The Turn of Events: The Willow Tree part 2

Jason’s room was at the very top floor of the hospital. He was lying in the hospital bed, staring at the ceiling. When he saw Miranda, his eyes lit up, and he smiled. She returned his grin. Miranda was filled with relief. Then he started choking; he couldn’t breathe. A machine by his bed started beeping loudly. Miranda rushed to his side as a nurse came in.

His last words before he passed out were, “Miranda, I love you.”

Nurses and doctors were filing into the room one after the other. The nurse from the ambulance took Miranda’s arm and tried to lead her out. Miranda screamed that she would not leave Jason. Jason’s mom hugged Miranda and walked her out.  She sat in the waiting room of the hospital, listening to the shouts coming from Jason’s room with her face in her hands and prayed that this was some kind of horrible nightmare, and she would wake up in her tree with Jason by her side. Unfortunately, when Miranda opened her eyes, she was still in the waiting room, sitting across from Jason’s crying mother. Tears were falling from her own eyes, but unlike Jason’s mom’s heaving sobs, Miranda’s tears were silent. Miranda wiped the tears from her eyes with the palm of her hand and stood up. She hugged Ms. Smith goodbye, reassured her that she would be fine walking home by herself, and began her mile long walk home.

When she started her walk, Miranda had intended to walk home, but when she got to her street, she passed her house and went to the park instead. She sat on top of the monkey bars and watched the little kids play. She missed being able to be as careless as those kids. Miranda hopped down from the monkey bars and wandered around the park. A boy who looked around four years old came up to Miranda.

“Will you please tie my shoe?” he asked.

Miranda smiled and crouched down to tie his shoelaces.

“You’ve been crying,” he said, tilting his head to the side as he looked up at her with curious blue eyes.

“No I haven’t,” she replied, feeling a little guilty about lying to a four-year-old.

“Yes you have. My mom cried a lot when my daddy died. I know what a person looks like after they’ve been crying,” he stated.

“You’re very smart,” Miranda replied with a sad smile.

“Why are you sad?”

“My friend is hurt, and he might not make it,” she answered; a single tear ran down her face, and Miranda quickly wiped it away.

“I don’t think your friend wants you to be sad. If he’s a good friend, he would want you to be happy, even if he’s not with you.”

“Did I mention I think you’re very smart?”

The boy smiled and ran off. Miranda, still smiling, sighed and walked back home. She took a long look at the tree before stepping inside. She hadn’t even touched the tree since the incident. In a way, she was almost mad at it. Miranda shook her head and opened the door. Her parents were sitting on the couch when she walked in.

“Hey,” said her dad sympathetically.

“Hi,” Miranda replied.

“So your father and I were talking, and we’ve decided that if you want to skip school tomorrow and stay home or go see Jason, we understand,” declared Miranda’s mother.

Miranda thought for a moment, and then, after remembering her conversation at the park, replied, “Actually, I think I’ll be okay.”

“Really? Are you sure?” asked her dad.

Miranda smiled and nodded. It was a weak smile, but it was real. Her smile even grew a little, when she saw how relieved her mother appeared.

The next day, Miranda ran out of the house with her bag in one hand and a book in the other. When she got on the bus, she hesitated before she sat in a seat in the middle of the bus. The girl in the seat across from Miranda gave her a questioning look, but Miranda just shrugged. On her way to her locker, Miranda walked with her head held high. Doug jumped out of her way as she came striding down the hallway. Some people gave her a look of interest and confusion; Miranda didn’t care. At lunch, she sat at her normal spot, but a couple of people filled in the spots around her.

“Hi, I’m Nicole. Is someone sitting here?”

“No go ahead. I’m Miranda,” she replied.

“Thanks.”

“So we’re sitting here now?” another girl said as she sat down.

“We needed to mix things up. This is Miranda. Miranda this is Erika,” Nicole responded.

It was just about the best lunch she had ever had. The only thing that could have made it better was if Jason was there.

After school, Miranda walked to the hospital to see Jason. Miranda was pleased to see that Jason was awake and, more importantly, alive. Though he was awake, he looked very tired, but he smiled as Miranda sat down in a chair beside his bed.

“How are you feeling?” Miranda asked.

“Great now that you’re here,” he proclaimed with a smile that made Miranda blush.

“That’s good,” said Miranda, and she leaned over and flicked him on the head.

“Ow, what was that for?”

“Quit almost dying on me. It’s annoying.”

“Well I’m sorry. Would it make you happier if next time, instead of almost dying on you, I actually die on you?” Jason was amused.

“Hey, don’t joke about that.”

“I know. The doctor says I might be able to go home tomorrow, for a little while anyway. I’ll need to come back for treatment eventually.”

“That’s good. Will you be coming back to school then?”

“No, not right away. I’m sorry I can’t be there with you. Don’t do anything stupid, okay?”
“No it’s okay. Things are actually starting to get better at school. I made a few girl friends. Don’t worry about it.”

“Really? Well, then I guess you don’t need me anymore.”

“Jason, don’t even go there. Our friendship is not based on the fact that you stick up for me. You’re not being replaced by a few teenage girls that I met yesterday.”

“Okay, I’m sorry,” Jason apologizes.

“Yes, well, I’ve got to get going, or I’ll be late for supper. I’ll see you tomorrow. Tomorrow's Saturday, so I don’t have school. You should have your mom drive you to my house. You’ll have to get out on the other side of the street though because they’re working on the road.”

“Ok, bye.”

“Bye,” said Miranda, and she walked out.  

Jason came home from the hospital the next day. His mom dropped him off at Miranda’s house that afternoon. He was sitting in a wheelchair on the other side of the street when Miranda stepped outside into the May weather. The sky was getting darker as if it were going to rain.  

“How’s the weather over there?” Miranda yelled, and Jason grinned back at her.

“Outstanding!”

She raced across the street to meet him, but she didn’t get that far. Miranda was so excited and anxious to see Jason that she didn’t look for cars before crossing the street. The red Mercedes SUV just couldn’t quite get stopped fast enough before plowing into Miranda. Jason shoved himself out of his wheelchair and sprinted to where Miranda’s crushed body lay, gritting his teeth through the pain that ripped through his body with every step. He sank to his knees beside Miranda, tore off his shirt, and attempted to stop the blood with it. His hands shook as he pressed his shirt against the side of her head. It was hopeless, and Jason’s shirt was soon soaked with blood. Miranda’s breaths and heart beat began to slow.

“No, no, no, no. Oh my God no, Miranda!” he yelled as he pulled her into his lap.

Drops of rain began to fall from the sky just as drops of tears began to fall from Jason’s eyes. She looked up at him and reached up to touch his face, leaving a trail of blood across his cheek. Miranda smiled at him as the world around her began to fade.

Using her last dying breath, and as the lights went out in her eyes, she said to him, “I love you too, Jason.”