ISABEL (Unedited)

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

POV: Aaron
When I got back into the country, the next day, I woke up extra early to go to the hospital. I had come back for my, friends, my family. On the way, I couldn’t help think about how James would react to seeing me there, after I had been avoiding him. I really wanted to see them. I wanted to see how they were doing. I wanted them to know that I was there for them. I didn’t want to lose them. They were the only people I truly cared about, excluding my mom and Janet, of course.

When I got to the hospital, I found Janet standing next to her car. She noticed me from a distance and crossed her arms at her chest, as I walked over to her.

“You’re done playing your disappearing game?” she asked with a bit of anger in her tone.
“I didn’t do it on purpose.”
“I hope James will understand. How could you just abandon your them? They needed you, Aaron. We had tried on countless number of times to reach out to you. You switched off your phones and travelled out of the country, why? Was that all worth it?”
“I needed time to myself.”
“What if they died?”
“Janet please, I’m here now, aren’t I?”
“You need to deal with James on that,” she said as she walked past me.

I followed her inside the hospital. “Where’s James?”
“I’m going to get him.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“He got discharged today.”
“Oh.”

She entered his room and I followed her. James’s back was turned to me as he was getting something from the bed. I waited in my steps as he looked back and saw me. His face was straight. He didn’t react, he didn’t say anything. He only looked at me and back to his wife to tell her something. “James,” I called out.

Silence.

He had crutches in his hands. “I’m sorry, man.”

“Janet, did you get my food bag?” he asked Janet.

I could sense tension in the air. I knew that he was done with me but, I was honestly and deeply sorry. I really needed that time away. To think. To get myself together. I was not going to give up on them. I had to be stubborn.

I moved closer to James and touched his arm. He slowly looked at me. “Can I help you?” he asked.
“Yes, I want to talk to you.”
“What do you want to talk about?”
“Us.”
“Us? What’s us? Who’s us?”
“I get that you’re mad---”
“Mad? Aaron, when was I admitted into this hospital?”
“Two months ago.”
“And why are you here? You came to pick me up?”
“It’s complicated? Your problems matter more than us?”
“I’m here to make right my wrongs.”
“If Bell was awake, I don’t even think that she’d want to talk to you.”

He walked by me and left with Janet. Isabel, where was she? I went to ask the nurses for assistance and they showed me her room. It was filled with flowers and ‘Get Well Soon’ balloons. Even before I could get any further, my emotions had kicked in. I was losing my mind. After months of avoiding her and here I finally was.

She was so pale and skinny. I noticed little cuts on her body. She looked so peaceful without any worries. Dang! The flowers that I’d bought, I had left them in the car. No worries, I’d just get them after.

I gently sat on her bed as I looked at her. I caught her hand but later ended up placing it back on the bed. I couldn’t do it. She looked so weak and vulnerable. Her silence was killing me. I didn’t feel accepted by her. I didn’t feel worthy to even be in the room. I had felt like an outcast. Could she ever forgive me? I wasn’t there when she needed me the most and there I was, looking like a damn fool.