4 Rainy Days

Sleeplessly Sandra tosses and turns in her bed, unable to find a comfortable position that eases the pain in her back nor can she stop thinking about that mysterious woman at the bar. She takes a deep breath lays on her back and let's it out with a woosh sound escaping through her teeth. "What did she mean? Where is your family....and how does she know my name? Needless to say no one has called me Sandy since I was a child." as she pondered these questions the night began to fade, morning rising with beautiful pinks and oranges. The sun is warm on her skin and the duey air smells fresh. Her thoughts remained fixated on the beautiful stranger and the way she smelled of cucumber melon and citrus. Snapping back into reality she began her morning routine as per usual she indulged in a latte from Starbucks, though this morning she could not help but search for the strawberry blonde that smelled so sweet. To no avail, she headed to work but when she arrived there was a bit of a commotion. She heard great sobs of desperation as she came closer to the sound she was awe struck to see that her mother is the reason for such chaos at her workplace. "Mother, what is it? Are you ok? What happened?" her words fell on deaf ears as her mother cries and clings to her.

"My baby! Nooo! Please God no! Don't take my baby away from me! Margret's voice full of pain and despair.

"Mother, did something happen to Suzanne?" Sandra questioned earnestly as her thoughts immediately went to her sister. "Something must have happened to Suzanne. Why else would Mother travel half across the world to find me?" she hugs her mother with all her might trying to calm her down. Margret takes a seat nearby and continues to sob softly. "Why don't you come stay with me and tell me what happened?" she tries to coherence her mother from her seat. Margret just sits there as if waiting for something to happen. After some time a familiar scent filled the air, Sandra turned to see the strawberry blonde in front of her. Margret looks up and asks the blonde if she is a friend of Sandra's?

"Um..yes, I am a freind" the strawberry blonde replies completely to Sandra's surprise.

"I see. Were you with her in the accident?" her mother questions.

"Yes, well s..sorta... I was nearby .....I'm Del by the way, it's nice to meet you.....?"

"Margret .....I can't believe this happened."

"Yeah" Del trailed off to silence.

"What the heck is going on? Please tell me, is Suzanne ok? You were with her right? Sandra's emotions poured into each word. Neither of them replied to her beckoning. She finally walked out to search for her own answers. She knew where her sister and her family lived and had their number. She called and called finally her sister's husband picks up the phone.

"Hello, lukus speaking?" his voice shaking.

"Hey luke, what happened to Suzanne?" tears threatening to escape, contemplating what the answer could be.

"She....she died last night" his solemn words rang out and her chest felt like it would explode. "No, why, what happened?"

"She was jumped on the way to her car...the doctors did everything they could....she" he sniffles "she was stabbed" sniffing continues "I have to go" click, he hangs up the phone.

Beep....beep.... beep.....

The doctors rush into Sandra's room "Start compressions!" one shouts. "There seems to be a blockage to her heart call the cardiothoracic surgeon, we need to dislodge this surgically" another doctor demanded. Sandra was rushed out by as many as four doctors when Adelyn had arrived to visit her. She called after them "Wait, what happened to her?" a doctor walked out from the room Sandra had been in. Adelyn practically jumped the man for information. "She threw a clot if we are lucky it won't reach her brain" he says dryly.

"What happens if it does?" Adelyn didn't want to think of what that might mean but needed to know.

"She could have a stroke which could do irreparable damage to her brain, if you'll excuse me, they will send someone out to update you." he rushes off to attend other duties. Adelyn strolls to the waiting room and sits down. Wondering if Margret knows her daughter is in surgery for the nth time. She pulls out her phone but realizes she doesn't have her number to let her know. "I'm sure the hospital will call her..." thinking about it "Why do I care so much anyway, it was an accident" she tries to harden her emotions that scream out in her guilt and deny her part in all this unable to shake the blame she knew it was her fault in her heart. "Am I even doing the right thing by being here? If they knew it was all my fault, they wouldn't want me to be here.... I wouldn't." "If that were me in there would I want the bastard who put me there hanging around? Hell no, I'm not a big enough person to handle that...." "but I want to help somehow... I caused this... Me... I'm taking responsibility that's all. That's what this is I'm taking responsibility for my actions. So, what if she's freaking gorgeous.... did I just say that."? Pacing back and forth in the waiting room "Yeah she is attractive but like she's not my type at all.... right? Ugh I'm an idiot for even thinking I stand a chance with her after what I've done."

Sometime later Margret arrives after getting the call about her daughter. She notices Adelyn pacing and walks over to her feeling slightly relieved to see a familiar face. "Hey Del, how's she doing?"

"Hey Margret, she's still in surgery" she stops pacing in order to keep a calm presence in front of Margret. It does little in ways of presenting a calm and collected Adelyn with her head running as it is.

"You must care a lot about her" Margret chimed in interrupting Adelyn's thoughts.

"What, no, I mean... Why do you say that?" caught off guard she scrambled to get her head straight.

"You're here as much as I am, if not more." pointing out she was here before her.

"It was just how the timing worked out" she skirted the question.

"So, where did you to meet?" Margret seemingly making small talk.

"St. Louis, I had a job there and we just kinda ran into each other." it wasn't a complete lie, they did run into each other in St. Louis, she defended her statement to herself. "Where did travel from? I overheard one if the nurses say you flew from out of the country to be here."

"Ah yes I was in the middle of the Tour De France when I got the call, it was one of my dreams to tour France. After my daughters were old enough to take care of themselves, I figured it was now or never."

"So where is Mr. Cuthbert?" noticing the absence Adelyn dared to ask.

"He passed away many years ago when Sandra was but a child, that was when we moved here." Margret glanced down at her ring, it was a lovely 6 carat diamond with beautiful decorative pieces. "What about you? I don't remember passing by your parents when you were here before?"

"Well that's .... complicated." she was unwilling to share any further for the pain of being disowned and kicked out of her family for her sexual orientation is still rather fresh.

"I see" the look on Margret's face said she knew what it may be about but dared not pry further.

"Mrs. Cuthbert?" a feminine voice called out to the room. The pair rushed over to the nurse awaiting the news. "Sandra is stable if you, there has been no change as for her comatose state but if you want to visit with her, she is in room 2205."

In unison "Thank you."

"I should probably head home" Adelyn paused.

"Nonsense, after all that waiting. We're going to visit her." Margret grabs hold of Adelyn's arm and pushed forward as only a mother can.

In the room Sandra looked a little worse for wear but her beauty still radiated out. A few more bandages across her chest and side the hospital gown could barely contain the bulk of the bandages and threatened to expose Sandra's skin. Margret pulled the blanket over Sandra's motionless body uttering a weak sentence "She gets cold easily."

Taking a seat on the other side of the bed Adelyn shifted in her seat wanting to ask so much but not wanting to give away her friend status just yet. "So, what was Sandy like growing up?"

"She was such an obedient child but so serious. She once got raving mad at her father when he 'stole her nose', she was red in the face when he wouldn't give it back." she chuckled softly remembering how pouty her baby girl was.

"And what about her sister?" Adelyn remembered Margret mentioned having two daughters.

"Suzanne was the younger of the two, she loved to play tricks on Sandra because she'd get so mad. She was born just after their father died."

"That must have been really tough on you."

"It was no cakewalk indeed, but my little Sandy was a big help, she looked after her sister so well. You would have thought she thirty if she was a day."

"She sounds like a tough kid" Adelyn smiled gently.

"She still is, my little Sandy can get through anything" she brushes the hair away from Sandra's forehead lovingly.

Adelyn looks at Sandra wishing she could have met her at another time another place when she was full of life and prosper. Then remembers Sandy is here because of her, tears well up in her eyes. Unknown if the tears are for herself or for Sandra, she let them fall anyway.