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BREATHING ON HER OWN, Rose was sitting high in her hospital bed. She had it jacked up like a chair. Joe, Agnes, and Faith entered the hospital room to see Rose’s face light up and her smile spread from ear to ear. Relief. Her family was here. Their look of delight matched hers. They upped the ante with hugs and kisses. In the corner, the respirator leaned against the wall ominously like an un-welcomed friend. The group hug was intruded upon by a white bearded, bald man in string bean green colored scrubs moving swiftly.
“Excuse the interruption folks. I’ll just get this outta your way.”
He tossed a thumb toward the un-welcomed friend, the ventilator. Rolling the machine out, he nodded his head in greeting, “Have a wonderful day folks.”
Agnes took Rose’s chin between her thumb and finger and turned her head side to side giving her a motherly scan. “How are you, honey?”
Okay was Rose’s nodded answer. Agnes’ hand went to her heart. “Oh dear, can you talk?”
“Cat’s finally got her tongue,” Faith teased sitting at the foot of the bed.
“Say something, Rose,” Joe prodded.
At that moment the white hospital sheet needed a thorough inspection and Rose gave it one as she twisted the edges between her fingers. Side eyeing her family, she asked in a delicate whisper, “You know?”
“Yes, Rose.” Joe answered for the group. “Right now, we’re only concerned about you. Are you doing okay?”
Contemplating her answer, she studied the sheet a little more. “I’m not sure, Daddy.” She looked at him with a melancholy expression. Eyes that had been through more than a young girl should have ever experienced. Then she searched her mother’s face and took her hand. “I live, Mom, I live. I kept seeing those words over and over and an Angel came in and held my hand and told me a story. I wanted to hug the angel, but I couldn’t move. Everything was so heavy.”
“Honey, what did the angel say?” Worry lines etched Agnes’ face.
Rose’s voice sounded stronger. “She said she knew exactly how I was feeling. She said it would take time, and work, and a lot of tears, but I would get through this. I believe her.” Rose scanned Agnes’ face before she went on. “I want to call Ms. Logan.”
“Ms. who,” Joe asked.
“The weird lady from the school,” Faith answered quickly. “The forensics nurse.”
“Oh, right,” Joe said. “I remember her. I didn’t think she was weird, Faith. She seems knowledgeable and quite devoted to her job.” He stroked Rose’s hand. “I think that’s a grand idea.”
Rose looked at Faith. “And the angel kept calling me Rosie.”
Faith chuckled. “Your angel was probably nurse Devyn. She calls you Rosie. Didn’t it make you feel like little bugs were under your skin every time she said it?”
Rose’s lips turned up in a little curve. “Actually, it was comforting. Her voice helped me to feel peaceful.”
“Hey, girl, you stood us up.” It was Monica and Jasmine loaded down with balloons. They ambushed Rose. School girl laughter erupted in the room and drifted back through the door, out to the corridor.
“Try to keep it down,” Agnes said. “We don’t want to get thrown out.”
As if they had not seen the rest of the family when they entered, Monica and Jasmine looked over. “Good morning,” they said in unison and threw their attention back on Rose.
“Is your T.V. on?” Jasmine asked.
Rose nodded her head. Faith said, “I know you didn’t come all the way over here to watch T.V. What? Your parents didn’t pay the electric bill?”
“No, that’s not it at all. Haven’t you heard? GAB has a big show this morning. They’ve been advertising it all over the tube. Can’t miss, don’t miss, you’ll be sorry if you miss. So, chica, we can’t miss it.”
“Is that the woman who’s always spilling out of her top?” Joe asked.
The room lit up with laughter. Joe went on, “The woman who is not really a woman but a hunter laying traps for her prey? The woman who devours her guests?”
“Yep, the very one,” Agnes said. She leaned close to Joe’s ear. “Later we’ll discuss your noticing of her spillage.”
Joe’s shoulder’s hunched and his face screwed up in an I’ve been caught motion.
“Turn it on,” Faith commanded. It was her sister’s room, so she could dish out orders. “Let’s leave it on so we won’t miss anything.”
Just then Jonas appeared at the door with yellow roses. Rose’s eyes gleamed. Inside she felt as if Prince Charming had come to sweep her away. The warm sensation blossomed in her stomach and sailed outward reaching all points. She wanted to run to him and throw herself into his arms. For the first time, Rose let herself acknowledge how much his absence had hurt her. She wanted to cry, but she held the tears back.
He crossed to the bed and placed the yellow roses across her lap. No words were needed. Their eyes said it all—One day this will be nothing more than a nightmare. One day the two of them would come together.
“I’ll take those,” Agnes said reaching for the roses. She put them on the window sill in the sun. She glanced up at the blue sky and sent up a silent thank you.
Monica said, “The prom is coming up and you’ll be out of the hospital. Are you going?”
Rose looked puzzled. She couldn’t think about going to the prom, being around all those people who would be passing judgment on her.
“Didn’t you ask her, Jonas?” asked Jasmine with her hand on her hip.
Jonas’ face blanched. Heat crawled up his collar. “I intended to, but I wanted to do it in private, so if she turned me down only two people would know,” he answered sheepishly.
“She wouldn’t turn you down,” Faith said looking at Rose. “Right?”
Rose’s face was impassive.
“Ask her, Jonas,” implored Faith.
Jonas looked at Rose. His smile was shy, forced. He opened his mouth to speak, but Monica interrupted the moment.
“Turn it up, turn it up,” Monica screeched. “GAB is on.