Chapter 9: Bad News aren't over
Will didn't know how much time exactly Rikki had cried, but too tired of the tears, she soon fell asleep. He gently put her head back on the pillow and kissed her forehead.
Then he quietly walked out of the room, going to the place where Bella was sitting.
"She was crying when I got in, but she's asleep now." He said. The others only nodded silently.
While they were waiting outside a thought came suddenly into Cleo's mind.
"Bridget! She doesn't know!"
And she quickly got out her phone and dialed Bridget's number. The conversation was very short.
"She'll be here in a few minuites." Cleo said.
"I don't think it was a good idea to call her. Rikki told us to leave, can you imagine what she'd do when she sees Bridget?" Emma said.
"Still, Bridget's her twin sister." Bella said.
The all just stood there in silence for a couple of minutes when they saw a blond girl, running towards the place they were sitting. But when she got closer, they were stunned again by how much she looked like Rikki.
"Where is she?" Bridget asked.
"That's her room." Bella pointed.
"Be careful, she's asleep." Will said. "She had received a tough news today."
"What news?" Bridget said.
"Oh, right, you don't know." Emma said. "She's paralyzed. She may never be able to walk again."
"What?" Bridget said her eyes wide open. Tears filled her eyes.
She put her hand on the handle, took a deep breath and came in.
When she saw sister, lying there, she burst into tears. She slowly reached Rikki's bed and sat on the chair next to it. After hesitating for a moment, she took Rikki's hand in hers.
"I'm here, sis." She said crying quietly.
She stood there for hours, and finnaly her head leaned and she fell asleep in the chair, her head lying next to Rikki's hand. She didn't know how much she had slept, when she felt someone was jogging her and she woke up.
She raised her head, to face with one fully awake and angry Rikki.
"Who are you?" Rikki asked with a cold voice.
"I…I'm your sister." She said quietly.
"No, you're not! Stop lying and get out of my room!"
"Rikki, please…" Bridget said with tears in her eyes.
"Get OUT!" Rikki shouted the last word so loud, that Emma, Cleo, Bella and the boys all rushed into her room to see what's going on.
Bridget was looking at Rikki, crying.
"I said GET OUT!" Rikki shouted again.
Bridget ran out of the room bursting into tears. Rikki looked at her friends.
"What was that freak doing in my room?" She asked in cold voice.
"Rikki, she's your sister." Bella tried to say, but Rikki interrupted her.
"No, she's not! I've lived with my father since I can remember, and I DON'T have any brothers or sisters, do you hear me?!" She shouted that with voice full of coldness.
They looked at her with fear on their faces.
"Speaking of, where's my dad, why he hadn't come to see me, yet?" Rikki asked, her voice a bit warmer this time.
"Rikki, your dad…he…" Cleo started but she couldn't finnish.
"Spill it out, Cleo." Rikki said without any trace of coldness in her voice this time.
"You're the only survivor from the incident." Bella said quietly.
"No!, that's impossible." Rikki said her voice shaking. "You're lying." She said and a tear rolled down her cheeks.
She buried her face in her hands.
Cleo, Emma and Bella hurried to her bed to hug her, and give her a little comfort.
Rikki was crying in her hands. She couldn't believe it. Her father was the only family she ever had. He couldn't be gone. Somehow they all managed to calm her down and she fell asleep again.
They all waited outside the next few days, taking shifts from time to time, when someone wanted to go home and take a shower. Bridget never entered Rikki's room again. She was just sitting outside and occasionally stood up from time to time to look in Rikki's room through the small window.
After maybe two weeks when Rikki was discharged from the hospital her friends managed to talk her into their plan and they took her to Will's place. Bridget and even Zane were also part of the group that day. Zane hated the thought that Rikki would have to live with Will. He tried to convince the others and mostly Rikki that it should be himself she should be living with. They all disagreed. Now they were slowly walking along with Rikki in her wheelchair to Will's place.
Flashback:
"We can't let Rikki go back in that empty house. It's full of memories of her and her father. Besides in her condition, she'll need a lot of help." Cleo said. "I wish she could come to my place, but there's not enough space."
"Yeah, that's my situation too." Emma said.
"I've got an idea." Will said. "She can stay at my place for now. We can sell her house and search for a new one, where we all can stay sometimes if she needs us."
"That's very kind of you!" Bella said and gave him a kiss of gratitude.
End of Flashback
"Here we are." Will smiled at Rikki trying to cheer her up, but she was deep in her thoughts.
She was silent almost all the way to his place.
The group spend the rest of the day, in unsuccessful attempts to lift her spirit. She managed to fake a smile and a happy mood, but deep down, she was torn apart.
Finally the all went home, leaving Rikki and Will alone.
She was standing at the edge of the boatshed, watching down at the water. Will was sitting on one of the chairs behind her, watching her. He loved the opportunity to live with Rikki. He loved her so much and now he had the chance to help her, to be there for her, when she most needed it.
"Do you want to go in?" He asked so suddenly, that he pulled Rikki out of her thoughts and she looked at him her eyes wide open.
"Are you serious? You'll help me to go in the water?"
"Yes. Because I know that's what you want." He said with a smile.
She couldn't believe it. If it was someone else of her friends, they'd never let her in the water. But here was Will, suggesting himself to help her go in. She was so grateful to him.
He gently lifted her in his hands from her wheelchair and he jumped in the water holding her. When their heads rose on the surface, on Rikki's face there was a big smile of happiness.
"Thank you." She told him. "You have no idea how much this means to me."
"Trust me, I know." Will smiled back.
He made her happy, and that was all he wanted.
He held her hands tight. "Come on. Try to move your tail."
She tried and she moved it a little. She tried again. This time the movement was even bigger. The smile on her face was growing bigger and bigger.
Finnaly after an hour she felt too tired for another attempt and he took her in his arms, allowing her to rest in his embrace.
Will was looking at her. She was so beautiful. He loved the feeling of her warm body resting in his strong arms. He knew he couldn't resist anymore: he leaned his head and touched her lips with his, to melt down in the most magical kiss.