Page 65 of The Flowers of Bay C
Jodie glances at her, narrowing her eyes, and I worry that she must think us rude. But then Jodie steps back over to her and enfolds her in a huge hug.
She beams so brightly I can see it all in her eyes. ‘You were not going to go without me, were you?’
She is wearing a greensalwar kameezunder the coat, and patent black stilettos.
‘Amina,’ I say. ‘You look nice.’
Nice?Seriously, Penny.
But Amina thanks me. ‘I hope it is okay that I wear this. It is important for me.’
Kat touches Amina’s hand. ‘We’re delighted you found us. And of course. You don’t have to ask. And awesome shoes, by the way.’
Amina touches her head. ‘It is just, when I am outside, like this, outside of the hospital, I wish to wear this.’
Jodie gazes at her, biting down on her lip, a myriad of emotions crossing through her eyes. I can see the fight in her mind, and the moment the better part of herself wins. She punches Amina on the arm. ‘We’re just so damn glad you made it. Where were you?’
‘They put me on the day surgery ward. But I knew you were going now, so I came now too.’
Kat’s brow crinkles. ‘Day surgery?’
‘It is because, they say, because I am most well out of all of you, and they needed the bed space where I was for somebody very sick. And the space I am now is the only bed space they have in all the hospital. It is very busy in there, but I go home tomorrow, so I do not mind. But I was sad when I could not say goodbye.’
‘We were sad too,’ Kat says, taking Amina’s arm and leading her towards the entrance. ‘Kane’s waiting outside with Barbara, so we’dbetter—’
‘Wait! Where is Violet?’ Amina stares around at me, then Kat, then Jodie, then at the doors. ‘She is with Kane, yes? With Barbara?’
Jodie shakes her head. ‘She wouldn’t come. Without you, I mean.’
Amina’s eyes widen. ‘Without me?’
‘Yeah,’ Jodie says. ‘But we have to go—’
‘You are sure? She would not go without me?’
I nod. ‘She thought we were wrong to go without you, when you’d been a part of the plans, and when you’re such a part of us.’
‘But I must go to her. Get her and bring her.’ Amina pulls her arm away from Kat’s and whirls around, swishing away, calling over her shoulder. ‘Wait for us, please, outside. Please wait.’
‘Don’t worry,’ Kat says. ‘We’ll be at the entrance. In the van. Make sure she is warm enough, that she brings a coat, okay?’
Amina has disappeared into the gloomy distance of the endless corridor.
‘She’s so much better,’ Kat says.
Jodie takes a deep breath in and exhales slowly.
‘Okay?’ I say to her.
‘It’s just, Kane, you know, he’s waiting. He doesn’t like waiting.’
I bet he doesn’t.
‘It’s okay,’ says Kat. ‘We’ll go and find him now, and we’ll talk to him. I’m sure he’ll be fine.’
Jodie doesn’t look so sure, but follows Kat as she walks slowly towards the main entrance, allowing me time to walk with them at my snail’s pace. Each step is still painful, and I wish I’d done more with Dan, wish I’d built up my muscles further, that I was just that slight bit better.
I take a breath in and grit my teeth as I push through the doors to the outside world.
