Return to Love (17 page)
Authors: Lynn Hubbard
“Oh my gosh!”
“Did you hear?”
The girls blurted talking over each other as the words tumbled out of their mouths.
“What’s going on?” Kate demanded looking around at the chaos.
“April was hit by a car last night over off of Elm Street. Her mother called my mother this morning when April never came home. She was hoping she was at my house. They called the police, and they finally found out she was taken to the hospital last night, when she ran out in front of a car. She was messed up pretty bad.” Jane blurted out close to tears. April was never really close to any of them, but a fellow class mate, someone they knew being run over was very upsetting.
Joanie was shaking her head in shock. “No, we were with her last night we saw her!”
The depth of the situation started to sink in, and Joanie and Kate looked at each other in horror. Elm Street was not near April’s house. Chris was supposed to drive her home. Chris.
Joanie looked over the yard and saw Chris standing with all of his football friends with a small shadow around his left eye. Joanie almost as if in a trance started towards him with Kate, Sally and Jane right on her heels. Kate tried grabbing her arm, but Joanie shrugged her off.
Joanie’s mind was numb. She was filled with such a rage. She walked up to Chris as all talk stopped around him. He grinned slyly at her.
“Hey doll, about time you came around, they all do sooner or later.” He said.
“What did you do to her?” Joanie whispered, her whisper was more intense than any scream. “You picked her up last night in your car, what did you do?”
Chris paled a bit not expecting the head on confrontation. “We had some fun, and I dropped her off at home. I don’t know what happened.”
“LIAR!” Joanie yelled launching herself at him. She kneed him in the groin, and when he doubled over brought her knee up into his face snapping his head back and breaking his nose as he doubled over groaning. Joanie dropped to her knees grabbing his hair and forcing him to look at her.
“You better listen well because I don’t repeat myself if you ever touch me or any of my friends again, you better pray for death ‘cause it be will better than what I will do to you.” Joanie said releasing him suddenly letting his head smack against the side walk. “Understand?” She asked as he nodded quickly. Joanie stood up looking at all of his football friends, and they all took a step back letting her and her friends leave the circle, before checking on their fallen comrade.
Kate, Sally and Jane all hugged her at once. “You are so awesome!” Sally cried. Joanie blushed little as her adrenaline dispensed. “We better get to class!” She mumbled as her friends followed her into the school.
After school, the girls headed to the hospital to check on April. The school never even mentioned April’s accident; it was if it never happened. They met Joanie’s mother in the hallway. She stopped giving her a quick hug. “She wants to see you.” Carol said smiling at her daughter. She thought of how Joanie had grown up so much; she was so proud and so sad at the same time. She was proud of the woman that Joanie was becoming, and she was sad for the little girl she was losing.
Joanie looked at the other girls hesitantly. “You go first.” Katie urged since they only allowed one visitor at a time. Joanie nodded nervously as she headed down the hallway.
Joanie slowly walked through the ward. There were eight beds; six of them were occupied by women with an assortment of ailments. April was the last one on the left Next to the window. As she neared, she saw the girl looking out the window despondently. Joanie walked up to the end of the bed and waited for April to notice her. Wearily she turned her head in Joanie’s direction.
Joanie tried not to look shocked as she stared at April. Her left eye was blackened and swollen so badly that she could only open her eye a slit. The entire right side of her head was covered in a large bandage. Her cheek had a deep abrasion on it where she must have slide across the road. Her right arm was also badly scrapped, and her left leg was in a cast.
“Come to see the freak show?” April asked wearily.
Joanie smiled softly, “No, I came to see the girl who took on two guys and won.”
April barked out a laugh, “You call this winning?”
“That which doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” Joanie quoted. “I’m sorry; I should have warned you about Chris.”
“Yeah, like I would have listened. I guess nothing is ever as good as it seems huh?” April said smiling sadly. “It’s just you had all these hot guys following you around like puppy dogs, and I was jealous. Until you came back, I was the fairest one of all. I just felt like I had to do whatever I needed to do to fit in, to be liked.”
“You have to love yourself before anyone else can love you, why should anyone respect you if you don’t respect yourself? It‘s not easy. Nothing is ever easy. But some things are worth fighting for.” Joanie said.
“Speaking of fighting, I heard you took out Chris at school today. Why did you do it?” April asked.
“Because nobody messes with my friends. Nobody.” Joanie said as tears filled her eyes.
April’s lip started trembling, Joanie sat on the side of the bed and awkwardly hugged April as they both cried.
Joanie was waiting outside the hospital as the other girls visited April. The air was brisk with a promise of snow as Joanie pulled her thread bare coat closer around her. She lifted her face up to the fading sun feeling its last fingers of warmth before winter. She felt a warmth encompass her, her eyes popped open. Eric was there. He had wrapped her in his leather jacket. “This time you better not give it back.” Eric said his eye sparkling as he bent down and their lips met.
The End
More From Lynn Hubbard
A Christmas Crossing
Return to Love
Run into The Wind
Chase the Moon
Desperado