"Today class, we will begin with algerithums," Mr. Schurshal begins as the class groans quietly. He turns to the wipe off board behind him, "Node one," I_Vbatt + v_1-v_2/ R1=0, "Node two,"
Jade sits happily in her seat loving her new advanced math class. Twenty minutes through the class, the prinicaple comes over the loud speaker, "Jade Clines, please report to the office with your belongings," The class Ooo's at her as she grabs her text book and binder. Walking down the hallway with her winter coat, 'It can't be another collage interview, and I don't remember hacking the school system to expose factory farming or child slavery this week. Her mind goes blank seeing her mother's best friend waiting in a chair, "Um...Hi Brittney," Jade greets qestioningly opening the door. Brittany stands immedetaly and goes to embrace Jade, wrapping her arms around her frail body and back pack, "What's going on?" She chuckles nervously.
"I'll tell you on the way," Brittney turns to thank the clerk then holds the door for Jade.
Getting into Brittney's Red Chevrolet Camaro, she turns to Jade, "Jade,"
"Yah?"
"Your mother's in the hospital,"
Jade feels her face go pail and her heart drop to her feet, "What happened?"
"She has been diagnosed with stage four breast cancer,"
Jade looks at Brittney, "Well drive!" She yells reaching over and turning the key in the ignition making the engine roar to life as exhaust lazily lifts into the air.
After making the hour drive from Clintonville to Appleton in complete silence, they reach St. Elisabeth's cancer hospital.
Before Brittney can put the car in park, Jade swings the car door open. The winter air burning her nose as she sprints to the automatic doors that don't open fast enough. Almost running into the desk she yells at the clerk, "Where is Amy Clines room?"
"Relation?"
"Daughter,"
"She's not expecting any visitors,"
"I don't care!" She screams, "Where is my mom?"
"Jade, calm down," Brittney yells, her conver's squeaking on the floor.
"Is this your mother?"
Jade gives the clerk a look of bewilderment. Having had the look focused on her on more than one occasion, Brittney steps back, knowing at this point the onslaut of insults is like a title wave, nothing can stop it from crashing to shore.
"Do you remember the relation question?" Jade asks rudely slamming her hands on the counter.
"The relation question?" the receptionest repeats with the same amount of rudeness thinking she doesn't get paid enough.
"Yes, now in what parallel universe could my mother be in a hospital bed AND right next to me perfectly fine?" Jade yells adding on the top of her lungs, "Because I'd REALLY love to be there right now!"
"I don't know,"
"That's what I thought. Now shall we try this whole conversation over?"
"Sure,"
"That was a rhetorical question. I don't care what you have to say other than telling me what floor and room number Amy Clines is staying in. And before you ask the other stupid question I know wants to come gallivanting out of your mouth, Clines is spelled C-l-i-n-e-s. And to answer the next two stupid questions you are going to ask that are completely unrelated . I have no authority to talk to you this way other than I feel like it and I know I can. And yes, you just got schooled by a thirteen year old. Now number if you please,"
This time it's the clerk's turn to look bewildered. She looks down at a book on the left of her large desk, "Room two thirty six, on floor three,"
"Thank you," Jade begins to run toward the stairs deeming the elevator too slow after wasting three whole minutes on an uncultivated ignoramus like her.
Reaching the third floor she slams open the door and proceeds to rush down the hall only stopping when she reaches room 236. Walking in, her long, blond hair rusteled and her mother's hand-me-down coat ruffled, she see's her mom looking exactly the same as she did that morning, looking up at the T.V.
"Hi Mom," Jade says out of breath, her normally pail cheeks now have a rosey hue.
"Oh, hi huny. I wasn't expecting you to sprint up here until after school,"
"Brittney came and got me,"
"Oh?" Her mom sits up, her short, brown hair plastered to the back of her head from the pillow, "Where is she?"
"Probably stuck on the elevator...Or apologizing to the low life clerk with no brain stem. But enough about me, how are you feeling?" Jade asks taking off her coat and draping it over a chair to revel a black T-shirt with her old jeans and now wet tennis shoes.
"You need to stop doing that, huny. Not every one is smart like you," Her mother grabs her hand as Jade sits on the side of the bed, "As to how I'm feeling, I'm alright,"
"Alright as in normal, or alright as in some one with stage fore breast cancer?" Jade looks angrily at her mother.
Brittney sighs loudly as she walks into the room, "Dammit Brit!" Amy yells causing both other girls to jump, "I told you not to tell her!"
"Oh, come on, there are two factors here that forbid that," Jade says, "One, Brittney can't keep a anything a secret to save her own life, and two, I would have just beat it out of her if need be,"
"Yah, Amy, I don't feel like getting beat up by your middle school daughter," Brittney retorsts, sitting on the other side of the bed.
"So, why are you in the hospital and not just in the doctor's office?"
"They had other appoointments after me, so they stuck me in here to do more testing to determine the best corse of action to fight this cancer,"
"How long are you going to be here?"
"I'm not sure, Jade, but you need to go back home and go to school tomorrow,"
Jade gives her mom a questioning look, "Mom, its Friday,"
"Oh? Huh, that's funny. I went through the whole day thinking it was Thursday,"
"That sounds just like you. Don't even know what day it is, and yet your never late for anything," Amy laughs.
While the two women laugh about their highschool memories, Jade is deep in thought.
Stage four, She takes a quiet gasp of air, That's the worst! Oh my God, is Mom going to die? She begins to panic as thoughts race through her mind, Okay, Jade, just calm down. Deep breath in, deep breath out. Think logically. It's two thousand six, medical advances have been taking great leaps. But those leaps cost money. Well Mom does have an okay job as a seamstress for Lakeside clothing. Her health insurance should cover at least half the cost. But still, how much does cancer treatment go for? Oh! I can just hack the hospital's billing and change everything to a dollar! But how can I use a computer here? I'll have to wait until I get home.
"Jade," Her thoughts are intrupted by her mother, "Don't even think about hacking the hospital to reak havock on their billing department,"
"Too late,"' Jade smiles widley as Brittney has an axasperated look on her face.
"Well, sorry to leave you like this, but I hae to get going. I have work in the morning. And Jade," She turns her head to look at her with an angry face, "I will NOT be bailing you out of jail again if you decide to destroy another major food industry by spaming every computer in Wisconsin with horrific pictures of animal crulety,"
Jade laughs nerviously, remembering being dragged to court on a law suit from happy Cow farms. She won the case and got them closed down, thanks to Brittney being her lawer, "Yah, yah, yah. I won't"
Brittney points at her with a stern look, "You better not,"
"Geeze where's the faith?" With a last wave Brittney leaves.
Slowly, Jade turns to her mother, all happiness drained, being reminded by the hospital bed the reality at hand.
"Don't worry, Jade. I'm going to be fine," Her mother pats her hand.
I sure hope so
Several hours go by as Jade and her mother watch random cartoons until Jade finally falls alseep laying next to her mom
A knock at the door inturupts Amy from the evening news. The docor walks through the door holding a clip board. Amy shuts the T.V off.
"Good evening, Ms. Clines," The man greets with a smile.
"Hello, doctor. What's the news?"
"Well, I have good news and I have bad news," He begins.
At the sound of a new voice, Jade slowly wakes up, keeping her eyes closed and listening. "Well, let's hear the bad news,"
"Alright," The doctor pauses, and takes a deep breath, "With out treatment, you have one year to live," He looks into Amy's eyes, ready to see tears laced with horror and uncertinty. Instead, he is met with a steady and calm gaze. He clears his throught happy to have the worst out of the way, "But with treatment, and surgery, you will have at least ten years. Now I know you must have may questions,"
"Just two. Will my insurance cover this? If not, how much will I be paying a year?"
"Well, your insurance should cover half, if you give me until tomorrow morning, I can have the numbers for you."
"Good enough for me,"
"Have a good night,"
"You as well doctor," With that, the doctor closes the door, "Jade, don't go getting any wild ideas," Amy looks over at the top of Jade's head, "I'm getting the treatment no matter the cost,"
Jade's head shoots up and she turns quickly to face her mother, tears streaming down her face, "Damn straight you are!" She yells.
"Jade," Her mother coos softly, "It's okay to be scared, but I'm going to be just fine," Jade nods her head slowly, as she lays back down, her mother wraping her arms around her small frame.
The next morning, a knock on the door wakes both from their uncomfortable sleep the hospital bed too small to share, "Good morning, ," The doctor greets with a smile.
"Good morning, Doctor, do you have the numbers for me?"
"Yes, I do," The doctor searchs the paper work on his clip board as Jade proceeds to the chair Brittney was using yesterday.
"Well, come in, you don't have to stand in the door way and let the whole world know our problems," Jade says rudley.
"Jade, I know your not a morning person, but you could show some respect to the man who is going to save my life," Her mother preaches as the doctor closes the door and takes a seat on the small, backless stool.
"Alright, , here are your numbers. Totals, with out health insurance, which includes the entire chemotherpy process is $200,00. Now, I don't want that number to scare you, because your health insurance will kick in after your $1,500 deductibal. Now here is what you will be paying out of pocket $54,500," Jade takes a sharp inhail and turns pail, feeling light headed.
"Alright, that's a big number, but I know my daughter and I can make it through, thank you so much for your time doctor," Amy says standing from the bed, ready to go back home.
"Sounds wonderful, I will have a receptionest call you with in a few days to schedual an appointment for you to disucss your treatment regimen,"
"Alright," Amy begins to gather up her and Jade's belongings, wanting to get home and begin on a game plan for the bills.
"You are able to check out at the front desk when you are done here," The doctor stands and leaves the room while Jade is frozen to the spot.
Jade, it's going to be alright, Mom is stobern. Just think about it this way; $54,500 that's for probably ten years...Holey shit, Mom can't be sick for ten years! Okay, let's make that five years. So, $54,500 divided by five gives us $10,900 a year?! Okay, that's a year. Now divide that by 12 months in one year and that gives what? $908.3 repeating?! What the fuck does this screwed up system think we have? Fucking money trees in the back yard!
"Jade!" Amy yells for the third time at her daughter, knowing the blank stair into space is her internally freaking out.
"Yah, Mom?"
"Stop scaring yourself. It's going to be fine. You don't have to worry about anything execpt your schooling, do I make myself clear?"
"Yah, sure Mom. Can we just go home? I'm sick of seeing white. This place is giving me sensory deprivation,"
"Yes, we can go home now," Amy holds her hand out to her daughter who rises from the chair quickly to grasp it, millions of thoughts still rushing through her mind.
After checking out, both Amy and Jade stand underneath the awning, out of the mixed precipitation falling from the cold, dark sky, "So, Mom," Jade begins, rocking back and forth on her heals, "How do you plan on getting home?"
"That girl, I sware, it's a wonder how she got to be a lawer, she's late for everything," Amy grumbles, her breath billowing into clouds.
"Oh, well. I could just call bomb her, or track her cellphone and make a creepy voice go over her radio demanding her to pick us up,"
Amy turns to her, "Don't you dare!"
"Oh, speak of the devil and she shall appear in a speeding red camaro," Jade points her finger to the south entrance where the car drifts into the parking lot.
"I can't believe that woman somtimes," Amy puts a hand to her face and just shakes her head not sure what else to do.
"Well, your fashionably late as usual," Amy says getting into the passenger seat as Jade takes the middle seat in the back.
"Sorry, the jurry couldn't reach a verdict when I thought they could," Brittney apologizes rubbing her temples.
"I'm telling you, we need a different court system, you know, one with people who can tell their feet from their face would be nice," Jade snickers watching Brittney look at her through the rearview.
"If only congress could be like that to huny, America would be so much different,"
"Yah, I wouldn't have to be stuck in an advanced class that is still on nodes!"
"You're really complaining about that?" Amy sighs as Brittney turns the car onto the highway back toward home.
"Yes! Some kid in my class..."
"I love how you say 'some kid'. Don't you know the names of your classmates?"
"Why should I? They are all intulectually beneath me, there for I don't need to know their names, just their test scores,"
"That's harsh," Brittney looks toward Amy, the windsheild whippers making an annoying squeeking sound as they try in vain to whipe away the freezing slush falling from the ugly sky, "So, how many collages have wanted her this week?"
"Um...Harvard has sent us thier twelfth letter. This time practically begging me to let her enroll, next year!" Amy sighs, "Other than them, I've gotten ten others this week," The car becomes quiet after that, each thinking about their own problems.
"Alright, ladies, here we are at your humble abode," Brittney breakes the silance with a cheery tone parking in front of their small, two bedroom house on the corner of Ann street and North Park street.
Personally, Jade loved their home. It had an amazing kitchen, plenty of counter space, including an island in the middle. A dinning room, a living room just big enough to fit their dinosoar of a T.V that took two men to lift it, one baige colored coutch and a matching recliner that Amy inharited when Grandma Clines passed away three years ago. The bathroom was tiny, but when neither of the woman in the house cared much for makeup or hair styeling, it stayed neat for the most part. Jade's room was her sancturary. Her double sized bed that was a pillow top, she deemed it the closest thing it gets to sleeping on a cloud. She had her study area in the far corner that was complete with a large wooden desk that was also given to them by Grandma Clines after her death. She had everything she ever wanted in that desk for studying, and hacking. Not that she would ever let her mother know about that part. The lap top Brittney got for her for christmas two years ago worked perfectly where she could go 'incagnito' on line, and if done correctly, almost intracable. Her desk was her prized posetion. Anything from graphing paper to tracing paper lay inside the top drawr, the bottom drawr housed sewing kits, another thing she will would never tell her. No posters covered her walls, instead pictures of her modeling her mother's disigns that she tries selling as a side job.
Jade enters her room as her mother and Brittney sit on the couch and talk about what the doctor had said. Alright, let me see here. I can look up Mom's pay stubs from last year and go off of that if I need to panic yet or not. Lifting the top to her laptop and turning it on, she begins to open four different tabs, three of which serve no purpose at all either than switching quickly if something were to happen such as her being traced or her mother walking in. Alright, Amy Clines made $30,050 last year. Not to mention the articals she sells on her own... Now I just have to go into the bank account and see what bills we pay a month then multiply that by twelve months in a year. Opening another tab she hacks into Amy's bank account and looks up all the bills that she pays through the bank. Alright, the utility bill is $1,200 a year. The Insurance is $900 a year plus the morgage is $7,200 a year. That equals through the bank alone $9300 a year!? Closeing her laptop she sneeks out of her room, checks the living room to make sure her mother and Brittney are still talking and makes her way into her mother's room. She really needs to find a new place for the key to the lock box. Jade thinks as she stratches her arms up to the top of her mother's large dresser. Opening the lock box Amy keeps under her bed she pulls out the list of costs her mother keeps. Oh, I guess I didn't need to hack her bank account...Oh well. She scans through the list Let's see; Food is about $400 a month, Regular checkups cost $1500, School supplies are $500 a year, Utility bill again is $1,200, Phone bills for both of us is $1,200. House insurance is $900, Morgage is $7,200 and the car loan is $1,560. Add that all up and we get... Carry the two, the one, the three and the...$19596?! What the fuck have we been eating? Gormet?! She digs deeper into the box looking for anything else Misc costs? Really? $400? Alright, Oh, that was already on the other piece of paper? Works for me. Now I just have to subtract the $30,050 of mom's wages from the $19,596 and that leaves us with...an extra $10,454 a year? Huh, wow. No wonder I can take an hour in the shower and totally pig out on junk food when I want to. So that doesn't seem so bad. Now Mom's treatment was $10,900 a year...shit. That leaves us $446 in debt! FUCK! Well, no more hour showers I guess, that means that alone could limit out spending. And if I turn off the water while washing, that can save us more. Unplugging my laptop when not in use could save a little bit, and not pigging out so much. So a guestemit would be saving about $1,800 on food because Mom get's free lunch at work and I always take a lunch to school, then the utility bill, that would save about $400 dollars, that means...WE would have an extra $54 at the end of the year! She puts everything back quickly and sneeks back into her room to make notes of her discovery. Alright, I have nothing to worry about now, Mom was right...who am I kidding. Mom is always right.
After she writes her findings in a notebook and sticks it back into her desk she flops onto her bed, slapping her arm over her eyes to block out her cealing light and the boring white walls of her room.
"Jade," She hears her mother calling her. Did I fall asleep? "Jade, dinner is ready, huny. I know your tired but you need to come and eat something," Jade opens her eyes to see her mom's smiling face.
"Yah, okay. I'll be right there," Jade grumbles uncovering herself from the blankets she doesn't remember putting on herself. Making her way through the small hallway toward the dinning room she smells her favorite dish. Yum! Mom's sweet and sour pork!
"I hope your hungry, I made lots for the growing girl in the house," Her mother beams from the small table.
Remembering her findings from earlier that day, she slowly sits into one of the wooden chairs, her plate already made for her, "Actually, I'm not that hungry," She lies looking at her mother, determination hidden behind worry in her eyes.
"Are you not feeling good, huny?" Amy asks beginning to eat slowly.
"It's just nerves about everything that's been going on,"
"Oh, alright. Well, you have to eat at least half of what's on your plate,"
"Alright," She begins eating slowly, having proven it for herself, the slower you eat, the less you eat. If I eat half of what's on my plate tonight, I can eat a fourth for lunch tomorrow. Mom always makes double batchs of this, so if I play my cards right, I can make this one meal last a whole week for us minus breakfast.
"Huny,"
"Yah Mom?"
"Stop worrying,"
"I'm not,"
"You can't hide when your worrying, no matter how hard you try," Her mother pats her on the head as she passes to put her plate into the dish washer.
After dinner, Jade decides to go back to bed, having been stressed out all day taken alot out of her.
One year passes with Jade in school and her mother working a full time job until one night.
"Jade, huny," Jade walks into the living room where her mother calls her, "Can you help me up so I can go to bed?" Jade nods her head and draps her mother's arm over her shoulder and slowly helps Amy into a standing position.
Latly, the chemo her mother has to do has been gerting has taking alot out of her. She's been eating less, sleeping more and hasn't been able to work as much because of the pain she feels in her hands and the migrains she's been getting.
Slowly, Jade helps her mom get into bed and covers her up, "Good night Mom, I love you. Sleep good,"
"Good night huny," Jade leans down so Amy can kiss her forehead, "Make sure you make yourself a lunch today,"
"Yah. Okay, Mom. I love you," As Jade closes the door she remembers she has to check on the bill status. I'll do that later tonight. As she walks back into her room, she opens her laptop, wanting to see just how much money her mother has been making for the house. Seeing herself in the black screen, she can see the big circles under her eyes from stress and lack of sleep. She has lost weight due to eating less than she's used to. As long as Mom get's better, everything I do is worth it. Logging into her mother's online banking, she can feel her heart almost stop beating. Mom's wage has gone down by $17,255?! Okay Jade, calm down. It can't be that bad. I'll just have to look at the bill statements that have been coming in the mail these past few months...Who am I kidding. Mom can't even make enough to pay for her treatments right now. We are already in debt! Her breathing speeds up as tears rush down her face as she is forced to come to terms with the reality of the situation...I have to sit down with Mom and tell her we need to start giving this up...She slides off her desk chair and falls to the floor, sobing in fear as she throws herself into an anxiety attack.
The next day she is woken suddenly, "Jade? Jade, are you alright?" Brittney's voice yells from her door way as she hears her foot steps rush up to her.
"What?" Jade lifts her head slowly. She was still on the floor from where she was last night, "What's wrong?"
"I'm asking you that. Why are you on the floor?"
Jade sighs heavily, "Where's Mom?"
"Sleeping still. Why?"
"Brittney, can I talk to you outside?"
"Sure, huny," Brittney helps Jade off the floor and they walk outside into the brisk fall air. Jade had started her freshman year in highschool. Having no friends at school, deaming them all unworthy, uneducated, annoying and self centered createns, she didn't have anyone to talk to, to turn to. And now that the reality of her world came crashing down onto her shoulders, it was too heavey to carry. She felt like she was being crushed to death under her mother's weight.
"What's up, butter cup?" Brittney half heartedly laughs sitting on a porch swing overlooking the quaint neighborhood.
"Um...I don't know what to do right now."
"About what?"
"We..." Jade sighs heavily, "Mom isn't working enough to pay the bills. What she's making now doesn't even cover her treatment," Jades heart beat races once again, for some reason feeling guilt rush over her.
"I understand," Brittney looks down at Jade's pail form, "I understand what you are trying to say, Jade. You want me to tell your mother it's time to give somethings up," Brittney smiles down at Jade who swings her head up, astonishment written on her face, "Listen, Jade. I know I'm speeking for your mother on this to. What ever happens you just need to worry about you. You can't carry the weight of the world. Your still too young for that. You should be enjoying the best years of your life. Not worrying about the bills that your mother has to pay. That's too much for a fifteen year old. Do you understand what I am saying?"
Jade nods her head and hugs Brittney as Brittney squeezes her close.
When her mother wakes up, Jade helps her to the swing outside. Having done reasearch, finding that fresh air helps calm people down and trees have a healing aspect that doctors still can't exactly explain other than it works. Setting her mother down and bringing a blaket out for her, Brittney sits next to Amy and begins talking to her about the things that needed to change around the house while Jade cleans the house from top to bottom, having been warned by the doctors that her mother's ammune system was delicate through chemo.
After their talk, Amy decided to give up the car, and the house and to move in with Brittney. As tears stream down both their faces, Jade silently screams from her bedroom, more anxiety attacks than she can count happening in one day.
When summer brake rolls around, Brittney helps Jade and Amy move in with her.
Jade begins a part time job at a flower shop making $5.15 an hour. Four hours a day, seven days a week.
"Welcome home huny," Amy greets Jade as she walks through the door to Brittney's house.
"Hi, Mom," Jade forces a smile to her face as she looks at her bald mother sitting on the coutch with two blankets wrapped around her in the eighty degree weather.
"How was work?"
"It was good. How are you feeling?" Jade asks preparing a cup of green tea for her.
"I'm okay, Jade." Amy smiles and takes the tea with shaking hands as Jade sits next to her, "Are you excited for your softmore year?"
"Yah,"
"Huny, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, I'm just tired. I'm going to go to bed. If you need anything, just give me a call, alright?"
"Sure, huny. Sleep well," Jade kisses her mother good night and makes her way to their joint bedroom.
Walking into the room she pulls out her laptop and logs into her mother's account only to be sent into a spirling attack once again. Even with her part time job to help with the bills, they are still in debt by $28,901 by the end of the year.
Tears stream down Jade's face as she silentily screams herself to sleep.
Six months pass and Jade begins working a seceret full time job at a paper mill on third shift seven days a week, eight hours a day by making fake id's. Her grades begin free falling and her relationship with her mother and Brittney turn south due to lack of sleep, food and more stress than an inmate on death row.
"Happy sixteenth birthday, Jade!" Brittney and Amy cheer at the kitchen table with three cupcakes.
"You guys really didn't have to do this," Jade smiles suprised as she walks through the door after another hard day at school.
"Don't be silly, this is your sweet sixteen!" Brittney laughs and hugs Jade. Jade then goes to her mother in the wheelchair and gives her a kiss on the cheek.
Jade thinks back to the doctors notes left on the kitchen table she found a few days ago. Her mother had less than a year to live. She fights tears from forming as she blows out her candle on her chocolate cupcake. Wishing for her mother's health to improve.
After opening her two gifts, one being a fifty dollar gift card to Wal-mart and the other being a knitted hat made by her mother that looked like a black cat with green eyes. They celebrated by watching the sience channal for five hours straight until Jade had to 'go to bed'.
Three months later;
Jade walks up the steps of Brittney's house to find a note on the door, 'Jade, call me when you get off of school. I will come to pick you up'. Jade walks over to the elderly neighbor's house and uses their phone.
"Brittney, what's going on?" Jade asks when Brittney picks up her phone.
"I'll tell you on the way, I'll be there as fast as I can," Brittney hangs up and hops in her car and speeds back to Clintonville.
Jades heart drops, having heard those exact words when they found out Amy had cancer.
"Is everything alright, Dear?" Mrs. Paulson asks putting a hand on Jade's back, watching the teen girl grow more pail than usual.
"Um...I don't know," Jade turns around to look at the kind, old woman in the eyes before throwing her arms around her neck in a hug as she sobs on her shoulder. Mrs. Paulson just rubing her back, trying to calm the unconsolable girl.
The normally hour drive from Appleton to Clintonville, takes Brittney only twenty minutes with a police escort. Pulling up to the house slamming on the brakes, previously going about ninty, she jumps out of the car, "Jade, we need to go, NOW!" Brittney yells opening the door for Jade to hop in. Jade waves to Mrs. Paulson as Brittney slams the gas down to get back to Appleton, all the way praying it would be in time.
"What's going on?" Jade yells after about five mintues.
"Jade..." Brittney sighs, not wanting to say the words, wanting to keep a death grip on them, "Your mother...she's,"
"No! No! I don't want to hear it!" Jade screams, tears rushing down her face like Niagra.
"I know you don't!" Brittney yells back, "But it's time we start facing facts,"
"There are no facts when it comes to life and death!" Jade yells looking at the spedomater, for once thinking ninty too slow.
After ten minutes of nothing but sniffels being heard, Brittney speaks again, "When we get there, you need to go in alone. I have already said my..." Brittney choaks up as she tries surpressing a sob.
Reaching the hospital, Jade feels like her feet are led, too heavy to move with fear. Reaching the room, they sudenly turn into feathers as she rushes to her mother's bed side.
"Mom! Mom you can't leave me!" Jade yells sobing into her mothers chest as Amy simply strokes her long, dark blond hair.
"Jade, you need to listen to me,"
"No! Tell me later, when we get home," Jade yells sobbing harder.
"Huny. I won't be going home after today," Amy could almost hear it. Jade's world falls apart, "You need to listen to me," Jade simply nods her head, "I need to tell you about your father,"
"What?"
"I don't want you looking for him. He is an awful man. Please. This is my dying wish," Amy grasps Jade's hand, "Promise me you won't go looking for him,"
"I promise." Jade says bluntly, tears still rushing down her face, but her face much more calm, having gone into a state of shock emotionally.
"And, promise me, you will keep living,"
"I can promise that," Jade hugs her mother again, "I promise I will do something to better this world, and help you make a difference," Jade sniffels as her mother's heart monitor begins to become irratice, "I love you mom. So much,"
"I love you to Ja..." Her mother flate lines. Jade begins to sob uncontrollable when Brittney rushes in.
"Jade," Brittney tries pulling Jade away from her mother's body, but she refuses, clinging to her corpse as if her own life depended on it, "Jade! She's gone!" Brittney finally yells causing Jade to stop shaking her mother's form, "Jade, I'm sorry, but your mother is dead," Brittney pulls her out of the room and they both wrap their arms around one another, mourning the loss of a mother and a best friend.