"O-One month?" I stuttered, my face probably turning a despicable shade of pink. "I completely forgot."
"That's okay. All the drama that was caused couldn't actually help anyone. " he shrugs, his eyes gazing at me in a loving way.
"I'm sorry it wasn't anything too special." He adds, sighing and taking a hand through his hair. I pat on the spot beside me and smile as he sits.
"It's perfect, Alex." I finish off and for evidence I push the space in between away, letting our lips in contact. Shivers run down my spine and I pull him closer, my fingers knotting in his hair passionately.
We don't stop, and my lips swell as he pulls in for more. Soon, we're panting on the bed, breaking apart slightly. He pulls in for more, but a shout ends the magical moment. "Alex, Jenna, get down here! " my mom's bossy voice commands. I chuckle and slip off the bed.
He holds me back, caressing my cheek. His face is serious and his smile disappears. "I love you Jenna, please remember that."
"I love you too, Alex.." I trail off. He then breaks into a teasing grin and his eyes smile big and bright. He's so handsome. Oh god. My knees feel like jelly.
"Alex! Jenna!" My mom calls again.
He leans in, the teasing face and smile popping brightly. His mood is good.. Amused. That's the word that describes his smile. Amused. He leans in closer his breath on mine. "Tonight." His promise sends shivers down my body. He winks and leaves me.
I sigh deeply, the blush probably never leaving my cheeks as I finger comb my hair while rushing down the two stories of stairs. Finally, I reach the white sofas and the 'mancave' uncle and dad made. No one looms around there that much anymore. It's either dad and mom at the hospital or uncle. Taking trips and turns.
Alex is already in the kitchen when I reach there. Mom has a serious expression on her face. "Is dinner ready?" I pipe up, assuming to break the horrid silence.
"No." She narrows her eyes and looks at Alex, whose arms are crossed over his chest in a stubborn way. "What happened?" He asks.
"Your mom isn't in the best stage right now. We have to leave. She might fall into a coma due to all the pain." Dad sadly murmurs. The second these words leave his mouth, Alex grabs my hand and we rush out to his Porsche.
Mom and dad tag along as well. I look over to Alex's stern expression as he sends daggers to the slow Toyota drivers with their noisy to pick up trucks. Uncle is probably already at the hospital. I try to comfort Alex, but he blanks the world out. He drives so fast, dodging the old trucks and shiny blue cars. He speeds up on the yellow light.
The trees wiz past us and we finally reach the flickering hospital. People are surrounded, crying, or smiling and taking their old parents on wheelchairs out of this horrid- medicine- smelling place. They may try to make it seem nice, with its huge panelled windows and sunlight beaming through, with the small commercial tv's, but over and all, people know the real shadow behind this.
We exit the car and hurriedly walk into the air conditioned building. We read the signs, and we've already memorized the way to Dina's hospital room. We enter the florescent lighted hallway beside Tim Hortons, and rush over to the bright white door. It may be a fancy hospital, but then again, death is a promise inside of it.
I wipe my sweaty hands on my jeans as we see uncle. His forehead is pressed against the door. He sighs, his blue eyes finally reaching us. "They're doing surgery." He sputters.
"David, you know we can't save her..." My dad gently pats his shoulder. Uncle nods.
"Even though the surgery is expensive, I'm gonna try my best." He shakes his head and a tiny tear slips out of his eye. This makes me feel unstable. Oh god. If he's crying, I wonder how broken Alex is. I look over to his gaze. He's staring at the little red flickering sign 'Surgery' that is a few rooms away from us.
I reach over and squeeze his hand, helping him to sit down. My mom is sitting down, closing her eyes. Alex obeys and sits down on the cushioned blue chairs. I sit beside him, and draw patterns on his hands. Trying to make him calm. I can't help but remember all of the memories. Dina teaching me how to garden, Alex running in and pulling out a tulip, me slapping his arm, him sweetly smiling and placing the tulip in my hair.
They're all fresh.
They sting.
I let that little tear slip out of my eye as the world blurs. I let my head fall on Alex's shoulder. He smooths my hair absentmindedly. I bite my lip and let the world dissolve into thin air.
•••
"She's okay? How is she, Doctor?" Alex frantically asks. His deep and husky voice wakes me up, and I wipe my eyes, and then opening them again.
No one replies. I open my eyes and hear Alex's heavy breathing. Uncle has placed a hand on his shoulder. Mom is wiping her tears and standing up, they all surround the male doctor. He fixes his glasses and reads he clipboard again.
His deep breath tells me something I don't ever want to know.
"I'm sorry." He says.
"What! What, Doctor?" Alex shakes his shoulders and the doctor sighs. He has patience.
"I'm really sorry." Uncle collapses into a chair as the doctor repeats these words. They hang in the air.
" what are you sorry for?" Now Alex is the only one standing. He doesn't believe. He keeps on asking.
"Your mother could not be saved." The doctor says in a stern and firm voice. But sorrow seeps through. Alex is stiff. His hands fall to his sides.
I wish I never woke up.
This moment. It'll haunt me forever.
The day Dina died.
I shake my head, letting the tears fully fall from my face. I rush into her room, taking Alex with me. He closes his hand into mine.
seeing her pale blue lips, her eyes closed. For a flicker of a second, I see the altitude line awaking.
Maybe it's just me going crazy.
Dina's POV
I gasp for air, struggling. I cannot leave my family. I cannot leave my friends. My life. I have to try. I have to try.
Even though it hurts.
I have to gulp for air. The pain speeds up as i clutch the bed's side. I can't see. For a second, though, I catch a rough outline of a beautiful figure. Two figures.
I have a feeling deep inside its Alex and Jenna. And they're holding hands.
My son. He fulfilled my dream. I love you, Alex. I love you, Jenna.
Thank you.
Then the blackness takes over.
Alex's POV
"Alex, did you see that?" Jenna wipes her fresh tears, her hopeful eyes towards my own. I slowly nod at her. My mom was trying. My mother was dying, but she was trying. I saw from the altitude line. She didn't move, but I know she tried. Maybe she did move.. But we never saw her.
I sensed that she was happy.
"Jenna.. She was happy." I choke back tears, and leave my palms to explore her soft cheeks. She sucks in a breath, waiting. "It's all because of you." And then I pull in and plant a kiss on her mouth. She doesn't have time to react because I pull away.
"She wanted us to be together.. To get engaged.. To marry." I whisper, and Jenna nods with full hope in her eyes. Her smile is wide. "We were holding hands in front of her. I feel that.. Never mind. " I shake my head. I'm totally crazy. The doctor said she's dead, so she's dead.
"Alex, please go on." She murmurs right by my ear.
"You'll think I'm crazy." I motion to my brain. She laughs, and despite the tension and death that happened, I chuckle along too. She makes me feel alive.
"Babe, I won't ever think you're crazy." She mutters. I smile at her and nod. She calling me babe.. It's cute.
"I think that she saw us. Holding hands. And she's happy.." I firmly tell my belief. Jenna's eyes widen. I let the embarrassed blush rush through my cheeks.
"I know, it's crazy-"
"That's exactly what I thought!" She throws her arms around me. I slither my arms around her waist and soon hear her crying.
I shush her and pat her back as her mom comes inside the room. She collapses into the blue chair beside my mom and she sobs, holding Mom's hand. Soon, uncle files in and so does my dad.
Everyone is crying. My dad, silent tears. Jenna's mom, heavy sobs. Uncle, comforting his wife and shedding a few tears. "She was so energetic..." Jenna's mom lets her sobs and her remark fade into the air.
"Sh," Uncle says.
The doctor comes in, and he reaches to cover moms face. I stop his hand and make an inhuman sound directed at him, a bit like a growl. "Alex.. She has to go." Dad finally speaks up.
"Just leave us alone." I growl, causing my dad to back up. Uncle takes him and Jenna's mom out of the room quickly, with the doctor trailing behind remotely.
I sit on the edge of the bed and remember all of the memories. On rainy days, the thunder would be loud and the Lightning would scare me and Jenna. But despite that, we would go and we would play in the rain sneakily. When mom would find us, she'd bound to scold us and then let Jenna have a bubble bath in the bathroom beside my own bathroom.
We would scream and talk through the wall, and then finally get out of the tub. Mom would dry us up and make us hot chocolate. We would fish the marshmallows and throw them at each other. Soon, mom would be in the food fight and we would all get sticky. We would usually take a quick shower again and then get scolding.
After, we would watch tv and Jenna's mom would tag along. It would be evening and we would curl up, watching Treehouse channel or one of our favourite Tom and Jerry movies. It would be so much fun.
I'm full on crying right now. Like, the salty tears rolling down my cheeks increase and make me sob. I feel Jenna's arms around my waist. I stand up, facing away from her as she curls her arms around my waist and presses her chin on my shoulder. This moment feels so wrong but then so right.
Mom.. I want to curl up in your arms again. Mom.. I love you.
"Mom..." I trail off. I bet no other girl wants a sobbing boyfriend that's crying to get in his mom's lap. But then again, Jenna isn't any other girl.
She's mine.
"Jenna, I love you so much." I turn and kiss her cheek. She smiles through her tears. We sit down, sighing.
The light shines on her face. Her light brown hair curls around her arms and gathers down her back. It looks so soft and naturally silky. Her light, light blue eyes with grey irises are gazing down, her dark lips pouting. There's a beauty mark above her lip and her cheekbones are toned, sharp, and they shadow across her face.
She's... She's gorgeous.
She's the one. The one my mom wanted me to marry, the one I will marry.
"Jenna, will you be mine?"
•••
oh god I was crying throughout this chapter
-xoxo Hamna