Disclaimer: ...see chapter 1...
Author's note: Please read chapter 1 if you haven't so already. It's all revised and ready to go! And don't forget the reviews!
The man, dressed casually with a white lab coat draped over his shoulders, eyed the tall figure turning out of Room 784. Waist-length dark hair bound carelessly with a rubber band and simple outfit that obviously wasn't the product of careful mix and match, she stood out from the crowd of middle-aged couples clamouring to visit their accident-prone spawn. He'd noticed that she came often, always bearing purple orchids and leaving sombre and impassive.
Beckoning to a passing nurse for the records of the patient in aforementioned room, he scanned them quickly as he made his way to the surgery briefing. Howard Brandon…aged 78. It sounded remotely familiar. Sidestepping the approaching lunch trolley, he wracked his brains. It did sound familiar… A pair of small pale hands clapped over his widening eyes and he stopped dead in the corridor. "Bunny, is that you again?"
The young nurse giggled lightly, before skipping in front of him and pouting cutely. "It's not Bunny anymore." She flashed him her new ID card. "My name is now Serenity Moon. I just got it changed by deed poll."
The bewildered doctor arched an eyebrow. "Whatever… Bunny. Go back to your department or Darien will have my head."
She, ignoring him, sobered good-naturedly at his teasing. "Watcha readin'?"
He kept his eyes glued to the report. "A report on a Mr. Howard Brandon, Room 784."
She cocked her head to the side, not the least tired keeping up with him. "Oh, him, poor dude; I know his granddaughter."
He glanced shortly at her. "You do?"
"Yeah. She was in some of my classes in high school. Very nice person; terrible temper though. And she hated guys."
"She's lesbian?"
"No! I mean, she didn't trust guys. Don't blame her though… her dad ran out with her brother when she was three."
He paused in mid-stride, "And her mother? What did she do?"
Bunny/Serenity shrugged. "I think they ran a Shinto shrine; Reine's mom was half-Japanese."
"Was?"
"Yeah… Her mom passed on when she was in university."
A frown crossed the doctor's face, and the nurse looked up worriedly. "Why are you so interested? Is there something wrong?"
He shook his head slowly, continuing down the hallway. "No, not really. I was just wondering just how she was managing to pay the hospital bills." He held out the report. "Mr. Brandon was admitted into the emergency department almost two years ago with an acute stroke, from which he lapsed into a coma."
"Two years ago!" Her hands flew to her mouth. "Poor Reine… She-"
"Dr. Arnold!"
He whipped around comically to see the petite and peculiarly blue-haired senior surgeon leaning, arms crossed, against a nearby door jamb, her eyes narrowed. "Dr. Arnold! The briefing is nearly over, the coronary artery bypass surgery is about to begin, and you're chatting away with a nurse. You're going to cost our poor patient her life!"
He glanced back apologetically at Bunny/Serenity as he jogged towards the surgery department after his superior. Waving enthusiastically, the grin melted from her face as she bent down to pick up the report Dr. Arnold had dropped. Poor Rei… at this, she smiled wryly. That Brandon girl would probably chew her head off if she found her feeling the least sympathetic towards her. Rei never wanted anyone to feel sorry about her.
But still… she felt that she should help, at least, a little.
Walking stiffly down the road towards the shrine, Reine Brandon suddenly sneezed, surprising herself out of her trance. Absently, she hoped the nurses weren't gossiping about her at the hospital she visited far too often. She'd noticed that her childhood friend Serena now worked there as part of the nursing staff, but had been reluctant to approach her. She shuddered even to remember that disastrous meeting with her father's family. Naively, she'd thought that maybe the business tycoons would like to know about her grandfather's condition, but typical of businessmen, they'd assumed she'd come for the money, and had told her rather bluntly that they weren't one of those godforsaken charities. And later, she'd told herself that she'd never do something so stupid ever again.
Secretly she knew Sere wouldn't be as crass as to suggest something like that, but Reine supposed she was so jaded now she'd probably be very poor company anyway.
Pausing to let a mother and her triplets pass her, she was turning to mount the never ending steps that led to her humble abode when she was rammed hard in the side by the last blonde klutz she thought she'd ever see again. "Se-Serena?"
The short girl, a light jacket thrown over the top of her white uniform, doubled over to catch her breath, grinning ruefully. "S-Sorry about that… I just didn't want to-to have to run up those stairs… too…"
As if remembering something, she peered up shyly at the unmoving figure of her former classmate. "Rei? You're not… angry, are you? Rei?"
Reine's face was a mask of bewilderment. "W-What are you doing here?"
Serena smiled winningly, then sobered. "I… I just wanted to… express condolences… concerning your granddad, that is," she finished lamely, shuffling her feet.
The dark-haired girl raised a cynical eyebrow. "Big words, Sere. Wherever did you learn them?" Before turning on her heel and heading up to the shrine.
Her stricken friend rushed after her. "No Rei, it's not like that. I mean don't worry, I don't sympathise you. No-" She hit her forehead with the heel of her hand in frustration, almost tripping over her feet at the same time. "That wasn't what I meant. I meant, I do sympathise you, but I wasn't supposed to say that. I mean, you don't like sympathy, right? So I won't sympathise you, but I will in secret… Urgh! How come this works in the movies but never with me?!"
Struggling to contain her overflowing emotions – that klutz Serena would go to such lengths to renew their friendship – but mostly her laughter, Reine unlocked and yanked open the door to her house. "Stop talking, Serena, and get in here."
And for once, she ignored that annoying squeal and invited her long estranged friend into her home.
"Well, Ami's a senior at our hospital. She graduated early, and now she's the darling of the surgery department. And Lita, she opened that bakery she'd always wanted, but get this. She decided it wasn't for her so she sold it became a chef at the 'Kingfisher'! Isn't that great?"
Reine smiled out the corner of her mouth as she opened the bag of cookies, making sure to hide the shortbread ones, before offering them to the sweet-tooth fairy incarnate. Digging into them, the blonde asked the winning question. "So, what do you do now, Rei?"
Shoulders sagging visibly, Reine sank into a chair, propping her elbows on the table. "Well, you know. The odd job here and there…"
Serena paused in her munching. "Rei…"
The dark-haired girl shot her a glare. "Don't say you're sorry, please."
Swallowing, she protested. "But Rei! Didn't you always want to be a designer? You have the qualifications; what happened?"
She shrugged, staring down at her hands. "I guess I grew up. And the money ran out."
But Serena was uncharacteristically persistent. "Listen. I have the perfect opportunity for you to get started up again. Look, I'm getting married so-"
Reine's head shot up, her mauve eyes widening. "What the heck? When? Why didn't you tell me? Who's the poor gu- I mean, lucky groom?"
The blonde smiled wistfully. "Darien, of course. He's just gotten a position as associate professor in- Hey! Don't change the subject!" She glared playfully. "Anyway, I'd like you to be my wedding planner."
Violet eyes narrowed sceptically. "Wedding planner? Me? Look, I appreciate the thought, but I haven't so much as picked up a pencil in the last eight months, so I don't think-"
"Don't think then!" A determined Serena declared. "I remember your designs from high school; they were absolutely gorgeous. This is just a very strategic position for both of us. I'll have a one-of-a-kind wedding, and you'll get introduced into the industry. We're inviting Mina and that horde of celebrities that we've gotten to know, so it's the perfect opportunity for you! Come on, say yes!"
When did Serena become so thoughtful? Sufficiently embarrassed from this unexpected praise, touched, and on the verge of agreeing, Reine suddenly remembered her father's relatives. "I wouldn't want to be a charity case."
"What? Nonsense! What made you think that? I love your work, and I'm sure others will too. Please don't think such rubbish for once, and just say yes!"
Looking at Serena's hopeful expression, she felt a pang in her chest, a pang that reminded her of that long missed blissfulness of knowing you were loved. Alone from the moment her grandfather fell into his coma, she had almost forgotten that deep emotion all humans unconsciously craved. And now, Sere was pouring it over her in great heaping amounts… Feeling the lump rising in her throat, she threw her arms around a very shocked bride-to-be, tears streaming from her eyes. "Thank you, Serena. Thank you so much!"
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