Capítulo 278: Grandma's request
Lillian rushed to the hospital as fast as she could, signaling the driver. Reaching the place, Lillian handed out cash to pay for the ride while she left in a hurry and marched inside. After exchanging a couple of questions near the reception, she learned the floor and the room number.
Lillian's brows furrowed deeper that it formed a wrinkle going along the way, as a warning to anyone who wishes to cross this person might end up getting slaughtered by her wrath. She was angry at Jenna for not informing these things when it happens. Lillian carried the ferocity with her and was exhibiting impatience until she meets the irresponsible Jenna. Keeping in mind that the premise is the hospital, Lillian restrained herself from causing a disturbance for others. She raced her steps until it stopped in front of the mentioned room.
5L- located on the fifth floor and suited left to the entrance is the room where Jenna resides.
Lillian waited outside and caught a glimpse from a glass view of the inside.
The patient was resting on the bed, presumably to be asleep while Jenna waited nearby the bed. She sat by the edges to stare at the patient. Only her back was visible to Lillian's view, and from the look of it, both shoulders sunk low, and her rumpled hair explained the shelter in the hospital for the past two days. There could be the possibility of going home to change clothes as Jenna had different attire than usual.
It was a sorrowful sight to witness for Lillian Grey from knowing the two for a long time.
She lightly tapped on the door and could see Jenna instinctively react to the call. Standing up, she turned to meet with Lillian Grey.
Jenna no longer showed her instincts and restrained from moving forward upon seeing Lillian.
Now that they met each other, Lillian did not wait anymore and entered the room without making much noise.
The vision Jenna perceived could have been an illusion, but seeing Lillian in person established the certainty.
"Ms. Grey!" Jenna naturally spoke to her fright.
There was so much anger Lillian carried against this person but seeing her inside the room with her visible dark circles and cranky hair, shriveled cheeks from not taking care properly, and eyes that almost on the verge of breaking out any time.
"Hey," Lillian said. Her anger disappeared long ago, and there was no attention given to it.
Jenna struck still by the presence of this guest that she did not hear Lillian greet her.
Lillian deeply sighed from catching another glance at the patient.
"How's she doing?" she inquired.
Jenna let out a soft 'hmm' to only let Lillian catch.
"When did it happen?" Lillian bit her tongue to suppress the reappearing fury.
"Monday!"
Lillian almost yelped from learning the news.
"Mon- Are you for real?" she mumbled coarse under her breath only to aim at Jenna.
Jenna flinched even from the silent storm.
"Tell me what happened?"
"Grandma called me-"
"Was it her that time?"
Lillian remembered when Jenna received a call during their briefing on Monday, following the return from the last interview.
The exhausted editor confirmed to Lillian's shift in her eyes as she glared hard at Jenna for hiding that time. Good thing, she urged her to leave.
"Then?"
"So grandma told me that she was having random chest discomfort and was planning to visit the hospital,"
"And you did not tell me?"
"No, we bought her home the same day after a check-up. I thought she was fine, but the very same night, she received a mild stroke, and I called 911. They ran her through some tests and suggested us to hospitalize her for observation. She is now stable somehow, but-"
"But?"
"She is sleeping a lot. Not that I'm complaining about it, but- I hope she is doing fine!" Jenna cried.
Lillian stepped in to comfort her, and the appearance of the nurse alarmed the two.
"Ms. Jenna, the doctor called me to get you. We've got the results from the tests,"
Lillian let Jenna go and visit the doctor. She added a stern note to call in case of any need in assistance. With that, Jenna left along with the nurse.
Lillian walked to the bed and waited by the side while keeping an eye on the patient. Not several minutes passed as Jade, Jenna's grandmother, woke up to call for Jenna. Lillian registered her visit, and Jade drifted back to sleep. The author was not sure if she heard her or not. Nonetheless, she stayed quietly next to Jade, giving her the company while Jenna went to meet the doctor.
Another few minutes passed when Jade once again woke up.
"Jenna?" she called in her matured voice.
Lillian alarmed instantly to her call.
"Jade, Jenna is not here. It's me, Lilly, Lillian Grey. I came to see you," Lillian spoke clearly, and Jade blinked her eyes slowly to catch an image of Lillian Grey standing in front of her.
"Lillian Grey?" she asked again to confirm, and Lillian announced it as many times as Jade would keep asking her.
"Can you get a glass of water, dear?" Jade made a request. Lillian moved quickly to satisfy her needs by pouring her a glass of water.
Jade took short sips and finished the water to give it back to Lillian. The author returned the glass to its position. She now moved to the bedside and helped Jade perch up by supporting a pillow for her back. She, herself, sat nearby the edges of the cot.
Sitting near could give Lillian, a clear picture of Jade's worn-out features. The creamy skin filled with countless wrinkles and skin shrank at her fine smile lines. Big button nose now turned red from even minimal movements, and her hooded eyes still sparkled amidst the maturity. The one striking feature that Jenna inherited was the emerald eyes passed down from her father, who inherited from his mother, Jade.
The withered lips formed two thin lines and shrunk from aging. Jade had full grey hair, and the short crop cut allowed her wavy hair sway along to the breeze. The eyebrows never marked its territory as they turned bleached against the soft wrinkled skin. Jade sat by leaning against the pillow and had her hands held together. Lillian stared at the running nerves on the back of her hands and the thick fingers that spoke a life it lived thus far.
Jade appeared small and fragile, weak and child-like, and Lillian smiled to ran her hand across the floating white bangs. She played with it until Jade's hair looked loosely brushed but neater than before.
Jade reacted slowly like usual to Lillian's styling.
It stunned Lillian to see how much she's aged. The very first time when Lillian met Jade, the woman already aged with grey hair almost covering every hairline and wrinkles accumulated as fast as it could. However, seeing her now, more fragile, and her whole frame appearing smaller than the last time made Lillian grow cautious. She wished to protect the elderly and keep her safe.
By now, Jade registered that the person in front of her was indeed Lillian Grey, and she settled comfortably.
"You only come to see me when I'm like this, Lillian!" Jade remarked with a smile, revealing her lonely gums with no more than a few teeth only left.
Lillian shrugged from the comment and slightly exhibited regret of not paying more visits.
"Is Jenna working sincerely in her job?" Jade took the effort to ask Lillian.
"She is the best, Jade. I'm not saying this because she is my editor, but the amount of growth I saw in here right when she started working with me until now, Jenna is a hard worker."
Lillian's confirmation made Jenna's grandmother happy, proud as well as a little sad.
"Why the frown, though, Jade?" Lillian noticed and pointed out.
The grandmother let a deep sigh and thus began speaking.
"Can I ask you a favor, Lillian Grey?" Jade appealed.
"Of course,"
"Can I request you to take care of Jenna when I'm no more?" Jade said. There was no sadness in those words, but the anticipation of something that can let her rest in peace.
Shocked from such a plea, Lillian flinched when faced with a person that is ready to accept her death.
Death! It can always scare the living, make them realize clock ticking and days counting. However, it is a not pleasant conversation to indulge oneself in it.
Lillian worriedly rebelled against Jade's heart-wrenching words that even stung her. Think about how Jenna would react if she hears.
Jade insisted on an answer, which placed Lillian uneasy.
"It's not that I don't care for Jenna, Jade. It's the words you said! What do you mean by when you are no more! With you, even so, Jenna has my back, and I will care for her like the family she is to me! You don't need to ask these or have such thoughts. You are going to be fine, and we both are going to watch Jenna grow to achieve, find a man that cherishes her dearly, and you will be there to play with her kids," Lillian went on and on until she lacked words to reassure.
Jade let out a soft chuckle, and she removed her hold to grab Lillian's hands.
Lillian felt how soft and wrinkled when the skin touched hers and tenderly petted.
The touch of a grandmother can make anyone melt and feel the flowing affection. Lillian felt the same that got reflected in her moisturizing eyes.
She sniffed to distract and dissolve the tears back to their vault.
"You are such a strange woman, aren't you, dear?" Jade said to Lillian after taking a close stare at the emotional visitor.
"Well, you are talking strange, Jade,"
"haha... am I?"
"You are!"
Jade's endless smile paused for a brief moment when she expressed a distant glance. It was only for a short moment, but Lillian captured her staring away, lost in time.
"I could see it coming for me, dear,"
Lillian waited to hear for more.
"I can see that I have no more strength to live. My heart has it difficult as it started protested," Jade let out a distant smile that lasts only a few seconds.
"Jade?"
"It's alright, dear. Maybe seeing you is what kept me alive until now I believe,"
"What are you talking about, Jade? Do you want me to get a doctor for you-"
Jade pulled Lillian's drifting hands back towards her and held it firm to her little strength. Lillian did not fight back. She sat on the bed again, but a little closer as Jade called for her.
"I got worried about what would happen to that girl after I leave, but knowing that she has someone's attention makes me relieved. You see, Lilly," Jade leaned closer towards Lillian as well.
"Jenna is, as you said, a hard-working girl, but that is all she would do if left without care and love. She would only work until she grows old and retires. If there's no one around to tell her to enjoy, or even fall in love, she won't consider it," Jade expressed.
Lillian could never more agree to it from knowing Jenna for years now.
"But she needs you too, Jade," Lillian protested.
Jade's laugh answered to Lillian's question, but the author could understand the woman.
"I request you to keep an eye on her and tell her to live her life more boldly. Tell her to relax, sit back, and sometimes enjoy- that poor child lost her parents at a tender age and she never gave me trouble, earned her money for her needs, took care of herself and me-" Jade's tears naturally flowed from talking about Jenna.
Lillian moved to tears as well, but she forced them to stay down and not fall.
"Jade!" she spoke, and her voice choked from pain.
Jade lifted Lillian's hands to place it in the air.
"You promise to keep an eye on my dear Jenna?" she asked. Her eyes spoke that was the only concern the grandmother had, and the only reason that is keeping her alive.
By now, Lillian's tears no longer dwelled and poured down as she held Jade's hands with much care.
"I will. I promise to be there for Jenna always, Jade," Lillian pledged by standing up.
Jade's restored smile depressed Lillian. They released hands and Jade leaned back to her pillow and returned to sit fit with her folded hands together as she stared into the ceiling of the room.
REFLEXIONES DE LOS CREADORES 
ljack_ace
ljack_ace I was planning to upload yesterday, and I was not completely satisfied, so I skipped, worked my way to figure out and wrote this chapter.
Before anything else, I hope you guys are all safe and sound. Let's be strong, fight this virus together, and win the battle with victory!
Take care, and I happen to have discord, so feel free to stop by to express your thoughts!
Be safe and smile. Let's pray for the people who put themselves on the front lines and are working tirelessly.
Let's pray that no more people fall victim to this chaos.
Let's pray that we all can soon find the light after this dark tunnel!
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