Sparrow's Song | ✔️

Chapter Ten

<> <> Sparrow <> <>

Jayson visited me every day for the remaining week I was in the hospital. After the first couple days, they fixed my leg so I would be able to limp and travel. Jayson and Kit - whom I met the next day - has saved up enough money to fix one of my eyes, but not both. I was eager to do it then, but they refused because it would be cheaper to do both at once.

I also met the small kitten that Jayson found outside the hospital. She was energetic and happy with Jayson. Around me, she seemed to calm down and be content just sitting in my hand while I pet it.

I was happy the whole duration of that week, until Saturday came. The kitten and Jayson were in my room, Jayson mostly talking and me listening with a smile.

"Gordon actually ended up running into the wall because of it! We found out later that the only reason that happened was that Eveline had fallen into the rack!" Both Jayson and I laughed, but Jayson cut off soon after he started. My laughter faded away quickly as I realized another presence was in the room. Jayson cleared his throat. "Well, you'd better have a good reason to be here."

"What? I'm not allowed to see my own daughter?" Clinking sounded, like a chain moving slightly. The voice sent chills throughout my entire body. Brian scoffed at Jayson. "And who are you? You can't possibly be her boyfriend. There's no way she would ever get one the way she is."

I heard Jayson bolt to his feet, but he didn't move anymore. I knew him well enough now that he was holding himself back from lunging at Brian. "She's not your daughter. Not after what you did to her."

"I heard you did the same exact thing to the bitch," Brian spat. I reached out from where I sat and touched Jayson's arm. I felt him relax slightly.

Jayson sighed and put his hand on mine. "At least I'm trying to make up for it." I smiled, looking blankly down into my lap. You have a hundred-fold...

Silence followed for a moment, then I heard Brian move closer. Jayson's grip on my had tightened. I squeezed his hand reassuringly.
He backed up and made space for Brian.

"So bitch... I heard you got your eyes slashed. I..." he paused, and I closed my eyes, bracing myself for one of his taunts or yelling sessions. "I hope you do alright..." his voice broke. My eyes opened wide and I "looked" at him in surprise.

Jayson's grip left my hand. I hoped he didn't do anything stupid. I heard Brian sob. "I... I'm sorry about the way I treated you. I was just upset that..." he trailed off, then began again. "Drinking blurred my mind. I only saw a waste of space and money. I should have seen more. I tore myself from everything I thought I held dear. I just..." he broke out crying. "I know you'll never forgive me..."

I sat silently. I didn't know what else to do. Then, I slowly reached a hand out, feeling for anything of his. My hands met cold metal around his wrists. Handcuffs. The sobbing stopped abruptly. I pulled his hands away from his face, slowly swinging my legs off the chair and standing in front of him.

I tried to give him a look that said everything, but it's hard to do that when you don't even know how to say it. I reached out and wrapped my arms around him. He cried into my shoulder, tears - I could tell - that let out everything he never said, that he never did, and what he wish he hadn't done.

After a moment we broke apart. I felt Jayson's arm around me. Leaned my head against his chest as I heard Brian - my father - leave the room. I couldn't help but feel as if a small part of me filled, like a raindrop in a cup.

<> <> Jayson <> <>

I watched as Sparrow's adoptive father left the hospital room. Her head landed softly against my chest. I immediately felt my breath catch in my throat. I still couldn't get over the fact that the one I had hated for no reason for so long was now the very girl I couldn't live without. My parents never knew about Sally and I. Sparrow and I, however, they knew all about.

When he left our sight, Sparrow let out a heavy sigh, like a breath you didn't know you were holding bursting out. I helped her back into the chair. She was going to be discharged today. Clara and Eveline didn't have anywhere to go when Brian left, so I invited them to my place. My parents were surprised, but happily accepted them.

She would come home to my house when she was discharged. We both sat in silence for a while, until I spoke up. "So... that was awkward." She nodded, her head down. "Hey, you alright?" She nodded again. I reached to take her hand but she pulled it away as soon as she felt it. I sighed and got up, then held her shoulders. "No, you're not..."

She shook her head, and that's when I saw the shining tears in her eyes. "Woah, hey, what's wrong?" I sat next to her, one hand trailing her arm to her hand and the other following the first.

She pulled her legs up close to her chest, resting her head on top of her knees. "Is it Brian?" She shook her head. "Okay... school?" Again, no. "Well what is it?" She looked up. She was trying so hard to stop herself from laughing. "What?"

She burst out; a good, happy, genuine laugh. She pointed behind me. I turned. The kitten was stuck in an empty tube, it's cheeks squished together in a chubby-face. Despite the fact of it being stuck, it had gotten up on it's hind legs and was currently waddling around in circles as fast as it could go. I burst out laughing too. I turned, just then realizing she would have had to see it to think it funny.

"Hey, wait a second, can you see?!" Her smile disappeared immediately. At once I felt bad, but if she could see why were we trying to fix both eyes. "Why didn't you tell me?" She gained an exasperated look. Then I remembered our "conversation" earlier that week when Kit had visited she had tried to tell me without speaking, but I seemingly failed to notice. That's why she wanted to do it right away. I shook my head.

"I'm sorry..." she pushed me in the chest. I stumbled a little and fell into a chair. She had regained most of her strength back already. I called Kit and told him the good news. He told me he was on his way. I went to the front desk at the hospital and told them about Sparrow's eyes and what we wanted to do.

"Are you sure? This is still a little new, and the procedure isn't a guaranteed success, especially for someone like Sparrow who has been like this for a while." I thought about it. Then, I nodded. "Alright. You can let Sparrow know that it will happen tomorrow." I hurried back to her room. I couldn't wait for her to see well again.