graceangel
Cerise took a deep breath. Slowly she exhaled as she steeled her nerves. She hadn’t been here in awhile. A long while. Several months. In fact, she hadn’t been here since a few weeks before she broke things off with Xander. Standing even at the door, she felt like being there at all was a stab in the heart. In a weak place deep down, she could feel the chaos pick and torture at her. However, now that feeling had been going on for a few months. She had started to grow a little used to it’s pain. In fact, it had started to turn into some twisted sensation that she almost liked. It was a clashing of angry and tumultuous waves against a weak sea shore.
She had already determined in herself though. When she was making these tarts for Lily, she had decided she wasn’t going to let her guilt and apprehensions hold her back from doing what it was she needed to do. Who knows.. Who knows… Maybe she’d see him. She really probably shouldn’t see him. She had found that she missed him a great deal. It was so hard to do things that were for other people’s best interests. Her own selfish instincts often made it hard to do what she felt was the right thing. Pushing people away for their own safety; that’s the right thing. Isn’t it?
Then, she shook her tresses back off of her shoulder and strutted into the hospital. She practiced putting on airs in the elevator on the way up. She had practiced her smiles in the blurry reflection of steel on the elevator wall. With crystal clear blue eyes, she put on her “I’m awesome and I know it” face. She went up to the nurses station to get the room number to Lily’s room. There was still a little fear in her heart. She hadn’t talked to Lily since her last call to Xander. No telling what she thought of Cerise at all. Well, this year was all about getting a handle on life and taking charge. This was one step in that direction.
She finally found her way to the room doorway. She stepped in to see that vibrant girl hooked up to machines. The part of Cerise that still felt empathetic towards others surfaced. “How terrible…” She scooted over to the side sitting the flowers and bag of secret treats she brought on the table next to the bed.
She had already determined in herself though. When she was making these tarts for Lily, she had decided she wasn’t going to let her guilt and apprehensions hold her back from doing what it was she needed to do. Who knows.. Who knows… Maybe she’d see him. She really probably shouldn’t see him. She had found that she missed him a great deal. It was so hard to do things that were for other people’s best interests. Her own selfish instincts often made it hard to do what she felt was the right thing. Pushing people away for their own safety; that’s the right thing. Isn’t it?
Then, she shook her tresses back off of her shoulder and strutted into the hospital. She practiced putting on airs in the elevator on the way up. She had practiced her smiles in the blurry reflection of steel on the elevator wall. With crystal clear blue eyes, she put on her “I’m awesome and I know it” face. She went up to the nurses station to get the room number to Lily’s room. There was still a little fear in her heart. She hadn’t talked to Lily since her last call to Xander. No telling what she thought of Cerise at all. Well, this year was all about getting a handle on life and taking charge. This was one step in that direction.
She finally found her way to the room doorway. She stepped in to see that vibrant girl hooked up to machines. The part of Cerise that still felt empathetic towards others surfaced. “How terrible…” She scooted over to the side sitting the flowers and bag of secret treats she brought on the table next to the bed.
Kaori Luv
Lily was asleep as she often was these days. The only sounds that filled her room were the soft sounds of breathing, the constant beep of her heart monitor and the whir of the machines that were what? Keeping her alive? With the girl’s, once tanned skin, very pale and the lovely curls dull and wild around her pillow it seemed that way. Her parents we beside themselves and desperately wanting their youngest child to get better, but no one seemed to know what was entirely wrong with her.
Xander walked down the hallway and turned into his sisters room only to stop in his tracks, backing up slightly, silently and standing in the doorway. He had texted Cerise, telling her how Lily was, but he wasn’t sure what to expect beyond that. He hadn’t see the woman and months not a single word from her and now here she was for his sister in the girls time of need.
He didn’t want to interrupt so he just stood in the doorway silently watching.
Xander walked down the hallway and turned into his sisters room only to stop in his tracks, backing up slightly, silently and standing in the doorway. He had texted Cerise, telling her how Lily was, but he wasn’t sure what to expect beyond that. He hadn’t see the woman and months not a single word from her and now here she was for his sister in the girls time of need.
He didn’t want to interrupt so he just stood in the doorway silently watching.
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It had been a while. Still, as Cerise stood so close to Lily. It seemed to Cherry that it felt as though not much time had passed at all. For herself at least. She took liberty in sitting on the bed next to Lily. She carefully took her hand in her own. Her other hand lightly touching at first then tracing the hand of her friend. She looked at Lily. She had so openly accepted her right away. She was so kind and generous. “What happened to you? Why are you in here like this? Is this a coma? Did someone hurt you? You can tell me. I’ll go find them. This isn’t right.”
Then, setting her hand down gently. Cherry stood up and started to rearrange Lily’s curls. Then, she looked in the drawers at the side table for a comb. Something to help. Then, she thought of one in her bag she used for teasing her hair at the club, and she took it out. It was red of course. Cherry’s signature color of red. She took it, and she started to carefully, oh so every carefully, combing through Lily’s locks. She gently laid each one on top of the other as they were pulled apart and smoothed down.
She looked down at Lily. “I hope you’re ok with this. I don’t even really know what you think of me. Hopefully you don’t wake up and kick me out. I mean….. you can wake up. I just hope you don’t ask me to leave. I don’t mind staying with you a while.”
Then, setting her hand down gently. Cherry stood up and started to rearrange Lily’s curls. Then, she looked in the drawers at the side table for a comb. Something to help. Then, she thought of one in her bag she used for teasing her hair at the club, and she took it out. It was red of course. Cherry’s signature color of red. She took it, and she started to carefully, oh so every carefully, combing through Lily’s locks. She gently laid each one on top of the other as they were pulled apart and smoothed down.
She looked down at Lily. “I hope you’re ok with this. I don’t even really know what you think of me. Hopefully you don’t wake up and kick me out. I mean….. you can wake up. I just hope you don’t ask me to leave. I don’t mind staying with you a while.”
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Xander stood and listened at the door, wanting to leave, feeling like he was intruding on a private moment meant for just Cerise and Lily. Like he was trespassing, but he couldn’t make himself move. Cerise quiet questions and offering to find if someone hurt Lily made him look upward to the ceiling and wish that it was that simple. He had patched his sister up before and sent her on her way, until the time that he fought beside her more and more. This, this was something entirely different.
The way she gently combed Lily’s hair brought tears to his eyes. His mother couldn’t do it. She would just cry and their sister hardly wanted to be in the room. His family had been put through a lot and it was hard for anyone to constantly see their child like this. This time though it was more painful as they didn’t know the cause.
Xander finally spoke up, unable to stay quiet any longer, “she would thank you for combing her hair. Lily was always a stickler for neatness. She never liked for her curls to be so wild as mine or Rose’s. They were almost always perfect if she could manage. Less now that when she was younger, but she still like neatness.”
Xander moved forward from the door walking over to his sister’s bed and brushing a curl from her forehead, that was still to warm. He didn’t understand. Why Lily? “She wouldn’t make you leave you know. She’s not like that. Things happen, she would just be glad you came to see her when she needs people the most.”
The way she gently combed Lily’s hair brought tears to his eyes. His mother couldn’t do it. She would just cry and their sister hardly wanted to be in the room. His family had been put through a lot and it was hard for anyone to constantly see their child like this. This time though it was more painful as they didn’t know the cause.
Xander finally spoke up, unable to stay quiet any longer, “she would thank you for combing her hair. Lily was always a stickler for neatness. She never liked for her curls to be so wild as mine or Rose’s. They were almost always perfect if she could manage. Less now that when she was younger, but she still like neatness.”
Xander moved forward from the door walking over to his sister’s bed and brushing a curl from her forehead, that was still to warm. He didn’t understand. Why Lily? “She wouldn’t make you leave you know. She’s not like that. Things happen, she would just be glad you came to see her when she needs people the most.”
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Every nerve on her body stood up. She could feel goosebumps ripple over her scalp and around her shoulders. His voice drew a slow and tentative turn of her head. A turn only to barely look at him. When he was close and brushing that curl out of Lily’s forehead, Cerise’s eyes drew fixed on him. She felt like mentally it was as if she had been walking down a forest trail and just slipped into a pit fall trap. Where she hadn’t seen it under her feet. That was kind of a lie to herself. A denial of the truth. She knew that by coming here; she might see him. She had avoided any contact since being back. Just then, she could feel what made her leave town in the first place. Normally, she was an ace at putting on airs and hiding whatever her true feelings were behind a mask of ego and unfaltering bravado. In Xander’s presence though, those phony props fell away. She felt immediately vulnerable. She had never before really been a person who wore her heart on her sleeve. Some might have wondered she had one at all; the selfish person she was.
“Of course. I don’t mind. I will…. come and see her everyday.”
She hadn’t planned to do that. Suddenly, it was in her mind and out of her lips. Then, she grimaced a little as her eyes moved away to look down. Humility. Another trait normally not thought of to have anything to do with Cerise. Her shame was written all over her face though.
“If she needs people the most right now, then I’ll be here.” Without fail.
Then, her eyes were glancing at him again, full of inability to just sit there and be quiet. She felt like she needed to say something to him. What could she say? Anything she wanted to say; would that even be appropriate?
“Xander… I um… ah..” She stood up to get a few other things out of her purse. She pulled out her small on the go nail set. If she gave up now, will having done all that been for nothing? Her reasons for what she did what she did still existed. Soon enough; she’d have to face those as well.
“Of course. I don’t mind. I will…. come and see her everyday.”
She hadn’t planned to do that. Suddenly, it was in her mind and out of her lips. Then, she grimaced a little as her eyes moved away to look down. Humility. Another trait normally not thought of to have anything to do with Cerise. Her shame was written all over her face though.
“If she needs people the most right now, then I’ll be here.” Without fail.
Then, her eyes were glancing at him again, full of inability to just sit there and be quiet. She felt like she needed to say something to him. What could she say? Anything she wanted to say; would that even be appropriate?
“Xander… I um… ah..” She stood up to get a few other things out of her purse. She pulled out her small on the go nail set. If she gave up now, will having done all that been for nothing? Her reasons for what she did what she did still existed. Soon enough; she’d have to face those as well.
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Xander turned, smiled and nodded, “she will appreciate it. Our parents are here now, so if you happen across them just let them know you are her friend and they should be okay with it. “ Even though he smiled, the smile didn’t reach his eyes. In fact he looked worn and extremely tired. Dr. Jacobs practically lived the hospital at the moment. It was busy, the emergency room had to lend hands to the filled ICU and Xander wasn’t very willing to leave his sister for very long.
It didn’t help that he was still patrolling at night when he could. Sleep was something he wasn’t getting very much of at all. He sighed and sat down on the bed taking his sister’s hand and giving it a squeeze. “Don’t,” he said to Cerise, “I’m okay. I’m fine. It’s not important right now. You came to see Lily and she needs all the support and love she can get. So please don’t.”
He reached over and gave her hand a pat, only to be startled by a cough at the door. In the doorway stood another red head, 5’10”, tanned and gorgeous. Her red curls were cut short, close to her head, tightly wound and slightly wild, she looked in with curiously suspicious emerald green eyes, lacking the dual color both her siblings carried.
“Oh hello. I’m sorry to interrupt, but Mom and Dad, said you need to sleep at home tonight. They are insistent. You’ve barely been home at all and the chair in Lily’s room or the hospital staff lounge is hardly restful. You’re no good to her dead tired.”
Xander frowned at his sister, “I’m fine Rose and I’m not going anywhere. I can’t anyway. I have a shift.” He looked to Cerise, “This is my sister Rose.”
Rose schooled her expression, “It a pleasure.” She looked to her brother for an introduction which he happy gave. “Rose, this is Cerise. She is a friend.”
Rose gave a nod, “I’m sorry if im coming off rude or a little strong, but my brother is an imbecile. And,” she looked to Xander. “I talked to the head of your team, you are going home Xander. No buts.”
It didn’t help that he was still patrolling at night when he could. Sleep was something he wasn’t getting very much of at all. He sighed and sat down on the bed taking his sister’s hand and giving it a squeeze. “Don’t,” he said to Cerise, “I’m okay. I’m fine. It’s not important right now. You came to see Lily and she needs all the support and love she can get. So please don’t.”
He reached over and gave her hand a pat, only to be startled by a cough at the door. In the doorway stood another red head, 5’10”, tanned and gorgeous. Her red curls were cut short, close to her head, tightly wound and slightly wild, she looked in with curiously suspicious emerald green eyes, lacking the dual color both her siblings carried.
“Oh hello. I’m sorry to interrupt, but Mom and Dad, said you need to sleep at home tonight. They are insistent. You’ve barely been home at all and the chair in Lily’s room or the hospital staff lounge is hardly restful. You’re no good to her dead tired.”
Xander frowned at his sister, “I’m fine Rose and I’m not going anywhere. I can’t anyway. I have a shift.” He looked to Cerise, “This is my sister Rose.”
Rose schooled her expression, “It a pleasure.” She looked to her brother for an introduction which he happy gave. “Rose, this is Cerise. She is a friend.”
Rose gave a nod, “I’m sorry if im coming off rude or a little strong, but my brother is an imbecile. And,” she looked to Xander. “I talked to the head of your team, you are going home Xander. No buts.”
