Ricky And Jackie

24. Jackie

I step out of the car after a quick thanks to the driver and I make a few steps on the concrete, smoothing down my linen dress. My schedule was crazy for the last month, between shoots and interviews and videos and vlogging and runways... I barely had the time to talk to my friends. Good thing Janet is my manager otherwise I would have lost track of my family too.

We're heading to a party hosted by the one and only Ella Danford. She wants to inaugurate her new house, celebrate her sister's graduation and introduce her rocker girlfriend to the society.

Only Ella can pull off such an important party by making it look casual and effortless. I admire her sometimes. Sometimes.

As I am about to step inside the house, I get a call from MC.

"Can I call you later?" I ask when I respond.
"You need to check out for Ricky, I think something happened to him!" She panicks.
"Woah, I'm not even in town right now, what makes you think that? Did you talk to Alex?"
"I was hoping you would after my call since you're at the same party." she mutters.
"Well, I'll do what I can. I gotta go now."
And I hang up without waiting for her answer.

Ricky. It's only been only a year but I miss him really badly. At the same time, opportunities just kept coming so I decided to figure my new life out before to attempt anything with him.

An accident, though? It's hard for me to imagine Ricky in such a situation.

The house is packed with sweaty bodies and I quickly feel like going back outside but I soon find who I was looking for.
"Alexandra?"

She rolls her eyes and stops making out with her boyfriend.
"What?"
"Something happened to Ricky."
She frowns, standing up.
"What?"
"You already said that, now's the time to ask me how I know." I kid.

She yells something to her boyfriend - Is he really... - and grabs me by the arm.
"Let's go, bring me to him!"
"It's not that simple. He was just implicated in a car accident, so maybe he's still on his way to the hospital."
She sighs, fanning herself with her free hand. "They better hurry then."

She makes a way for us through the crowded living room and leads me to her car.
"And by the way..."
I sit in the passenger seat and listen to Alex.
"Thanks for letting me know. MC probably didn't want to call me because I wouldn't have answered. I'm glad you took the time to go get me."

I gently squeeze her hand in mine and smile.
"You welcome, princess."
"Please, call me Alex."

"Where is Richard Pétion?" yells his sister to the lady at the reception.
"He just got here, he doesn't have an assigned room for now."
"How was he?" I mumble.

The nurse still catches my question.
"Unconscious. I'll let you know if I know anything else."
We both nod and sit down.
"Nice outfit by the way." Alex compliments me.
"Thanks prin- I mean Alex."
"That's better", she jokes.

After hours of wait and three Minute Maid lemonades, a nurse finally motion for us to follow her. She leads us to a room where there already is two men in suit and a doctor. His bodyguards? I couldn't tell.

"Are you both family?" He asks, skeptical about me.
"Yes, she's family. Those two guys over here are not, though."
The doctor nods but doesn't kick them out for some reason. Alex shoves one of them in the stomach to make it closer to Ricky.

I almost don't recognize him with the oxygen mask on his face. He's sleeping, both arms resting to his sides.
"He should wake up soon. The operation went well, although he got knocked out pretty badly by the other car and the concrete wall. He suffered numerous cuts and one of his legs is into a cast. Other than that, he knocked his forehead on the glass but it didn't affect his cerebral activity. It really is a miracle."

I finally am able to breathe correctly after hearing this. My worst fear was to learn Ricky didn't remember me.

"You guys can all leave, I'll call you when he wakes up." declares the nurse, opening the door for us.

I head to the exit like the two other visitors, but Alex says:
"I'm staying here till he wakes up." And to add when she meets my curious gaze:
"You too, Jackie."
"Me? It's been so long..."
"Two years! He still loves you anyway so why you stressin?"
"I don't know..." I admit. Maybe I'm scared it just won't be the same? But again, maybe it's a good thing.
"Fine I'll stay."
"Good, now I can leave." sighs the princess, getting up from the side of the bed.
"Wait, what? I can't stay here alone!"
"Maybe you don't know that but my siblings and I don't get along. I've been giving them the silent treatment for 8 months now. Ricky is mad at me, I won't risk him having a heart attack at my sight."
"But still, two years! So many things have changed..."
"Except the amount of zeros in both your bank accounts? I don't think so..."
"Alex..."
"Do I know you?"

We both freeze. Alex suddenly runs out of the hospital room. Dang, it's hot in here, isn't it?
"Excuse me miss?" he says.

I slowly breathe in and out before spinning on my heels to face him. My heart skips a beat out of shock as his piercing blue eyes look right into my soul, it seems.

Surprise washes over his face as he mutters:
"Jackie..."

I still don't know what to do. I'm probably as confused as he is.

He closes his eyes slowly.
"Jackie, you're here..." he murmurs, a small sigh of relief escaping his pink lips.

The doctor nods at me, waving at the prince with his hand. I rush to the side of the bed, holding his hand in mines.

"I was talking with MC when the car came crashing into us." he pauses as the doctor makes a blood test. "They did it on purpose, I think." he whispers.

I take off my mules and slide myself into the small hospital bed. I flinch as I lean on my right shoulder.
"You okay?"
I smile.
"You're the one who got hit by a car."
"But you hurt yourself too because you can't look at me."
"No, that's not it, I was... I mean, you need some space, right."
"Jackie, I can still see. You flinched."
He tries to reach for my shoulder but it must pains him because he growls:
"Just tell me what's wrong."

I sigh, grabbing carefully his bandaged hand. His fingertips are picking out of the gauze so I slip them on my bare shoulder until I reach a round scar.
"Here", I say. "I got shot here."