The story continues!
The trip only took about 5 minutes, but it seemed like an eternity. They had been saying various things, offering ideas as to what was broken or fractured, and something about a concussion. The ambulance stopped and Jazmine was quickly rushed out, Isaac following. They almost refused to let him in, but he pleaded, and they didn't feel like wasting time. They wheeled her down corridor after corridor, and finally into a room, where there were several doctors already waiting. Now Isaac was told to wait outside, that there was nothing he could do, and one of the nurses showed him the waiting room. He sat in one of the plush chairs and put his head in his hands.
Someone tapped his shoulder and he looked up to see his father and Taylor standing over him. He was still angry at them, but he was too distraught to say anything. He put his head back in his hands, and his father rubbed his shoulder. "It'll be ok, Ike," he said softly.
He looked up at him and felt a rush of anger. "Did you see what her mother did to her? She was totally mangled! And you didn't believe me! Bet you won't argue about me not letting her go back to her mother now!" He stood up and tried to bolt out the door, but his father held him back. He sat back down and stared blankly at the wall across from him.
Taylor knelt down in front of his brother. "Look, Ike, I'm sorry, we should have believed you. But she's going to be ok." Isaac didn't respond, he just continued to stare in front of him, through his brother.
His father pushed the hair that had fallen in front of Isaac's face away. "Isaac, your brother's right, we..." Isaac cut him off.
"He's always right! You always believe him! But you can't seem to believe me about anything! And look what happened!" He stood up, nearly stepping on Taylor, and walked over to the other side of the room. Taylor got up to protest, but his father put his hand on his shoulder, motioning him to just let his brother be.
For about an hour, the waiting room was silent. Taylor was writing down some lyrics, his father was going through some paperwork, and Isaac sat and stared at the door. When a nurse finally came in Isaac jumped across the room and started asking random questions that no one could understand. The nurse finally calmed him down and started explaining. "Well, the good news is that she's going to be fine. The bad news is, the ankle that had been in the cast was more severely broken, along with a few ribs and her arm. She suffered a moderate concussion, and after we had done all the casts she was just waking up. If you want to see her, she's down the hall in room 1213." She had barely uttered the room number when Isaac rushed out the door to Jazmine's room.
When he went in Jazmine slowly turned her head to face him and weakly smiled. Isaac sat down in a chair next to her bed and held her hand. "You doing ok?"
"There's pain shooting through every part of me, and I felt like I was going to die. Everything still hurts, but my heart's feeling better now." They both smiled, and held each other's hand tighter.
"Aw, how cliché," came voice from the door. Isaac and Jazmine looked to find Taylor standing in the doorway. "I can honestly say, that unlike the last time, this isn't my fault." Jazmine giggled a bit before she ran out of energy.
"Tay, would you mind?" Isaac whispered to his brother. Taylor smiled and left, leaving Jazmine and Isaac alone.
But they weren't alone for long; almost as soon as Taylor left a nurse came in. "Ok, Mr. Hanson, time for you to go. Ms. Belmont needs her rest." Isaac gently squeezed Jazmine's hand and got up. Before he left the nurse stopped him. "I know you probably hear this a lot, but my daughter loves your music. And yesterday was her birthday, so would you mind," she pulled out a picture of him and offered it along with a pen.
"Of course not, it's the least I can do, since you're taking such good care of Jazmine. Who should I make it out to?"
"Christine." Isaac signed the picture and handed it back to the nurse. "Thank you so much!" She slipped the picture into her clipboard and Isaac left.
* * *
"Christine! Come on down! I've got something for you." Christine raced down the stairs, followed by her sister. Her mother went searching through her purse and pulled out a picture. "It's a bit late, but happy birthday!"
As she held out the picture her daughter squealed and grabbed it from her. Christine jumped around the living room looking at the picture. "God, Christine, stop moving and let me see," her sister yelled. Christine held up the picture and showed her sister, who read what was written. "Happy birthday, Christine. Love Isaac." Once again Christine squealed, but her sister looked confused. "Mom, how did you get this?"
"You see, Jen, he was at the hospital this afternoon."
Christine stopped and looked at her mother. "He's ok, isn't he?"
Her mother laughed. "He's fine, Christine. He was there visiting someone."
"Who?" Jen was becoming interested.
"Oh, she's probably his girlfriend."
Jen looked disgusted. "Was she dressed in all black and look really messed up?"
"Well, Jen, from what I could tell, yes, she was dressed in black and she looked very messed up, but that was understandable."
"Why? Why was she there?"
"Jen, it's not my business to tell you."
Christine had stopped staring at the picture and started stuttering. "Was, was she strangled?"
"Why do you ask, honey?"
Jen elbowed her sister in the stomach. "No reason. You know her, mom. She makes up things. What an imagination she has." She chuckled as her mother left. She went over to Christine and grabbed the picture from her. "I can't believe this, the slut is his girlfriend. Wonder what happened to her?"
A look of jealousy spread across Christine's face, then she looked concerned. "Jen, do you think it could be because..."
"Christine, give it a rest. The reason that tramp is in the hospital has nothing to do with what you did yesterday."
Christine took the picture back from her sister. "Well, do you think this is his way of apologizing for that?"
"Damn it, Christine, you are naïve. He didn't know who he was signing that picture for, he was just doing some nurse a favor for her daughter." Jen stopped for a while, and there was a gleam in her eye. She called out to her mother in the kitchen, "Hey, mom, could we go with you to work tomorrow?"
"Sure, honey. I don't see why not. Just stay out of the doctor's way. I'll be leaving about noon, so be ready, or you're not going."
Christine looked confused. "Why are we going to the hospital, Jen?" Her sister grinned and walked upstairs.
* * *
Jen and Christine looked into the waiting rooms on the 12th floor. Christine had no idea why she was there, and was getting rather tired of walking all over. Jen stopped her as she looked into one room. "Hey Christine, look." Christine peaked in the window, and saw not only Isaac, but Taylor as well. Christine started to squeal and was about to burst in when her sister grabbed her arm. "Idiot, you don't want them to see you." Jen turned and saw her mother coming in their direction, so she pulled her sister around the corner and waited until their mother was gone. Much to their surprise, Isaac emerged from the waiting room and went down the hallway. They silently followed him until he turned and went in a room. Jen pulled her sister to the side of the door and pushed her down.
"Ow, Jen, what are you doing?"
"Shut up, pip-squeak. I can't hear anything." She put her head close to the crack in the door and listened.
* * *
Isaac smiled as he saw Jazmine. "Feeling any better?"
"A bit. It's weird being in here, the smell kind of works on your nerves." She remained silent for a while. "I've missed you."
Isaac bent over and kissed her forehead. "I've missed you to. That bed is so lonely without you."
* * *
Jen gasped. "The slut," she whispered.
"Jen, what is it, I can't hear anything"
"The little tramp's been sleeping with him." Christine looked at her sister in one of those 'you've gotta be kidding' looks. "I'm serious," she moved over and let her sister get to the spot where she had been. "Listen."
* * *
Jazmine smiled. "Yeah, it's been lonely here too. I feel so paranoid, people were coming in the room during the night. I wished they'd just let me sleep, but no, they keep standing over me, looking at me like I was some type of science experiment." Isaac brushed the hair from her face. "I'd be having these wonderful dreams, where it would be the other night, and you were holding me as we slept, but then they'd come in and I'd wake up."
Isaac laughed. "Don't worry, you'll be coming home soon, and those won't be just dreams. I think the nurse said you might be able to leave today." They were quiet for a minute. "Oh, and Dave got a call from the police, they said your mom was out of the picture, and you'd be able to stay, no questions asked." Jazmine smirked and crooked her finger, urging Isaac to lean foreword. They kissed for a while, nothing intense, but each one was sweet.
* * *
Jen elbowed her sister in the stomach. "What's happening?"
Christine elbowed her sister back. "I can't tell, they haven't said anything it a while."
"Well, what did they say before they stopped talking?"
"Something about her mom being out of the picture, and that she'd be able to stay."
Jen stood up and peered in the window of the door. "I can't believe her, she's in the hospital, and she still won't leave him alone." Christine stood below her sister and looked in. She would have done something, but she saw him turn to leave. They both jumped out of the way and started walking in the opposite direction, until they were sure he was gone. Jen wanted an excuse to go in, but couldn't think of anything until one of the volunteers walked down the hall with a cart of flowers. As she passed Jen took one of the arrangements from the bottom shelf and ripped out the card.
"Jen, what do you think you're doing?"
"We're going to pay the little tramp a visit. Now shut up and let me do the talking." She walked down the hall to Jazmine's room and knocked on the door. "Flowers."
"Come on in," Jazmine called from inside. She didn't look at who was delivering the flowers, she was tired and really didn't care. But when she could tell the person who was delivering them was still there she looked up to see the face of a girl who had tried to strangle her, and her obnoxious older sister. "What are you doing here?"
Jen threw the flowers on the chair next to the bed, causing the vase to crash and the water to spill everywhere. "I wanted to come give you some damn flowers. Can't you appreciate anything?"
Jazmine looked up at them. "I'm sure I'd appreciate them if they didn't come from someone who called me a slut."
"So, you can't handle the truth?"
Jazmine glared at Jen. "Look, could you just say what you came here to say and leave, and how did you get in here, anyway?"
Christine pulled out the picture Isaac had signed. "You know I love my mom for what she does for me."
"Anyway, we just came to see how you were doing, and why the hell you were here." Jen looked Jazmine over, noticing the bruises and scars, as well as the new cast on her leg and her arm, and a brace around her ribs. "You got pretty knocked up. What happened?"
"You expect me to tell you? Now why would I do that?"
Jen glared at Jazmine. "God, I don't know what he sees in you, you're such a pain. Can't you just give a straight answer?"
"To you? No way. I'd rather have my leg amputated without pain killers."
"My mom is a nurse here, so I could have that arranged." The three of them looked at each other in silence for a while before Jen spoke up. "How'd you get him to sleep with you, anyway? Did you get him drunk or something?"
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"We'd been listening outside. And I thought you were slutty before! So how'd you do it? I'm curious. I know it couldn't have been his decision, he's too smart for that. I'd say blackmail, but he's got a spotless record. So, go on, do tell."
Christine absently turned to the door during the middle of her sister's little speech and saw Isaac and Taylor standing in the doorway. She elbowed Jen, but she ignored her, and she didn't know they were there until Isaac spoke. "What is it with you people?"
Jen jerked around and looked at the brothers. She started to say something, but Taylor spoke first. "You? What are you doing here?"
Isaac looked at his brother. "They've been bugging you too?"
"Yeah, they came by yesterday." He nodded to Jen. "She came in and said she saw you two at the park. She thought we'd actually care, and she copped an attitude when we told her we didn't."
Isaac looked at the chair and the broken glass that was on it. "How'd you know she was here anyway? I didn't think anyone was that nosy." Christine again pulled out the picture her mother had given her and showed it to Isaac. "You're Christine?" She nodded. Isaac began to look disgusted. "Would you two just leave? Or do you want me to tell your mother what you've been up to?" Jen didn't have time to argue, for Christine pulled her out the door before she could say anything.
* * *
Taylor had left Isaac and Jazmine alone and went to the waiting room. He was flipping through the Rolling Stone featuring Fiona Apple. He didn't notice when someone came and sat down beside him. "That was a good article." Taylor closed the magazine and discovered the person next to him was Jen.
"What are you doing here?"
"Why is everyone always asking me that today?" Taylor shook his head and resumed reading the magazine. "Look, I'm sorry. Don't give me the silent treatment."
"Oh, don't worry. Even if I didn't despise you I wouldn't talk to you," he said while looking through the magazine.
"Gee, thanks. I feel so much better now." She looked around, feeling very uncomfortable with the silence. "Why can't you accept my apology?"
Taylor dropped the magazine and turned to her. "Where do I start? Let's see, you're annoying, overbearing, continually insult people you don't even know, and a gossip who starts bogus rumors."
"I never started anything!"
"You wanted to. I mean, why else would you ask Jazmine how she got Isaac to sleep with her? For one thing, he hasn't, and another thing, it isn't you're business."
"That isn't a rumor, I heard it from them. And I never said it outside of that room, anyway."
"You heard it from them? They told you they've had sex?"
"Well, no. But I heard it outside the door. They were saying it loud enough."
"Hmm, and an eavesdropper too. So, you heard them say they'd been having sex?"
Jen began to fidget. "Well, no, not exactly. But I heard him say that the bed was lonely without her. If that's not implying they'd been having sex, I don't know what is."
Taylor gasped and shook his head. "You disgust me, you know that? Just leave me alone and I might consider not telling you're mother what you've been doing."
"My sister may fall for that one, but I won't. I'm not leaving until,"
Taylor threw down the magazine and stood up. "Until what? What is it you're expecting from me? Well, sorry to say, but unless you want me to break my rule of fighting a girl, you won't get what you want."
Jen stood up. "You think you're so great! You can't order me around, I'm not one of you're many siblings, I won't let you!"
Taylor stepped closer and started screaming in her face. "You're one to talk! You think you can get away with anything, and then you expect people to apologize for you!"
Jen mimicked Taylor, stepped closer and screamed. "You need to shut up, little boy! You don't know what you're talking about!" They were glaring at each other and were breathing hard, noses nearly touching. In a sudden movement they had each flung their arms around the other, and started passionately kissing. She collapsed on the sofa and he fell on top of her. He unhooked his arms from her and put them down on either side of her shoulders. As they continued exploring each other's mouths Jen slid her hands up the back of Taylor's shirt and tried to pull it off. At that time he jerked away, got up, and sat on a nearby chair. Panting, he spoke. "Don't think because of that I don't despise you. You still disgust me."
"And I still think you're an egocentric little boy." They both stood up.
"After all that, you call me a little boy?"
"Yeah. Just because you've got hormones doesn't make you some macho man. You are younger than me."
Taylor gave Jen this look of sheer hatred, and walked up to her. "You, you," before he could finish they had grabbed each other and continued their kisses.
They were so involved they didn't notice Isaac come in, pushing Jazmine in a wheelchair. Both looked sickened, and Jazmine spoke rather loudly to Isaac. "And she calls me a slut."
Taylor and Jen jerked apart from each other, panting. "Ever heard of knocking?"
"No, Tay, I didn't think it necessary to knock to go into a waiting room. I seemed to forget to tell myself, 'You better knock, your brother might be in there making out.' Excuse me for my lack of thought." Jen had been turning a bright red, both from both embarrassment and anger. She bolted out the room without saying another word. "Dang it, Tay, why the... what made you do that?"
"Look, Ike, I don't want to talk about it. So, if you don't mind, I'd like to go home now." He nearly ran out the door, leaving Isaac and Jazmine behind, still in shock.
After a while of silent confusion, Isaac pushed Jazmine out of the waiting room and into the elevator, heading for the ground floor discharge office. "I can't believe him. What was he thinking?"
"Let him be. I know what he's going through." Isaac looked down at Jazmine, dazed. "See, we both know Taylor despises that girl, and sometimes, when you hate someone so much, there's passion between you. That's how I got involved with Jordan. He was in my debate class, and we always got into these in-depth discussions. One day it got really heated, we were screaming in each other's faces. The teacher couldn't break us up, so she went to get security. By the time she got back we were all over each other, like Taylor was all over that girl. The security officers had to pull us apart and we both got detention for intensive P.D.A's. After that he asked me out. Every date we ever went on was to the movies, then to his house for "discussion." We always got in an argument and always ended up making out. We were the steamiest couple in the entire school. He said he loved me, but he just loved how he had almost total free reign over my body."
"Did you two, um, did you ever..."
Jazmine interrupted, knowing what Isaac was trying to ask. "No, I drew the line there. We came pretty close sometimes." The elevator stopped at the third floor and a doctor came in. He was young, and rather attractive. Jazmine looked up to him as he stepped in. "Hello, Dr. Roberts."
He looked down. "Why, hello Jazmine. You leaving today?" Jazmine nodded. "It's good to see you've gotten so much better in such a short period of time. You have a place to stay? Because if not I've got a spare room."
Isaac's hands had been grasping the handles tight and his knuckles were white. A pang of jealousy shot through him and he blurted out, "She's staying with me."
Dr. Roberts looked up and smiled. "My, my, little Isaac. How long has it been?" Dr. Roberts stuck out his hand, which Isaac shook.
"Oh, not that long, Jason." He dropped his hand back to the handle of the wheelchair and pushed Jazmine out as the elevator doors opened at the ground floor. Dr. Roberts walked along with them down the corridor.
"There's room in the Hanson household for another body?" He chuckled as they turned the corner.
"Actually, I'm not living at home." They had already reached the discharge office and Jazmine was filling out some forms. "I rented a room from your brother."
Jason turned Isaac around and pulled him aside. "You've gotta be kidding. You know I'm not going to let you."
"Why not?"
"Oh, come on, Ike. I know what my little brothers hormonal little friends go there to do. You couldn't honestly think of doing that when she's in this condition."
"Jason, get a grip. You can't honestly think the only thing people do there is..."
"Yes, I do. I know. You realize what a delicate condition Jazmine is in. One false move and you could crack her ribs. She'll barely be able to roll herself over, much less have you on her."
"Jason," Isaac was annoyed. "Get it through you're thick skull, we don't do anything. We've never done anything. And even if we had been, I'm smart enough to know to lay off."
"Isaac," Jazmine called from where she had been sitting. "Come here, you and Dr. Roberts need to sign a few things." Both went over and signed the necessary things: Isaac signing as the person who admitted her, and Dr. Roberts signing as her doctor.
All the necessary forms were signed and Jazmine was free to go. She was handed crutches and she stood up. "I'm sorry, but being in a wheelchair just doesn't feel right."
Dr. Roberts patted her back. "Now, you be careful. I'm going to have you take the wheelchair with you, in case." He turned to Isaac and shook his hand. "Nice seeing you Ike. Tell my brother I said hi. And remember what I said." Isaac released the handshake and turned away, walking Jazmine out.
When they reached the car Taylor was sitting on the hood. He saw them and jumped off. Isaac unlocked the doors and helped Jazmine in. The ride to the Hanson house was silent. Understandably, no one felt like talking.
As they drove up the driveway they saw Mr. Hanson outside, kicking around a ball with Mac. They both went over to the car as Taylor got out. "Hey, Ike, Jazmine. Could you come in for a sec?"
"Sorry, Dad. We've gotta get back..."
"That wasn't a question. I have to talk to both of you." He remained outside the car until Isaac had helped Jazmine out. By this time, Taylor had already stormed in the house and thrown himself on one of the chairs in the living room (Mac had gone in with him). When the front door shut, Mr. Hanson led Isaac and Jazmine to the living room and ushered them to sit on the sofa. "Taylor, would you mind?" He was pointing up the stairs. Taylor groaned and stomped halfway up the stairs and sat down, prepared to eavesdrop. "Now, your friend Dave called. He said the police told him that Mrs. Belmont had already pleaded guilty, and all that was left was the sentencing phase, and she should receive no less than 5 years." Jazmine sighed and smiled, for she had been expecting much worse. "But, they brought up the issue of who you would live with. They wanted to know if there are any relatives you could possibly stay with?"
Jazmine's stomach tightened and she grabbed Isaac's hand. "Well, my dad died when I was little, and he was an only child. All my grandparents are dead, and my mom only had one brother."
"Well, then. What's his name?"
"Alan Ladjinskii."
"Ok, I'll call the police and tell them that he's your closest living relative."
"No, I'm not going to be able to live with him."
"Why not?"
"He's in a mental hospital in Seattle. I don't think that he would be the best of care-givers."
Isaac turned to Jazmine. "Why's he in a mental hospital?"
"He's a suicidal drug addict and alcoholic. A ticking time bomb."
Mr. Hanson started pacing around the room. "You have any siblings?"
"Yeah, I have a sister. But if the police would ever find her, it would be a miracle. She ran away from home about 4 years ago with her boyfriend, cause my mom wouldn't accept the fact that she was pregnant. Susie told me the night she left that she'd make it impossible for mom to find her. Both she and Mike, her boyfriend, were going to totally change their names. They did, cause mom had police looking for them for 2 years, but they didn't find either of them and they gave up."
Mr. Hanson stopped and took a deep breath, trying to think of someone. "Any family friends? Godparents?"
"Mom kept to herself, and I never knew any of my dad's friends. My uncle was my godfather, and his longtime girlfriend, who died three years ago of a heroin overdose, was my godmother. I've got absolutely no one. And I'm not going to some foster care service."
"Well, the police agree with you on that one." He slumped down in a nearby chair. "We'll have to find someplace for you."
"Why can't she stay where she is? She's perfectly fine in the apartment."
"Isaac, that's impossible. She's going to have to start school soon, and she needs a guardian. She can't live legally on her own at her age."
"Well, can't mom..."
Mr. Hanson interrupted him. "Isaac, you can't ask your mother to do that. She's got enough to worry about with all of you."
"I couldn't ask her to do that either, Isaac. Mom was planning on enrolling me in school at the start of the second semester. The only thing I really need is an adult to say they're looking out for me, which basically means someone they can send newsletters and report cards for signing."
For a while, no one said anything. Isaac perked up. "Well, how about you dad?"
"What?"
"It makes perfect sense. You and Mom are the closest adults she knows. It's a lot saner than putting her in the care of someone she doesn't know. She'd still live in her apartment, but she'd get a roommate. I know for a fact that there's a girl who just got out of college and can't afford her own place."
Taylor, who had remained on the stairs listening jerked up and stormed down the stairs screaming, "Don't believe this bull, Dad. He's just saying all this crap so he can keep sleeping with her." He faced his father, expecting an understanding response.
"Taylor, get yourself up to your room right now, or you'll be in serious trouble." Taylor gasped and started arguing his case, but his father didn't listen. "Now, young man, unless you'd prefer punishment right here, which would be far more embarrassing than what I'd do if you just obeyed." Taylor groaned and stomped up to his room. Mr. Hanson stood up and went over to the sofa. "Jazmine, could you excuse me, I have to talk with my son." He motioned Isaac to go with him to the kitchen.
Isaac rolled his eyes and went into the kitchen. "Dad, you can't possibly think what he said was true."
"And why shouldn't I?"
"Because, he's been mad at me ever since I walked in on him when he was making out with some chick he barely knew in the waiting room. He'd say anything to get back."
"Now, why should I believe that?"
Isaac angrily walked away from his father, around the kitchen, then turned back to him. "Why do you always believe him and not me? Every single time I say something that conflicts with what you're precious second son has said, you always believe him. Don't you remember what happened last time?"
"Ok, I shouldn't have said that. I believe you. But I also believe your brother."
"Why? Don't you think I haven't learned what morals you and Mom have taught me? I'd never go against them, I believe too strongly in them."
"That's all very fine, but I know what I saw the other night when she was over here. You can't deny that."
"No, I can't. But that's a totally different thing. Nothing happened. There's a difference between sleeping with someone and having sex with them. Dad, I swear I have never had sex with Jazmine, or anyone else for that matter. I do care about her, and everything I said was because it's what I think would be best for her." He looked pleadingly into his father's eyes.
He turned to walk out of the kitchen, and Isaac followed him. "Sorry about that, Jazmine." He sat down in the chair he had occupied and Isaac sat back down next to Jazmine. Isaac grasped Jazmine's hand and they all sat in silence. "I've been thinking about what you suggested, Isaac, and I do think that would be the best thing." Both Isaac and Jazmine smiled and squeezed each other's hand. "I'll call the police and see what the procedure would be to make your mother and I Jazmine's legal guardians. So," he stood up. "I guess you can go now."
They both stood up, and Jazmine reached out and hugged Mr. Hanson. "I can't thank you enough. You've been so kind to me, I don't know how I could repay you."
He patted her shoulder. "You don't have to, sweetie. " He went over to Isaac and gave him a hug. "Now, you take good care of her," he smiled at his son and Jazmine. "But I know that's not going to be a problem." They said theitheir good-byes, and Isaac and Jazmine went back to Dave's.
Part 3 Continued