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“I brought you a latté.” Ryan handed her a warm cup.
“That’s kind of you. Thank you, dear.”
He sauntered toward the window and took out the daisies he had brought Aria last week; they had dried up and were dying. Ryan threw them into a wastebasket and went into the bathroomto fill the vase with water before he arranged the fresh daisies inside.
“Such charming flowers.”
He met Natalie’s exhausted gaze and said, “How are you holding up, Mrs. Mitchell?”
“Oh, the usual,” she sighed, caressing Aria’s cheek before she stood up and let Jessica have a turn to sit. “I’m trying to stay optimistic. But it’s hard when the days keep passing and her condition hasn’t changed.” Natalie grabbed a tissue and wiped her tears. The poor woman looked like she hadn’t slept in weeks.
“I understand,” Ryan nodded.
“The doctor said it helps to talk to her, and that we shouldn’t stop. There’s a possibility she can hear us, even though she’s comatose. This may be the only shot we have in getting her to wake up, but it’s better than not trying.”
Jessica smiled compassionately and said, “That’s why we’re here.”
“I appreciate that.” Natalie touched her shoulder. “It eases my mind knowing she has friends who love her.”
“Your daughter’s very lovable,” Ryan admitted. “It’s hard not to love her.”
He and Jessica had been frequently visiting Aria, praying she would wake up.
“I’m gonna head back to my hotel and shower while you two spend some time with her.” Natalie kissed her daughter’s forehead and faced the pair. “Her uncle is gonna drop by around two. Would you mind staying with her until then?”
“We’ll be here.”
“Thank you.” She hugged them tightly and left the hospital room.
When she reached the elevators, she finally let her tears fall freely. It was hard for her to stay strong throughout this ordeal, and her husband had not been as supportive as she wouldhave liked. He was still upset about the way she had dropped everything and headed to California without confiding in him first. The last thing Rob had said to her was, “She’s in a goddamn coma. There’s nothing you can do for her! Come home!” His raspy voice echoed in Natalie’s head as she took the elevator down in silence.
??
Jessica docked her iPod and let her “Prom Tunes” play softly in the background. Even though Aria had missed their prom, she thought it was only fair to visit and describe all the exciting events that had happened. The room was bathed in sunshine when she opened the blinds. Pulling a chair toward Aria’s bed, Jessica sat down and noticed the colorful prayer cards that were on display on a table and along the windowsill. Most of the students and teachers at their high school had signed a big glittery card that Jessica and Tammy had made for Aria; it was proudly displayed on the nightstand next to her bed.
Leaning against the wall, Ryan sat in a chair next to Aria and held her hand, praying she could sense his presence. He had never cared about someone the way he cared for her. He hated seeing his sleeping beauty so helpless with an endotracheal tube in her mouth. Aria’s face was pale and sickly, but she remained beautiful to him.
“Hey there, gorgeous.” Ryan smiled. “We’re here…again… Mostly to annoy the hell out of you. Jessica just loves to talk your ears off.”
She slit her eyes at him in annoyance and let out a little laugh. “Wherever Aria’s traveled to in her mind, we need to give her a reason to find her way back to us.” She took her hand and gently squeezed it, saying, “Hi, Aria… it’s me, Jess.”
“As if she wouldn’t recognizeyourannoying voice.” Ryan laughed.
“Oh, shut up! You’re disrupting my connection with her!”
He rolled his eyes and stayed quiet about his skepticism.
“Aria,” Jess began, “I’m gonna start off and tell you I love you and miss you. I wish you would wake up. But if you’re not ready to, I understand. Ryan and I are here for you, and we’ll keep bugging the hell out of you until you finally open your eyes. Won’t we, Ry?”
“Yes.” He gave Aria’s hand a gentle squeeze. “We definitely will.”
“We went to prom last Saturday.” Jessica sighed. “It was amazing, babes. You would have loved the place our prom was booked at—a fancy five-star hotel. The banquet hall was enormous and perfect for the masquerade theme. I ended up going with Matt, and I swear, as soon as we stepped inside those double doors, there was this long grand staircase that led to the dance floor. And the way it was decorated… gosh… there were strobe lights, candelabras, chandeliers, fog machines… Oh, Aria, it was just so beautiful! It was like stepping into a time machine—full of vibrant colors and magic.”
“Magic?” Ryan teased.
“Yes.” She glared at him. “It was like time traveling to another realm. Everyone wore masks, though I couldn’t really find any that were original enough to stand out.” Jessica snickered. “You should have seen Steph’s dress—actually, no… it’s good that you didn’t.” She giggled at the memory. “It like was a ripoff of J-Lo’s millennium gown at the Grammy’s! Except it was black and way more revealing. Don’t ask me how I know such details.” She paused. “Okay, okay, I’m a diehard J-Lo fan—guilty as charged!”
Ryan looked amused.
