The rain was pounding bard down on the earth like sharp needles piercing through the very core of Alex's heart. It was turning out to be a gloomy day with the storm outside and it dampened Alex's spirits all the more having to think about what was coming to her. Not the move, not the abandoning of her friends but abandoning someone else, the person that she refused to tell about the move. To her surprise, it wasn't even Leonce who had been on her mind. It was someone else. The first and last person she thought about before closing her eyes.
It would be raining, she thought grudgingly, Maybe the sky is crying my tears for me.
The doorbell sounded throughout the apartment as Aunt Linda shouted from downstairs. "Alex, one of your friends is here to see you. Make it fast. We'll be leaving soon."
Alex moped towards the staircase, slowly stepping on each and every memorable step, making light clunks against the floor. She couldn't bare to tell the rest of her friends about the move, for she knew that she would miss them too much. She wouldn't be able to let them see the strong, calm Alex cry! She didn't want to leave with that weak impression lingering behind.
Alex reached the doorway as the dark gloomy sky came into view, the rain sounding heavier with each step. On the front patio stood a soaked Leonce, hands on his knees, panting heavily in and out as he shakily looked up at her with his large, green puppy dog eyes.
"It's not true, is it Alex?" he asked, his voice breaking slightly. Alex brushed a strand of ebony hair from out of her eyes, trying to focus on him.
"What are you talking about, Leonce?" She peered her gaze further behind him at the mass of rain pouring down from the heavens, Would you like to come inside? It's pouring out there." She took a step to the side to grant him access into the warmth of the home but he just continued to stare at her, speechless.
"I asked you a question, Alex. Is. It. True?" he emphasized as Alex continued to play dumb, looking everywhere else but those desperate eyes. His eyes seemed to send her on a long horrid guilt trip.
"Are you moving, Alex?" Alex slowly nodded her head and Leonce shook his own, "Why didn't you tell me?"
Alex tapped her foot nervously against the wooden floor, biting down at her lower lip nervously.
"Look, Leonce..." She looked into his eyes, trying to hold back the heavy tears about to leak out of her eyes. "Long story short, it's out of my control. I will keep in touch with you though and I'll try to call you when I-"
"Alex! You can't go! What will happen to us?" He sighed staring at his loafers.
"You'll be fine and I bet it would be more fun without me anyway, you know, no more having to take me out on expensive dates-"
He cut her off again, staring at her intensely, "Do you really think that I would would be better without you, Alex?" He grabbed Alex's arm staring dead at her, "It wouldn't be better without you at all, Alex. Not at all!"
The rain began to pour even more, as if God took a heavy bucket full of water and poured it down. Right on the house.
Aunt Linda came up from behind her before Alex could respond to Leonce's question.
"Come on, Alex. We have to get going." Aunt Linda glanced over at Leonce, "Wait... You're not..."
Alex stared at Linda in confusion, "He's not who, auntie?"
Linda smiled reassuringly, "No one."
The phone entered their earshot and Linda groaned in exasperation as she slowly made her way towards the kitchen to answer it.
"Don't leave.." Leonce muttered lowly.
"I'm sorry," Alex managed to say through her tears. "I need to go now. Tell everyone I'll miss them."
Leonce frowned sadly, "Not unless you agree to stay."
"Sorry, Leonce. I have to go."
Leonce bent down towards Alex's face, softly placing his lips against hers. Linda cleared her throat and Leonce almost instantly pulled away from her lips.
"Alex, there's been an accident."
Alex's face fell, "Aunt Becky?"
Linda grimly nodded, "She's in the hospital."
"We have to leave, now!"
Leonce didn't question Alex's suddenness to leave the home and Alex was very grateful; he knew that it was important for her not to explain in full detail, as she would usually have in any other event.
Alex didn't bother to put on her coat, which led her aunt into cautioning her that it was pouring outside. Alex didn't hear her though. Her aunt's voice was merely a distant noise within the back of her mind that she could no longer and didn't want to hear.
Linda walked around the side of the car, hastily inserting the key into the ignition. Leonce opened the car door for Alex as she stepped a foot inside, plopping herself down on the vinyl seat.
As soon as everyone was settled in the car, Linda sped off, weaving in and out through the gaps the cars on the street provided her, running lights and zooming past stop signs without caring whether a wailing police car was on their tail or not.
It's been ten minutes already, Alex worriedly thought, her heart beating slightly faster than before, We have to get there soon.
All she could do now was wait for the car to stop then she could rush into the hospital.
Thirty minutes, She thought to herself and she leaned back in the seat with a heavy sigh.
All she could think about was Becky's condition. She needed to know how she was, if she was awake; if she was even alive…
No! I shouldn't be thinking about that right now.
Someone would have told told us if she had died, She thought trying to comfort and relax herself as she rubbed her temples with her fingertips. Finally, she was able to breathe right and think clearly.
She'll be fine. She's still alive. I know she is.
Although it seemed like she would reach the hospital at any second, the fact remained that they still had another ten more minutes before she could get off. Her stomach was so uneasy that it felt as if she would just throw up right then and there on the floor at any second. She looked at the clock above the radio, hoping that the time would have magically sped up, though Alex knew it wouldn't, no matter how much she wanted it to.
I wonder how everyone else is doing with… She was unable to continue her thoughts of the subject. The whole situation was extremely nerve-racking that it almost seemed to have made her brain get off the subject by force.
She'll be fine, She assured herself again, I don't even know her condition. She could be bouncing off the walls for all I know. She's doing good. She just has to be...
"As I've told you before, boy. You cannot see your mom yet. She is still getting checked and I'm not sure when she'll be out!" the nurse said with annoyance. Kirk sighed loudly and went back to take a seat beside his brother who was staring off into space, almost heartbreakingly.
Tatiana, Bruno, Monica, Nelson, Nikki, Janet, Katherine, Michael and even Joseph were all there, as well, waiting for an update on Becky's condition.
"Calm down, Kirk," Uncle Joe, who was currently sitting next to him, said. He was oddly calm himself, but though he didn't show it, he was definitely concerned for his frail wife.
"Do you think she'll be alright?" Kirk asked sadly. He had never been at a hospital before, and the stale smell was starting to bug him. Kirk just couldn't bare the thought of someone staying here, especially his own mother.
"I don't know what condition she's in, so I can't even give you a guess," Joe said with a small sigh. He looked at his son and saw his eyes sadden. "Don't worry, though. For all we know, it could be just a... small cold or something minor like that." Kirk slowly nodded.
"Okay..." he said but there was a trace of uncertainty in his voice.
The automatic doors slammed open as a figure, drenched from the rainstorm, came barging into the room.
All startled eyes settled on them as they stormed towards the nurse.
"Where's Becky Henry's room?" Alex demanded, her eyes in a glare.
As she watched the woman at the counter search through her files, Alex kept tapping her fingers impatiently against the desk.
The door of the hospital opened once more, and Linda and Leonce walked in, looking almost dire and out of breath.
"I'm sorry, ma'am but Mrs. Henry is still getting checked."
"Still getting checked?" she repeated loudly with slight annoyance. She put a hand to her forehead and waved her other hand at Leonce, who was trying to see if she was alright.
"Fine. What part of the building is she in?"
"Room 204 in the D hallway, ma'am."
Alex nodded at her and turned to make her way towards the waiting room to take a seat only to find her friends and her family staring at her. As Alex began to walk towards them, they began to rise from their seats, never taking their eyes off of her. Joseph was the only one who remained seated.
"So, you're really leaving, huh?" Monica asked taking a step towards her.
Alex sadly nodded, "Yeah. I am."
Monica blinked back the tears threatening to slip from her eyes and forcefully pulled Alex into a tight embrace. And as she did so, multiple pairs of arms began to wrap around her, stroking her hair and back and several lips pressed against her face. She felt as if she were being blessed by their tender touches but having to leave from home after home yet again felt like a curse.
Alex could feel everyone's arms pull away from her skin, some touches lingering longer than others. The touch that remained the longest was the same exact one that was still in contact with her.
She slipped her arms around their waist and glanced up at the person, smiling sadly once she realized it was the person that she wanted to be away from and yet at the same time, she wanted to hold him close like she was doing now.
Everyone went dead silent. However, there was only one thing in the room that wasn't silent; a doctor came in, unaware of what had previously and even presently been going on. He looked at everyone in the room, holding his clipboard up to his face, scanning it quickly.
"Are you the Henry's?" he asked them. Alex quickly pulled away from Michael to stare at the doctor.
"Yes, we are," Joe spoke up, walking away from the group to get closer towards the doctor. "How is Becky doing?" Everyone else stood up straight, in hopes that there was some news, preferably good, about Becky and her condition.
Alex's eyes quickly fixed onto the doctor, waiting for what he was going to say. She wanted all of her worrying to disappear, hoping that Becky would be awake and alright. Everyone in the room wanted just that.
The doctor looked at his clipboard once more, scanning it again, but taking much longer. By now, the tension was so thick that everyone's breath had been stilled.
Finally, the doctor looked up, mainly at Joe, who was standing almost directly in front of him, and cleared his throat.
Alex was just about a hair away from ripping the clipboard from his hands so that she could read it for herself in a much faster pace.
"She doesn't have much time," he said quietly, wincing at the looks of dread that flashed across their eyes.
"How long does she have?" Alex asked.
"Three to four days to say the least."
Alex's breath caught in her throat, Three to four days!
"Someone... please..." Alex pleaded.
Someone hold me. Please hold me.
Michael pulled her back into a hug, laying his chin on the top of her head and kissing her face.
"I'm here, Alex. I'm here." Michael glanced over at Leonce.
Grinning, he stuck his tongue out at him in a childish manner and began to quietly mock him like a taunting child would do after a triumphant win, despite the severity of the situation that everyone and himself was in.
"She's a bit drowsy with her condition but you may see her now. She's in room 204," the doctor said, pointing down the hall where Becky's room was, "but only one person at a time." As the doctor left, everyone in the room turned to Alex.
"Go on, Lex," Linda said, giving her a small smile. "You are leaving her soon after all."
There were no objections to the arrangement, since Joe had quietly left the room after Becky's current state was announced. It was quite unusual for her, since they were all so sure that Alex would want to be the one to see Becky first.
With a small nod, Alex headed down the hall where the doctor had pointed to. Her stomach was a bit uneasy, being as she was about to see her aunt soon. It just wasn't something she was used to, visiting the hospital because someone dear to you had been hurt. What was she going to say, to do?
"I can't do this," Alex breathed, "Not alone."
"It's alright, baby. I'm right behind you," a voice from behind gently assured her and Alex whirled around in a panic to face the owner of the voice, smiling in relief once she realized who it was.
"Mrs. Jackson, you don't have to-?!"
"It's alright, baby. I'll be fine and you'll be too."
Alex smiled. She was glad to have someone like Katherine by her side in a situation such as that one.
Katherine firmly grasped her hand and led her down the hallway.
200... 201... 203... 204!
With a deep breath, Alex slowly and quietly opened the door to Becky's room. The first thing she noticed was the monitor by Becky's bed, watching over certain things about how Becky's health was doing. She didn't know much about those things, except that the beeping sound that she was currently hearing. All Alex knew about it was that the beeps were a good sign that her heart was still beating. She was still fighting.
The next thing she saw made her hold her breath for a brief second. Becky was half-awake in the hospital bed, looking forward at the wall with droopy eyes. She seemed to be unfazed by the fact that she had visitors in her room.
"Hey, auntie," Alex greeted calmly as though nothing bad was to happen in the near future. For the sake of her aunt, she was going to try to not seem worried.
"How are you feeling? Do you need anything?"
Becky shook her head slowly, "No thanks, Lexi."
"Are you sure?" Alex asked, slightly worried, but started to calm a bit when Becky nodded.
"I'm fine. Thank you," Becky replied in a muffled voice. Alex gave a smile, glad to hear Becky say something above a whisper.
"Why are you here? Shouldn't you be at the airport?" Alex blinked at the words with a bit of a blank expression. They weren't said harshly at all; she said them quite calmly. It was the solemness of them that made her feel a familiar uneasiness in her stomach.
"I came to see you, of course!" Alex replied, trying to keep her voice steady.
"Well, that was sweet of you, Audrey."
"Audrey?" Alex questioned, "Alex, auntie. I'm Alex. Audrey was my mom."
"Oh Audrey. I'm feelin' so tired right now. Its so good to see you again though. How long has it been since I've last seen you? Eight months? A year?" Becky shrugged, "How's your husband?"
"Auntie, I'm not Audrey. She's gone and so is Randall. They're both gone."
Becky stared at Alex in confusion and as if she had been struck by realization, she began to slowly nod her head and proceeded to stare at the wall.
"For the first time in a long time, I dreamed of Audrey and Randall," Becky said smiling to herself, "It brought back memories, good and bad. Randall and I didn't used to get along but once Audrey came into the picture, she became the bridge between us, bringing us together somehow. They were an odd couple, those two but they certainly seemed happy. But now they're both gone, aren't they?"
Alex nodded at her, "They are."
"I would like to see them again, even if I have to go to the other side. I want to go meet them..." she trailed off into silence as she gently shut her eyes.
Alex's heart raced and she was on the verge of panicking when she heard Becky snore lightly. Alex sighed in relief.
She's only sleeping...
'I want to meet them...'
"She shouldn't say things like that," Alex said hanging her head down, "She just can't go away, not now, not when she has a family she's leaving behind."
"Her time has come, Alex," Katherine said placing her hand on her shoulder, "She won't have to suffer anymore. She'll be up in Heaven with the Father watching over you, I promise you that."
"But it's too soon!" Alex cried out.
"The Lord works in mysterious ways, Alex. He wants her with Him. He wants her to return Home."
"But why so soon?"
"Because she was predestined to leave at this time. Everything happens for a reason."
But why does He have to take Aunt Becky, of all people? She's a kind, sweet person. She deserves a peaceful, painless death. Not a slow, agonizing one. She shouldn't get cancer. Not her, not Aunt Becky. She deserves life. This isn't fair...
Alex hated airports.
She tended to get edgy at the dull, incessant murmur of all the people hustling and bustling about the polished floors. Each tiny announcement set her on the precipice of hyperventilation.
All she could think about was her old life back in Louisiana, whether the people that she knew there had changed or not. She didn't want to find out. She didn't want to leave. Not yet, not ever.
"Linda?"
A merry little voice interrupted her panic attack and Alex looked up from her wringing hands into the dark concerned eyes gazing down at her.
"What's up, gurl?" the older man questioned, hugging her.
"Uncle Jefferson?" Alex questioned in puzzlement, "What are you doing here-?!"
"Jefferson!" Linda exclaimed, "Whatchu doin' here?!"
Jefferson jolted back and held up his large hands in a defensive manner, "What? Yo' olda brotha can't escort you home? This is where I need to be."
He glanced over at Alex's pouting face, "Why so glum, babygirl? Ain't you happy to be roomin with yo' auntie?"
"I am," Alex said forcing a tiny smile.
"Somethin' on yo' mind? Someone in particular?"
"Just..." Alex began and then she wistfully sighed, "It's nothing."
"Just nothin' huh?" he paused. He gruffly harrumphed and swung an arm around Alex, steering her to a more private area in the room.
"You know, you don't have to come," he remarked.
"Huh?" Alex questioned.
"I ain't tryna run you out. I'm just concerned that you ain't gonna be happy back at my hood. You need to live somewhere where you can feel free, you know, be yo' self. You don't have to come, Lex. If there's someplace you'd rather be then go. I ain't stoppin' ya."
He's right, Alex thought, If I room in with Linda, I'll be miserable. But that's not right. I have a great family and friends that support me. Auntie was generous enough to invite me to live with her. I only have things to be grateful for. But even so...
"I want to go back..." she whispered.
I miss Michael so much. Him, of all people!
"I want to learn more about him and talk to him. I want him to be my friend. I didn't want to leave him. I want to stay with Monica... Bruno... Tatiana... I'm not ready to leave them yet."
"Then what's stoppin' ya?"
Alex looked up at him with horror, "My feelings."
"For him?"
Alex fell silent, I'm not quite sure how I feel about him anymore... I don't hate him but I don't necessarily like him either. I don't know how I feel about him.
"I'll tell you what, we'll make a deal. If you decide to go back home, I'll give you some money for a taxi home and a few bucks to get you a hotel. If you decide to come with, you have to work with me at the bottle factory for ten cents an hour. Make your choice."
Bottle factory or a taxi home? Alex sarcastically thought, That's a toughie. I really want to see Michael though... Why do I keep thinking about him?!
"I want to go home, back to the apartment. Maybe I won't be welcomed there when I go back but I'll try to make the best of it, even if I'm not wanted."
Jefferson smiled broadly, "I knew that you would make the right decision."
He handed her the needed amount of money to get her going and left her on her way, smiling wider as he watched her dart out of the room without her suitcases.
Linda joined Jefferson's side with a look of puzzlement, "Jefferson, where is Alex going? Our plane just arrived."
"That girl is following her heart. She's striving towards her future."
Linda shot him a skeptical look, "She's goin' after that boy, ain't she?"
Jefferson chuckled, "You said it."
"Ain't that somethin'? I was just about to separate that girl from the one she loved." Linda shook her head in shame, "Glad that didn't happen."
"I think that happened for a reason. If this never would have happened, she probably would have never realized that she was leaving behind somethin' important."
"Guess you're right. It's so sweet; young love. I guess it's true you don't know what you've got until you lose it."
"Well said, baby. Well said."
Author's Chapter Notes:
I just realized that I skipped a chapter... Grrrrrr! Enjoy...
Chapter End Notes:
Please review...!