As I took the call, the person on the other side said, "Hello, Miss Jessica Jiles, we are calling from Fairview Community Hospital."
I also replied, "Yes, how can I help you?"The voice says, "Miss, we were cleaning the bed opposite from the bed your aunt had, and we found some of her stuff in the side drawer. Could you please come and collect it?"
Though I was confused, as I am hundred percent sure I checked every drawer and cupboard personally, "Are you sure, cause I checked every drawer and cupboard myself, it's not possible I left anything behind."
The voice on the phone replied, "Yes, Miss Jessica, but the left bottom drawer of your aunt's bed side was broken so the staff must have kept her stuff in the other bed's side drawer. We have packed it in a box, so please come and take it and you can check the room once again for safety."
Though I said I would come to pick the stuff, I don't know why, even today I begin to cry on seeing her stuff. Maybe I just can't get over the fact she left me.
As the call got disconnected, Aunt Claudia said, "Dear, what's the matter?"
"Oh, they were saying Aunt Debra's stuff got left behind. They said her side drawer was broken so they kept some stuff in the other bed's drawer. Which is obvious why I didn't check, so I have to go and get the stuff." Recalling the stuff I took to the nursing home, "Though I don;'t think I left anything. From day one I made a list of all the stuff that I used to take and bring back. Still, if they say, then I have to check it out."
Just then I got another call, as I saw the display, the call was from Sandy.
Patricia looks at me and says, "Who's calling now?"
I was still looking at the screen and told her it was from Sandy. Patricia took my phone from my hand and said on the phone, "Hi, Sandy, good morning, hey, Jessica just got a call from the nursing home telling Aunt Debra's stuff got left back. We'll go in the evening, OK."
Sandy replied she will be ready. Then Patricia also says, 'OK, and then we'll come to pick you around six, see you."
As we had our breakfast and we were about to leave, Aunt Claudia says, "Jessica dear come back here, and tell Sandy to come as well. Tomorrow is the weekend, let's have a girl's weekend, OK."
I instantly smiled and said, "Yes, Aunt Claudia, this is going to be a special weekend for us."
So, after having breakfast, we took our leave and went to work. The drive was longer than usual and I couldn't figure out why, till Patricia called me again out of my daze, "Jessica, Jessica?"
"What? Did you say something?"
"Jessica, at the speed you're driving, we'll reach by tomorrow. Why don't I drive?"
As she was talking to me, I took a look at the speedometer and realized what she meant. I was driving at 30 miles-per-hour, of course the distance seemed long. I should thank the traffic, as today was not a rush hour, so no one was honking at the back.
I smiled shyly and said, "Oh, sorry, I'll pick up on the speed."
Over at Spirit Fashion
As we entered, as usual, everyone greeted us. Then I entered my office and saw a bouquet of flowers. I went over and kept my purse and then saw the card. When I read the name, I scoffed and said, "What? On what terms are you sending me flowers?"
"Flowers, Who's sending you flowers?"
I turned around and saw it was Patricia, "Oh, nothing. It's Kyle, he sent me flowers."
OK, I wasn't expecting her to be so shocked, "WHAT?? Is he out of his mind? Wait, let me call that fool."
"Hey, calm down. They're just flowers. They don't mean a thing."
Before I could say anything else, Patricia snorted, "The hell. Jessica, keeping them and not saying anything means you accepted them. And, he's the one who initiated the divorce. Now, on what terms is he sending you these?"
I really didn't want to tell cause, the difference between Sandy and Patricia is, Sandy is a calm girl and before she does something, she thinks, like a hundred times. But, Patricia, she does first thinks later on.
"Ah, Patricia, there's one more thing I didn't tell you." Oh, I hate the look that these girls give me when I hide something from me. I feel like I'm betraying them, cause to be honest, they never hide anything from me. I took a deep breath and said, "I got divorce summons the next day, and Kyle happened to have called. Sandy confronted him, he said she didn't send them and told me to wait for him till he sorts everything out and will come back to me."
"What? Man, he really has the nerves. One, he is the one who initiated the divorce. Two, he's telling you to wait for him, and he could be with a girl this very second. Jessica, tell me you didn't say, 'yes."
I scoffed as I said, "What? Patricia, I do love him and that is never changing, but to forgive him, when I don't even know what happened? And, Patricia, no matter how much I love him. If he left me for another girl, and now he plans to leave her and come back, I'm no shelf and he's no photo frame who can be picked and kept back at will. Hey, was that a good example?"
We both began laughing out loud, then as we calmed down a bit, I said in short breaths, "OK, on a serious note, it's just I don't want any contact with him, that's all."
Patricia sighs and says, "Fine, let me speak to him and I will remain calm."
Though I was reluctant, I allowed her to make the call to Kyle. Though I was expecting he would not take her call, the moment I heard his voice, my heart skipped a beat.
"Hello, Patricia, how are you, and Kyle replies, "Yes, I sent them to Jessy. I want to remind her, I love her and I will be back."
Patricia snorts and says, "Kyle, what are you on the border or something? Why should she wait for you? And, it's your initiative, stop pestering her and let her move on."
"Move on? No way, Patricia, please give me some time, I will be back. I love only and only Jessy, please."
I gestured to Patricia to end the call so she said, "OK, for now just don't send or do anything. Sort out your matters, and we'll talk to you later on. One more thing, and I mean it," Patricia emphasized in her words, "DO NOT CALL HER."
"OK, I won't, just take care of her. And, I have a request for you and Sandy, please keep me updated on her. If she's not feeling well, let me know, please."
"OK, we will, now bye." As Patricia disconnected the call, "Jessica, I think he got hit by a truck or something."
I smiled and replied, "Whatever, see, again the same thing, to wait. But, I am not waiting for anyone. Actually, I decided yesterday itself, to live my own life for me. Today, I will reinforce my statement."
Just then a knock on the door got my attention, "Yes, come in."
Veronica enters and says, "Jessica, David is here, do I send him in?"
"Ah, yes, please and three cups of coffee." Looking over at Patricia, "Patricia, call Imelda also. The reunion is the day after tomorrow, so It's best if I clear the details today so they won't have any issues."
As David enters, "Good Morning Jessica. Here, you can take a look. If there's no problem, we can go to step two."
As I wished him good morning, I took his tab and said, "OK, David, you already know Mr. Lorenzo gave us an open fund, but we have to use it as minimally as possible."
"Jessica, don't worry about that. Compared to our rival, we are forty five percent lower. So."
Just then Imelda knocks and enters and wishes good morning to everyone. As she takes her seat, "Jessica, since we are on the budget, cut down another five thousand."
David gets shocked and says, "What? what do you mean by that?"
Imelda sighs and says, "David, Mr. Lorenzo wants minimal design and only cloth. I just got a call from Silvian, he told me he's got a thousand left, and will be sending back as only cloth is being used for the designing elements."
OK, that was good news in a while for me, "OK, that's good. So, guys, it's like this. I have a college reunion the day after tomorrow, so David, you and Imelda will have to work on the details. Patricia and Silvian are also invited."
Imelda smiles and says, "Jessica, don't worry, we'll take care of everything here."
David also smiles and says, "Yeah, relax."
As they took leave from the office, Patricia says, "Jessica, we should also take leave. The sooner we go, the sooner we can take the stuff. And, remember, we have to pick Sandy up as well."
Recalling the hospital's call, I nodded, nodding, "Yes, let's go."
As always I drove and had a light chat with Patricia along the way over some simple things like work, our weekend plan. Overall, nothing serious.
As I entered the street, I could see Sandy standing at the entrance of Echo Garden. I liked Echo Garden, the lush green center surrounded by the buildings was always a beautiful sight. It looked like the buildings were protecting the garden from the pollution.
I stopped the car, so Sandy could get in. As she entered we did our trademark hand shake, invented by Patricia.
Fairview Community Hospital
Again over a small chit-chat, we finally arrived at the hospital. As I parked the car at the entrance, Sandy said, "Jessica, you and Patricia go in, while I'll park the car."Agreeing, I got out as Patricia also got out. We waved to her and went on inside. Sandy is the best person when it comes to parking. No matter how small the place is, she always manages to get the car in.
As we came to the reception, the nurse looked up and said, "Hello, how may I help you?"
"Ah, yes, I got a call telling me my Aunt Debra's stuff got left behind. Her file number is seven-o-eight."
The receptionist smiles and says, "Ah, yes Miss Jessica. The box is here with me. Still, the admin said if you want to check, you can check the room once again." I wasn't interested, or rather didn't have the heart to enter the room where once on entering I could see my aunt, but she had a point. If I had checked the drawers of the empty bed beside her bed, maybe I would have found the stuff kept in the side drawer.
So I decided to check for myself, and this time I was sure nothing got left back. As I came back, the box was kept on the counter, so I picked it up and as we came back out, Sandy came over and said, "Hey, back so soon."
I smiled and said, "Yeah, they had already packed the stuff and I checked her room as well. It's all clear."
Sandy takes the box from me and says, "OK, then let's head home."
As I was driving, Patricia said, "Sandy, we're going over to my home. Mom has planned a girl's weekend out for us."
Sandy chirps saying, "Really, that's going to be great."
Over at Patricia's home
As I parked the car, Sandy picked the box and went in along with Patricia, as I parked the car in the garage and came in as well.
Seeing we have come back, Aunt Claudia came with three glasses of fresh juice. As I took a sip of my juice, Patricia said, "So, Jessica, what do you want to do? You can go to our room, if you want privacy."
I took a deep breath and said, "No, it's my aunt's stuff and you both met her. She always considered you her daughters as well, so what's there to hide? But, yes, I don't have the strength. I know it's been four years, but maybe it's cause of the divorce."
Realizing what I meant, Aunt Claudia says, "Patricia, why don't you open and remove the stuff?"As Patrica began to remove the stuff, it wasn't much. Two photo frames with pictures of me and Aunt Debra, her wristwatch, and her pens. Yeah, she loved to write. But what took me off guard was when she removed a file, a diary and a pendant.
Sandy instantly recognized the pendant and said, "Hey, you used to wear this when you were younger, but you stopped when you turned ten, what happened?"On seeing the pendant, it was a jade pendant, and though Sandy recalled it instantly, I didn't. So, I picked it up and saw, on the back J&J was engraved in a heart. Then I took the file and my expression was evident as Aunt Claudia said, "Jessica dear, is everything OK? What's in the file?"
I sighed and replied, "They are property documents. Aunt Debra bought an apartment for me. The papers are signed by me. Means, I have taken possession of it. When did I sign them? Sandy, check the diary and tell me what's the diary about?"
Sandy picks the diary and says, "Ah, Jessica, it's your mother's diary. And there's a photo also. I think it's your parents, she looks so much like you and you have the same eyes as your father."
As I took the photo, I said, "You know there are about nine lookalikes in the world of a person."
The girls went quiet as they understood what I meant. That's them, they always know how I feel.
Though I was shocked on hearing the diary was written by my mother, I was more shocked as I could not understand what her diary was doing here with Aunt Debra. "Ah, Sandy, can you read what she's written?"