harper jones is on the run (jonesycakes) wrote in light_of_may, @ 2014-12-23 00:09:00 |
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Entry tags: | 2009-10-10, harper, josh |
a safe place to land
WHO | Harper and Josh, Lady Vi & Crayola (NPCs)
WHERE | U of M hospital → Bits and Bytes
WHEN | Evening
Three full days had passed and now a fourth was practically over and Violet still had yet to move on her own volition. Her eyes were open, but there was no sparkle behind them, nothing to reveal whether or not she understood what was going on around her. Harper sat on the edge of her grandmother’s bed, holding her hand between hers, hoping for any sign that her grandmother was coming back to her. But the older woman sat tucked into the bed, her eyes glazed over as she stared out of the window. Harper squeezed her hand and rubbed the back of it with her thumb, every little pass that she made a small prayer that Violet would respond. She’d give anything to hear the woman call her Methuselah again. Hell, she’d give up the bakery if it meant hearing her grandmother speak once more.
“Dad said he and Daveigh would come by and visit,” she left out the fact that he had said that two days ago. The doctor told her talking to her grandmother might start something ticking in her brain, maybe jumpstart a movement or a memory that might motivate some response. Harper doubted it; maybe he was just telling her that to help her feel better. “The bakery’s doing well enough. I closed up for a day, but things are back to normal there. Did a birthday cake for a twelve year old obsessed with Lord of the Rings, so that turned out to be pretty cool.” She swallowed, fighting the crack in her voice.
“I’m sorry miss, but visiting hours are very nearly over.” The nurse walked through the door and began to check the monitors that hummed next to Violet. Harper nodded and placed a kiss on the back of her grandmother’s hand before standing and pressing another one to her temple.
“Come on Grams, snap out of this. You’re the toughest person I know,” she whispered before she pulled back. She didn’t waste any words on the nurse and didn’t stop to see the look of pity painted onto her face. Instead she walked out of the room, down the hall, and straight out of the hospital. As soon as she was out, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed her father’s number. The rings were grating, but no one picked up the line. A heavy sigh blew past her lips and she ended the call before trying her sister’s number. Harper had just reached her car when she got her sister’s voicemail.
“What the fuck, Daveigh? Where the hell are you guys?! You and Dad both need to get your asses here and see Grams!”
She threw her phone into the car and sped home, not really paying attention to road signs, speed limits or anything else. All she knew was that her eyes were starting to burn and she was nowhere near close enough to home to give into it. The drive was over before she realized, but instead of running into her apartment and throwing herself across her bed and letting her sorrow wash over her, she parked her car in front of the neighboring shop. She didn’t pay any mind to whether or not the sign said open or shut, nor did she stop to care about how awkward things had been between her and the owner. All she knew was that Josh was the closest thing to a good friend she had near home and she desperately did not want to be alone. She flew through the door and felt a tear slip down onto her cheek.
“I really need a hug,” she choked.