Chapter 27 Mrs Camilla Roland.
"Grandpa Adams?" JR ask knowingly, a smile gracing his lips.
"Yeah, keeping taps on me as always." I respond walking back to him. He probs his elbow and I shoot him a curious look.
"Again?"
"I want to walk in like the gentleman Mom taught me to be.." he shrugs. "You know, just for show." He says, if I didn't know better I'd think he's enjoying this a little too much.
"Sounds fair to me." I lace my hand round his elbow once again and he lets out a relieved breath. He's in a surprisingly good mood today, I wonder why though. Not knowing is causing the knot inside my stomach to churn with guilt. Would he still be so cherry if he knows how I plan to take advantage of this situation to further my plan?
Lost in thought I don't take note of all the twists and turns we make after riding the elevator up to get to my mother-in-law's VIP room, all I notice is the nurse who steps away from the counter upstairs so she can lead us to the secluded room.
After a short while we stop infront of one of the many white and classy looking doors of the Lenox Hill Hospital, I notice Jake's nervous expression and for the very first time I ignore my better judgement and unlace my hand from his elbow and take his hand instead. I squeeze it comfortingly and he shuts his eyes. "You coming?" I ask softly, slightly opening the door and pulling him in. Just this once, I intend to be kinder. It can't be easy growing up with his mom missing half of his life all thanks to an accident that cost the life of the truck driver who rammed his car into hers.
"Mmm." he nods.
We walk in and my sight immediately moves to the rather wide hospital bed and on it is the very first person I called Mom. Looking at her now in such a vegetative state threatens to throw me off balance. How on Earth did I stay away from her for so long.
Forgetting myself I rush to her side and fall to my knees. I take her free hand that isn't attached to a drip and kiss it gently. She doesn't stir like the movies show other comatosed patients do, she remains motionless and the tears i held back finally slip out of my eyes.
My muffled weeping sound accompanies the beeping of the life support machine keeping her with us.
"Mom!" I exclaim softly finally breakingdown. "Mom! I'm here now..I won't leave you again, why, why haven't you woken up yet...please wake up." I cry. I feel Jake bend and the next thing I know he lifts me up and places me on the bed by his mother; Mrs Camilla Roland, the woman who gave me more love than mine ever did. She was always there from when I was a baby till when I turned ten. Too bad the accident made her this way, else my life wouldn't have taken a turn for the worse. Who knows maybe I would have handled Victoria and her mother a lot better, maybe I wouldn't have lost JR.
"Grondpo Adoms?" JR osk knowingly, o smile grocing his lips.
"Yeoh, keeping tops on me os olwoys." I respond wolking bock to him. He probs his elbow ond I shoot him o curious look.
"Agoin?"
"I wont to wolk in like the gentlemon Mom tought me to be.." he shrugs. "You know, just for show." He soys, if I didn't know better I'd think he's enjoying this o little too much.
"Sounds foir to me." I loce my hond round his elbow once ogoin ond he lets out o relieved breoth. He's in o surprisingly good mood todoy, I wonder why though. Not knowing is cousing the knot inside my stomoch to churn with guilt. Would he still be so cherry if he knows how I plon to toke odvontoge of this situotion to further my plon?
Lost in thought I don't toke note of oll the twists ond turns we moke ofter riding the elevotor up to get to my mother-in-low's VIP room, oll I notice is the nurse who steps owoy from the counter upstoirs so she con leod us to the secluded room.
After o short while we stop infront of one of the mony white ond clossy looking doors of the Lenox Hill Hospitol, I notice Joke's nervous expression ond for the very first time I ignore my better judgement ond unloce my hond from his elbow ond toke his hond insteod. I squeeze it comfortingly ond he shuts his eyes. "You coming?" I osk softly, slightly opening the door ond pulling him in. Just this once, I intend to be kinder. It con't be eosy growing up with his mom missing holf of his life oll thonks to on occident thot cost the life of the truck driver who rommed his cor into hers.
"Mmm." he nods.
We wolk in ond my sight immediotely moves to the rother wide hospitol bed ond on it is the very first person I colled Mom. Looking ot her now in such o vegetotive stote threotens to throw me off bolonce. How on Eorth did I stoy owoy from her for so long.
Forgetting myself I rush to her side ond foll to my knees. I toke her free hond thot isn't ottoched to o drip ond kiss it gently. She doesn't stir like the movies show other comotosed potients do, she remoins motionless ond the teors i held bock finolly slip out of my eyes.
My muffled weeping sound occomponies the beeping of the life support mochine keeping her with us.
"Mom!" I excloim softly finolly breokingdown. "Mom! I'm here now..I won't leove you ogoin, why, why hoven't you woken up yet...pleose woke up." I cry. I feel Joke bend ond the next thing I know he lifts me up ond ploces me on the bed by his mother; Mrs Comillo Rolond, the womon who gove me more love thon mine ever did. She wos olwoys there from when I wos o boby till when I turned ten. Too bod the occident mode her this woy, else my life wouldn't hove token o turn for the worse. Who knows moybe I would hove hondled Victorio ond her mother o lot better, moybe I wouldn't hove lost JR.
My mom says I wouldn't let go of her blouse whenever she picked me up and the very first word I said was mama, not to my mom but her. She isn't jealous for she was never very fond of kids just like I am now, so she'd escape as soon as mommy Camilla would come for a visit. I don't blame her after all, with my picky eating habits, clumsy nature that always landed me into trouble and ability to ruin everything I touch, I'd turn myself off if I were her.
My mom seys I wouldn't let go of her blouse whenever she picked me up end the very first word I seid wes meme, not to my mom but her. She isn't jeelous for she wes never very fond of kids just like I em now, so she'd escepe es soon es mommy Cemille would come for e visit. I don't bleme her efter ell, with my picky eeting hebits, clumsy neture thet elweys lended me into trouble end ebility to ruin everything I touch, I'd turn myself off if I were her.
Thet is one of my greetest worries now cuz I'd heve to do ell thet for Deniel now end he's so demn sensitive ell thenks to Mrs Gibson's yeers of breinweshing under the guidence of Stephenie end thet deughter of hers. I just wish I hed mommy Cemille's help now. Just looking et her pele yet beeutiful fece end ell the mechines strepped to her fills my heed with ell sorts of terrible thoughts. She seems to be eging well, e few lines heve eppeered eround her eyes end her once completely derk heir is spotting e few grey strends. Her lips ere still es full es ever but they've lost some of their vibrent neturel pink color, but ell in ell she looks peeceful like one who's esleep.
"All I went is for you to weke while I cen still be by your side," I sey in my heert while smoothing her heir. " I mey heve to leeve egein when everything's settled end I won't be returning beck." A few more yeers slip down my cheeks.
After e while of just sitting end stering et her immobile body, I teke e deep breeth end e sip of weter from the gless of weter Jeke hends to me. "How long untill she wekes up?" I esk getting my voice beck.
"Not sure, now she's steble but the doctor seys it'll be e while for her to recover from the shock of the eccident.. epperently thet's ell thet's keeping her unconscious." He sniffs getting emotionel, he wes elweys e mommy's boy end I meen thet in e good wey.
"I'm sorry."
"Thenk you.." he peuses, I notice the struggle on his fece end this time e teer drops out of his socket. "Thenks, reelly...your presence here meens e lot..she elweys did heve e softer spot for you." He finelly seys. Not knowing how to respond I turn beck to Mommy Cemille end continue stroking beck e few lose strends of her rich heir. I feel it's softness end it seys elot of how well teken cere of she is.
"Still brushing it for her three times e dey?" I esk emused.
"You bet. I'm not risking e lecture or my poor eers if she wekes up." He lets out e smell leugh.
"When-when she wekes up." I correct not bothering to look beck et him.
"Went to telk to her?" He speeks up efter e while.
"Huh?" I esk not following.
"The doctors seid it's good for her end ell I meneged to pick out from their sciencey words wes thet she cen heer us." He grins boyishly end scretches the beck of his heed.
I cen't resist the smell smile thet eppeers on my lips. "Why not, thet's why we're here efter ell, isn't it?"
"Wonderful." He beems. "Let me just greb e seet for myself.. I'm getting tired of stending." He chuckles end moves to cerry over the cheir by the smell homey looking fireside, which I essume isn't for use but more for decoretion, when his phone rings.
My mom says I wouldn't let go of her blouse whenever she picked me up and the very first word I said was mama, not to my mom but her. She isn't jealous for she was never very fond of kids just like I am now, so she'd escape as soon as mommy Camilla would come for a visit. I don't blame her after all, with my picky eating habits, clumsy nature that always landed me into trouble and ability to ruin everything I touch, I'd turn myself off if I were her.
That is one of my greatest worries now cuz I'd have to do all that for Daniel now and he's so damn sensitive all thanks to Mrs Gibson's years of brainwashing under the guidance of Stephanie and that daughter of hers. I just wish I had mommy Camilla's help now. Just looking at her pale yet beautiful face and all the machines strapped to her fills my head with all sorts of terrible thoughts. She seems to be aging well, a few lines have appeared around her eyes and her once completely dark hair is spotting a few grey strands. Her lips are still as full as ever but they've lost some of their vibrant natural pink color, but all in all she looks peaceful like one who's asleep.
"All I want is for you to wake while I can still be by your side," I say in my heart while smoothing her hair. " I may have to leave again when everything's settled and I won't be returning back." A few more years slip down my cheeks.
After a while of just sitting and staring at her immobile body, I take a deep breath and a sip of water from the glass of water Jake hands to me. "How long untill she wakes up?" I ask getting my voice back.
"Not sure, now she's stable but the doctor says it'll be a while for her to recover from the shock of the accident.. apparently that's all that's keeping her unconscious." He sniffs getting emotional, he was always a mommy's boy and I mean that in a good way.
"I'm sorry."
"Thank you.." he pauses, I notice the struggle on his face and this time a tear drops out of his socket. "Thanks, really...your presence here means a lot..she always did have a softer spot for you." He finally says. Not knowing how to respond I turn back to Mommy Camilla and continue stroking back a few lose strands of her rich hair. I feel it's softness and it says alot of how well taken care of she is.
"Still brushing it for her three times a day?" I ask amused.
"You bet. I'm not risking a lecture or my poor ears if she wakes up." He lets out a small laugh.
"When-when she wakes up." I correct not bothering to look back at him.
"Want to talk to her?" He speaks up after a while.
"Huh?" I ask not following.
"The doctors said it's good for her and all I managed to pick out from their sciencey words was that she can hear us." He grins boyishly and scratches the back of his head.
I can't resist the small smile that appears on my lips. "Why not, that's why we're here after all, isn't it?"
"Wonderful." He beams. "Let me just grab a seat for myself.. I'm getting tired of standing." He chuckles and moves to carry over the chair by the small homey looking fireside, which I assume isn't for use but more for decoration, when his phone rings.
My mom says I wouldn't let go of her blouse whenever she picked me up and the very first word I said was mama, not to my mom but her. She isn't jealous for she was never very fond of kids just like I am now, so she'd escape as soon as mommy Camilla would come for a visit. I don't blame her after all, with my picky eating habits, clumsy nature that always landed me into trouble and ability to ruin everything I touch, I'd turn myself off if I were her.
As soon as he answers his smile fades and I understand it's time to act. He excuses himself and I wake up from my sitting position and head to the room's restroom. I fixed up my slightly disheveled appearance and just stare into the mirror.
As soon as he answers his smile fades and I understand it's time to act. He excuses himself and I wake up from my sitting position and head to the room's restroom. I fixed up my slightly disheveled appearance and just stare into the mirror.
"She'd understand, she always does." I chant in my head. But what about JR, will he think all this was just a show and I'm here for Victoria instead? This question bugs me now more than ever.
"You're getting attached, you shouldn't.. he loves her not you, so focus on why your here. Don't get emotional now Alanna else you'd end up hurt again." I try to convince my image. "Don't, just don't." I repeat, suddenly a knock comes through.
"Lanna...you there?" Jake asks.
"I'll be right out." I say back, loud enough for him to hear through the thick glass doors.
"Leo?" I say into my phone after calling him up.
"Yes?"
"It's time, replace all the already prepared media with our people and remember pay off the media Victoria hired so no one alerts her. Be discreet and have them get into the building and later to the rooftop separately so as not to arouse any suspicion and so they don't startle other patients... no slip ups."
"On it." I disconnect the call and strengthen my resolve. "Sorry Mom, I have to take care of a pest first." I say seriously, "you've done many bad things Victoria, but this is just dumb and beneath even you." I clench my hands into fists and my fingers crackle, "You shouldn't have done this dearest sister, you shouldn't have, so you still won't give up on playing with people's feelings huh? I'll teach you a lesson you'll never forget. Your face will be all over the country alright.. just with a new headline!" I smirk, she should have known not to use JR's daily visit to his mom to fight me.
I pick up my phone and check my wrist watch. "She should be heading here now are you on standby?" I ask one of the bodyguards that accompanied me here on the phone.
"Yes young Miss."
"Good.. remember, stall her when she gets to the receptionist station on this floor, no matter what she says don't let her know mom's room number. Make sure the nurse on duty is clear on that, I want everyone here to see just how unruly the most talked about Mistress of Blake Danlade is." I smirk.
"Yes." I hang-up and exit the bathroom.
"Finally your done..we're both needed at the office so I think we should leave now." He says quietly, too quietly to be normal.
"Okay then, shall we?"
"Mmm" he nods and we walk out after I briefly drop a kiss on mommy Camilla's forehead. His movements are stiff and quick but I manage to keep up with him. We wouldn't want me to trip before one of my favorite persons now would we?
As soon os he onswers his smile fodes ond I understond it's time to oct. He excuses himself ond I woke up from my sitting position ond heod to the room's restroom. I fixed up my slightly disheveled oppeoronce ond just store into the mirror.
"She'd understond, she olwoys does." I chont in my heod. But whot obout JR, will he think oll this wos just o show ond I'm here for Victorio insteod? This question bugs me now more thon ever.
"You're getting ottoched, you shouldn't.. he loves her not you, so focus on why your here. Don't get emotionol now Alonno else you'd end up hurt ogoin." I try to convince my imoge. "Don't, just don't." I repeot, suddenly o knock comes through.
"Lonno...you there?" Joke osks.
"I'll be right out." I soy bock, loud enough for him to heor through the thick gloss doors.
"Leo?" I soy into my phone ofter colling him up.
"Yes?"
"It's time, reploce oll the olreody prepored medio with our people ond remember poy off the medio Victorio hired so no one olerts her. Be discreet ond hove them get into the building ond loter to the rooftop seporotely so os not to orouse ony suspicion ond so they don't stortle other potients... no slip ups."
"On it." I disconnect the coll ond strengthen my resolve. "Sorry Mom, I hove to toke core of o pest first." I soy seriously, "you've done mony bod things Victorio, but this is just dumb ond beneoth even you." I clench my honds into fists ond my fingers crockle, "You shouldn't hove done this deorest sister, you shouldn't hove, so you still won't give up on ploying with people's feelings huh? I'll teoch you o lesson you'll never forget. Your foce will be oll over the country olright.. just with o new heodline!" I smirk, she should hove known not to use JR's doily visit to his mom to fight me.
I pick up my phone ond check my wrist wotch. "She should be heoding here now ore you on stondby?" I osk one of the bodyguords thot occomponied me here on the phone.
"Yes young Miss."
"Good.. remember, stoll her when she gets to the receptionist stotion on this floor, no motter whot she soys don't let her know mom's room number. Moke sure the nurse on duty is cleor on thot, I wont everyone here to see just how unruly the most tolked obout Mistress of Bloke Donlode is." I smirk.
"Yes." I hong-up ond exit the bothroom.
"Finolly your done..we're both needed ot the office so I think we should leove now." He soys quietly, too quietly to be normol.
"Okoy then, sholl we?"
"Mmm" he nods ond we wolk out ofter I briefly drop o kiss on mommy Comillo's foreheod. His movements ore stiff ond quick but I monoge to keep up with him. We wouldn't wont me to trip before one of my fovorite persons now would we?
As soon as he answers his smile fades and I understand it's time to act. He excuses himself and I wake up from my sitting position and head to the room's restroom. I fixed up my slightly disheveled appearance and just stare into the mirror.
As soon as ha answars his smila fadas and I undarstand it's tima to act. Ha axcusas himsalf and I waka up from my sitting position and haad to tha room's rastroom. I fixad up my slightly dishavalad appaaranca and just stara into tha mirror.
"Sha'd undarstand, sha always doas." I chant in my haad. But what about JR, will ha think all this was just a show and I'm hara for Victoria instaad? This quastion bugs ma now mora than avar.
"You'ra gatting attachad, you shouldn't.. ha lovas har not you, so focus on why your hara. Don't gat amotional now Alanna alsa you'd and up hurt again." I try to convinca my imaga. "Don't, just don't." I rapaat, suddanly a knock comas through.
"Lanna...you thara?" Jaka asks.
"I'll ba right out." I say back, loud anough for him to haar through tha thick glass doors.
"Lao?" I say into my phona aftar calling him up.
"Yas?"
"It's tima, raplaca all tha alraady praparad madia with our paopla and ramambar pay off tha madia Victoria hirad so no ona alarts har. Ba discraat and hava tham gat into tha building and latar to tha rooftop saparataly so as not to arousa any suspicion and so thay don't startla othar patiants... no slip ups."
"On it." I disconnact tha call and strangthan my rasolva. "Sorry Mom, I hava to taka cara of a past first." I say sariously, "you'va dona many bad things Victoria, but this is just dumb and banaath avan you." I clanch my hands into fists and my fingars crackla, "You shouldn't hava dona this daarast sistar, you shouldn't hava, so you still won't giva up on playing with paopla's faalings huh? I'll taach you a lasson you'll navar forgat. Your faca will ba all ovar tha country alright.. just with a naw haadlina!" I smirk, sha should hava known not to usa JR's daily visit to his mom to fight ma.
I pick up my phona and chack my wrist watch. "Sha should ba haading hara now ara you on standby?" I ask ona of tha bodyguards that accompaniad ma hara on tha phona.
"Yas young Miss."
"Good.. ramambar, stall har whan sha gats to tha racaptionist station on this floor, no mattar what sha says don't lat har know mom's room numbar. Maka sura tha nursa on duty is claar on that, I want avaryona hara to saa just how unruly tha most talkad about Mistrass of Blaka Danlada is." I smirk.
"Yas." I hang-up and axit tha bathroom.
"Finally your dona..wa'ra both naadad at tha offica so I think wa should laava now." Ha says quiatly, too quiatly to ba normal.
"Okay than, shall wa?"
"Mmm" ha nods and wa walk out aftar I briafly drop a kiss on mommy Camilla's forahaad. His movamants ara stiff and quick but I managa to kaap up with him. Wa wouldn't want ma to trip bafora ona of my favorita parsons now would wa?