Secrets - part 2

Things had all happened in a whirlwind after Morgan had arrived; the ambulance had been called, as had Jonathan. Morgan had declined riding with Madeline, and instead had bundled Ainsley into a coat, leaving her feeling like a small child once again, and it was all she could do not to just cling to Morgan. Shock had set in, and the usually independent girl didn’t fuss when Morgan brought her out to the car and buckled her in. She couldn’t remember later what he said to her, but she knew that it was soothing, and that the sound of her Uncle’s voice slowly pulled her from that scary place her mind had retreated to. By the time they reached the hospital, she was aware of the presence of her father and older sister. Isobel hugged her sister, and Ainsley felt strange, with her sister’s pregnant stomach pressed against her. It felt sick that her mother was so frail and her sister so swollen. Reuben hadn’t been able to come with Isobel, and so Ainsley soon took charge of little Dawson, who didn’t understand what was happening; only that it was scary. But even still, Ainsley couldn’t feel anything. She was numb, and the weight of her nephew in her arms reminded her of holding her mother in a similar manner hours later. As soon as she could, she passed Dazzy on to Morgan and fled, pleading the excuse of the bathroom.

However, Ainsley didn’t stop at the bathroom, or even at the front door. Instead, she walked right outside, into the light drizzle that had begun to trickle from the sky. She wasn’t in the mood to be around people, wasn’t in the mood to deal with condolences. She walked as hard as her long legs would take her, striding away from the hospital, straight to the park that some generous government official had decided would be nice to have near the hospital. It was quiet, and it was soothing. Ainsley needed some peace, and she wasn’t sure how else to achieve it. By the time she reached the small fish pond in the centre of the park, the rain was a steady sheet that was pouring over her. She shivered in her hooded jacket, recalling how she always seemed to be drawn to water when upset- as she had when she’d first gone off to boarding school. Ainsley wasn’t certain just how long she’d been standing there, when abruptly the water ceased to fall on her. Ainsley jumped slightly, and craned her neck to see who had extended their umbrella over her.

Christian must have come straight from work, as he was wearing a nice button-up shirt underneath a wool coat. Ainsley just stared at her brother for a long minute before moving closer to him, and laying her head against his shoulder. She was grateful- not for the first time, that Christian had taken his height from his father, or this would have been harder to do. For a few minutes, the older brother said nothing to his sister, just letting her come as close to clinging to him as Ainsley ever did. When finally he spoke, Christian chose not to speak of the incident between his mother and baby sister; he knew that Ainsley would speak about it when she was ready. Talking now would only make it harder for her to process.

“Ains, you’re making it hard to eat my pretzel.” The girl made a small sound that would pass for a choked laugh, and pulled back so that he could eat his pretzel.
“Sorry, Chris.”
“No problem- want a bite?” He held the treat out, and let her take a small bite, and he smiled as he could begin to see the change. Her eyes were a bit livelier, and she was eating the first thing he knew of since their mother had collapsed. When her stomach gurgled, he held out the rest of the pretzel with a grin, and he watched her take the whole thing.

“How did you know where to find me?”
“A rather lucky guess, as it turns out.”
“Hmph.”
“One of the doctors was worried about you, and told Jon where you went.”
“So Dad sent you?”
“I chose to come.”
It took Ainsley a few moments to process that, as well as to eat the rest of the pretzel that Christian had picked up from a vendor on the way to check in on his sister.

“I’ve never seen Mom so weak.”
“I haven’t seen her yet.”
“I shouldn’t make you worry more.”
“I’m going to worry anyway, Jellybean; about you or Mom either one.”
“I was holding her, Chris. Holding her easier than it is to hold Dawson.” Her voice broke, and Christian pulled her close again. “Why didn’t they tell me? Why wouldn’t they just let me know she was sick? I-I don’t understand!”

Christian didn’t have any words of comfort; he didn’t understand either.
“I don’t know, Jellybean. But let’s get out of the rain. Don’t want you ending up in the bed next to Mom.” He shrugged out of his coat, wrapping it around Ainsley who was thoroughly soaked. Then he turned her back towards the hospital, his arm firmly wrapped around her waist.