wasn't about me. My family was fond of Logan and losing him because of my foolishness . . . I shook my head, no, no, no, don't cry in front of them.

"Your sister would like to apologise," my mum said suddenly, her voice formal and glared at Gemma.

"What for?" I frowned when I noticed Gemma struggling.

"I'm sorry!" she blurted out. "I'm sorry I went crazy back at the lighthouse that night. I should have-should have taken care of you more, I should have--- "

"What are you talking about?" My forehead creased.

Mum's lips were pursed into a thin line, her face grim. "Gemma told me everything. She had started to act unusually after you turned terribly ill back there--- "

"Unusually?" My eyebrows rose up. "Maa, how can you say that? You know her-her . . . " I trailed off, looking at Gemma awkwardly. We tried not to point out Gemma's autism in our daily conversation, we tried to make her feel normal [it was stupid though, mum's idea] "Gemma was perfectly fine that day, she helped Logan bring me here."

"It's okay, you don't need to take my side. You were in the bathroom that time, you don't know," Gemma said in a small voice and my mum smiled satisfactorily. "I'm sorry, it was my fault."

"No, it wasn't your fault! You did everything you could and if-if Logan was here, he would tell the same thing." I grasped her hand tightly. "You don't have to be sorry about anything, okay? It was certainly not your fault, do you understand?" She nodded reluctantly, my mum watching her every move critically. I whispered, almost mouthed so only Gemma could hear. "Don't listen to maa."

I dreaded the day when I would be long gone, dad would go back to work abroad, Shaun would be in France for his internship and mum and Gemma would be left alone in the house. I wouldn't be around to defend Gemma from mum's taunts. Mum was really a good mother-the best to me, but her methods of raising Gemma were clearly different.

My mum said reproachfully, "I heard that Joy. You know it's only to help her grow. She needs to own up to her mistakes."

"That's what's wrong, it's not her mistake! Arguing is pointless--- " I was cut off when the nurse followed by two cops entered the room briskly. I straightened my back and mum took a protective stance in front of me, Gemma shrinking into a corner.

"What happened?" my mum asked guardedly.

The brown moustache cop spoke, "It's nothing much ma'am, we only need to ask a few questions regarding Logan Kellerman. It comes to our notice that Joy Jones ran away with him--- "

"Helped him," I corrected dumbly and bit the inside of my cheek. It was better to shut my mouth.

Both the officers gazed at me, nodding slowly. "Yeah so Miss Joy Jones, there are some things that needs to be answered--- "

"She isn't going to answer any questions now," my mum declared confidently. "Excuse us officer, but she's really sick. It would be nice if the interrogation happened later, she needs to recover."

"We understand that ma'am, but her co-operation is necessary," the blonde one said, his voice indicating forced politeness.

"No--- "

"Maa, it's okay--- "

"No, it's not okay Joy. It's rude to disturb patients who are gravely ill," mum said spitefully and glowered at me. I swallowed. I should indeed seal my mouth shut. I knew why mum was dodging the cops for now, she probably wanted to instruct me as to what to tell and what not to during the interrogation. Crafting and framing answers to possible questions prior would always work in our favour.

The blonde cop was going to say something for he opened his mouth, obviously irritated. However, the brown moustache caught his arm. He smiled at us and said, "Never mind, we'll come later."

My mum said something like "huh" in derision and I just smiled ruefully at the cops. It didn't matter anyway. Logan was imprisoned by his uncle and his future was snatched away. His future which he was so hopeful of sometimes . . .