On Her Arms

Chapter 11

Hayes

I walk down the streets of New York with no body guards, no company, and no expression on my face and I think some teenage girls are starting to notice. I pray my hood hides my face.

I actually have no idea where the hospital is or the name of it, but Charlie's house is pretty close so I ask someone where the nearest hospital is.

"Just keep walking straight and take a left after the next two traffic lights." Then he points to the helicopter landing pad on the roof of a red brick building.

I nod and thank him.

Before I leave, he grabs my arm. "Are you Hayes Grier?"

I purposely asked this man because I thought he would have no idea who I was. I say my rehearsed line. "Who?" Then I walk away. Once I reach the front desk of the hospital, the lady asks who I'm here to see. "Charlie..." I don't even know her last name.

"Benet or Candor?" she asks.

"Ummm.... Benet" I guess.

She eyes me. "Are you related?"

"Siblings" I sigh.

"You look a little young to be his brother considering he's 53."

I scratch my head. "Did I say Benet? I meant not Benet as in Charlie Candor is my sister."

The nurse goes through some papers. "I'm only letting you go because she needs all the help she can get. Some of her cuts were so deep that we had to give her stitches. I don't know if she'll ever be able to get out of therapy."

"Thank you." I whisper.

She nods. "Room 423" then she gives me a name tag.

When I get in the elevator, I press the 4. Stitches? It's all my fault. What was I thinking, flying all the way over here. She's just going to yell at me and then hurt herself more.

Then I remind myself that it could just be a test. Why would she test me? Just trust Nash, I think. How many times has that worked out for you?

DING!

I step off the elevator.

<400-449      450-500>

I go to my left and pass doctors, kids in wheelchairs, and some that look much worse. A little girl without an arm and no hair comes up to me and whispers "Have you met Tiana before?"

I bend down. "Why I don't think I have."

She hands the plastic doll to me. All of the hair is gone and one of the arms is missing. My chest starts to shake. "Tiana right?" I ask.

"Yep!" She smiles at me.

I almost cry. "And what's your name?"

"Brooklyn."

"Who's in charge of you?" I ask.

She points to a woman sitting in a chair a couple rooms down. I stand up and she takes my hand. When we approach her mother, I shake her hand and introduce myself. "I'm Hayes."

She nods. "Amy."

"Would you mind if I took Brooklyn to see my friend. She really needs something to cheer her up."

She looks me up and down again and after a few seconds, she miraculously says "Sure."

I smile and guide the little girl that I decided must have cancer to room 423. The pink curtains are pulled back so I can see through the windows. Charlotte is lying on her side facing away from her mom and the shoulder. She screams and she cries. I had no idea how sick she was. Her mom and the doctor leave and I face the opposite way so they don't notice me. We both look through the window again. "That's the girl you were talking about?" she asks.

I nod.

"Why is she so angry?"

"I really don't know. I'm in love with her and all I want is for her not to be angry. I just want her to be happy." 

Then Charlotte turns around and looks at us. Her eyes widen and she stops crying. Then she screams into her pillow and starts again.

I walk through the door and Brooklyn runs over to her. "Have you met Tiana before?"

Charlie stops sobbing and turns to look at the little girl. I watch her take in all of the unnatural feature of the six-year-old girl. Then she takes the barbie doll. "No" she says, but her voice is shaky. "I haven't."

"Why are you so sad?"

Charlie pulls the sleeves of her sweatshirt down farther so he little girl doesn't ask about them. Brooklyn climbs onto the bed. "I'm not really sad, just angry."

"At what?"

"People..." she looks at me. "Life."

"The doctors said that my life isn't going to last a really long time like your's. My mommy is really mad about it, but I'm not. If all you do when you get old is be mad and cry, I'd much rather disappear now."

Charlie and I stare down at the little girl who just wished for he own death. "What's killing you?" Charlie asks.

"Canker?" she whispers.

"Cancer?" I ask.

She nods. Then she points to her arm, then her shoulder, neck, and finally, her chest. "They say when the cancer takes over here, I'm a disappear."

I look down at the ground. Finally, Brooklyn grabs my hand. "I'm hungry. Take me back to my mommy."

And I do. When I come back, she's lying on her stomach, half asleep. I put my hand on her shoulder. "Did you fly here?" she asks.

"Yeah" I answer. "I would've walked if I had no other option."

She laughs a little. Then I sit on the edge of her bed. "I didn't know how good I had it. I've lived longer than that girl ever will."

I test the words in the air. "You almost killed yourself."

"I'm so glad I didn't." Then she falls asleep.

I close the curtains and walk out into the hall. I slide down the wall and cover my head with my arms.

And I cry.

I don't know how much time has passed when someone taps me on the shoulder. It's the doctore and Charlie's mom. I stand up and wipe the tears off my face. "I'm so sorry" I spill out. "I know I wasn't supposed to be in there, but I flew here just to see her and-"

"Son," the doctor says. "Calm down. You're not in trouble. In fact, we need your help. Charlotte hadn't spoke to anyone. All she's done is scream and cry for the whole day. You're the only one she talked too."

"How did you know she talked to me?"

"24/7 surveillance cameras so she doesn't... hurt herself."

"Since she won't talk to us, we need you talk to her so we can figure out what's wrong with her and how to make her better." Her mom looks down at the ground as she says this.

"And I'll get to see her?"

"Any time you want."

"And she'll get better?"

Neither one of them answers.