Part 344: Jenny
Jenny slowly walked down the hallway, making sure her hair looked nice. Her mother and her sister Sarah were waiting in the meeting room of the hotel for her. She hoped they wouldn’t be too upset but she would soon see. The young blonde then opened the door and looked inside. Her mother, Rosalina, and her sister Sarah then looked up at her. Jenny wasn’t expecting to be overcome with emotion but she was. She immediately ran toward her mother and sister, embracing them both. The family cried together as they held onto their youngest daughter and sister. Rosalina gently parted from her daughter, allowing Sarah to hold her youngest sister. “OOOH, Jenny!” the older woman wept.
“Shhhhh, Sarah,” the blond girl stroked her sisters hair, “It’s okay. I’m here now.”
“I THOUGHT I KILLED YOU!!” she cried in agony.
“You didn’t. I’m here.”
“I asked you . .to go on that plane . . .and then . .Oh, God, Jenny, I’m sorry.”
Jenny kissed her sister on the cheek. “Stop it now, Sarah,” she held her, “ I’m here and I ain’t going anywhere.”
Sarah finally stopped hyperventilating. Jenny took a near by Kleenax and gave it to her sister, letting her wipe her tears. The older woman then stood up and made Jenny turn around. “Let me look at you,” she sniffed, “Well . . .You look pretty good for being marooned on an Island for two months. Here I was worried you were going to have skin cancer from sun exposure.”
“No, nothing that . . .easy.” Jenny smirked.
“So, how many people were with you?”
“Just under 60.”
“Oh, my God,” her mother whispered, “We’ve been waiting for some sort of news but they haven’t told us anything. Jenny, how did you live?”
“We lived off of coconuts, bananas, boar meat and whatever else we could get our hands on.” She said, sitting down with them.
“Boar Meat?” Sarah slightly giggled, “Who could hunt boar there?”
“We had some skilled men, thank goodness. But that’s not the most horrific point I need to tell you about.”
“Jenny, . ..what . .what are you saying?” Rosalina stammered.
Jenny took her mom’s hand and held it close. “Mom, when the plane when down, I was trapped in the ladies room.” She whispered.
“WHAT?” Sarah gasped.
“Yeah, I . .uh . .stayed in there, until the room filled up with water,” the young teenager rubbed her eyebrow, “Then when it was full, I was able to get out. By the time I swam up to the surface, it was just me and a ton of debris.”
“What ever did you do?” her sister asked.
“I grabbed a floating suitcase and a nearby bottle of diet coke. I tried to swim but only after the second day did I manage to see a nearby Island. After 8 more days I managed to reach it and thank God the first man who found me was a doctor. Which his expertise and his friends, they re-hydrated me and brought me back to health.”
“Oh, wow,” Sarah wiped her tears, “I had to meet these people and thank them.”
“They are a great bunch of people. Friends I know I will have for life. But Sarah, I found something for you . . ..someone was on that Island and he needed to come back to see you.”
“What?” her sister stuttered
“He’s admitted his mistake and he’s got something to tell you.”
“Jenny, what are you . .I mean, WHO could you have found on that Island that I know?”
Jenny kissed her on the cheek and then stood up, walking back toward the door. She then opened it and stepped out into the hallway. “It’s okay, you can come on in now.” Jenny said, taking his hand.
Sarah slowly stood up. She looked at the man being led in by her younger sister. The man that saved her life and the man she married for time before all the things fell apart. “Jack?” she whispered.
“Hello, Sarah.” The doctor whispered.
Jenny rested on her mother’s lap, as they both sat on the loveseat next to the far wall. They didn’t have to speak or do anything. Rosalina just wanted to hold her daughter for awhile and Jenny didn’t mind, laying her head in her mother’s lap; letting her stroke her hair. She missed her mother and was glad to be home.
Back on the other side of the room, Sarah and Jack looked at them. Then they briefly looked at each other. “Wow,” Sarah said, wiping her tears and smiling, “You and Jenny on the same plane. What are the odds?”
“Yeah, what are the odds?” Jack agreed.
“I’m sorry about Christian, Jack. I didn’t know.”
“It okay.” The doctor sighed, “I got called my mother about an hour ago. Apparently they were able to get his body through customs but he still isn’t here yet. So . . it’s one more point in my life I had to put on hold till I can get it resolved.”
Jack then looked down when he saw Sarah take his hand. “Jack, Jenny said . . .” the woman sniffed, “That a doctor took care of her when she was trapped in the ocean for ten days. Was . ..that you?”
“No,” Jack smiled, “ That was Tony Largo. He’s a good man. You should meet him.”
“I plan too but . .that’s another oddity. Two doctors on one Island.”
“Opposite ends of the Island too. We found each other and Jenny found me.”
“Well, regardless, thank you for taking care of her.”
Jack then chuckled a bit. The sight of his familiar laughter that she had grown comfortable with made her curious. “What’s so funny?” she asked.
“I didn’t take care of her.” The doctor admitted, “It’s the other way around.”
Sarah smiled at his excellent compliment.
“She’s a remarkable girl,” He whispered in all seriousness, “And If I take anything from that Island . . .back with me . . .is that I found my way back to her. No matter what happened between you and me . . .she’ll always be . . .my little Mei-Mei.”
“Mei-Mei?” Sarah whispered, “You haven’t called her that since she was 12. At the . .tournament.”
“Yeah, I remember too.”
“So, Jack . . .Jenny said you had something to tell me?” Sarah raised up her eyebrows briefly.
Jack shifted over to look at her face to face. He gently took both of her hands and held them. The woman was partly curious what he had to say; could he possibly be still in love with her? The doctor took a deep breath and then opened his eyes to look at her. “I’m sorry, Sarah.” He whispered.
“Sorry for . . what?” she blinked.
“I’m sorry for everything.” Jack admitted, “I am sorry I was never there for you when you needed me. I’m sorry I wasn’t a good husband. And . ..the more I thought about it . . .I never should have agreed to marry you. I loved you, Sarah but . .not in the way you needed to be loved.”
Sarah felt like she was going to collapse. She held her mouth closed and then Jack pulled her in for a hug. She gripped onto his arms, as he held her close. “Why . .why are you telling me this?” she wept.
“Because I promised Jenny I would . .and you deserve to hear it.”
Sarah looked up at him, then to her sister. Jenny had opened only one eye, looking at both of them from across the room. She slowly curled her lips into a smile. Jack then smiled and patted her on the arm. “I got to go,” he smiled, “I promised a friend of mine we’d have a drink together.”
As he stood up, Sarah stood up with him. She then hugged him one more time. “Thank you, Jack.” She whispered.
“If I ever hurt you,” he kissed her on the forehead, “It wasn’t what I wanted.”
Jack then gently walked away from her, letting his ex-wife finally be free of the cloud that hung over both their heads. The doctor then walked over to his former mother-in-law. “Good night, Rosalina.” He smiled.
“Good night, Jack,” the old woman smiled.
“Good night, Mei-Mei,” Jack extended his hand.
Jenny then took it but she used it to pull herself up to him. She embraced him, grabbing onto him tightly. “Good night, big brother.” She smiled.
Jack almost blushed at her comment. He hugged her back and kissed her on the top of the head. Sarah covered her mouth, trying not to cry anymore. She always knew Jenny loved her big sister but there was something about the connection to a big brother; a father figure in her life. She was thankful she found that in Jack.
The doctor slowly closed the door and left the family to their comfort of one another. He proceeded to walk down the hall and found his companion waiting for him on a beech by the elevator. “Ready?” he smiled.
“Ready.” Jilly grinned.
The deaf woman stood up and took his arm. The couple then waited for the elevator to come up and then stepped in to head down to the bar, below. Jack smiled at the woman as he pressed the down button.
Perhaps things were looking up after all.
“Shhhhh, Sarah,” the blond girl stroked her sisters hair, “It’s okay. I’m here now.”
“I THOUGHT I KILLED YOU!!” she cried in agony.
“You didn’t. I’m here.”
“I asked you . .to go on that plane . . .and then . .Oh, God, Jenny, I’m sorry.”
Jenny kissed her sister on the cheek. “Stop it now, Sarah,” she held her, “ I’m here and I ain’t going anywhere.”
Sarah finally stopped hyperventilating. Jenny took a near by Kleenax and gave it to her sister, letting her wipe her tears. The older woman then stood up and made Jenny turn around. “Let me look at you,” she sniffed, “Well . . .You look pretty good for being marooned on an Island for two months. Here I was worried you were going to have skin cancer from sun exposure.”
“No, nothing that . . .easy.” Jenny smirked.
“So, how many people were with you?”
“Just under 60.”
“Oh, my God,” her mother whispered, “We’ve been waiting for some sort of news but they haven’t told us anything. Jenny, how did you live?”
“We lived off of coconuts, bananas, boar meat and whatever else we could get our hands on.” She said, sitting down with them.
“Boar Meat?” Sarah slightly giggled, “Who could hunt boar there?”
“We had some skilled men, thank goodness. But that’s not the most horrific point I need to tell you about.”
“Jenny, . ..what . .what are you saying?” Rosalina stammered.
Jenny took her mom’s hand and held it close. “Mom, when the plane when down, I was trapped in the ladies room.” She whispered.
“WHAT?” Sarah gasped.
“Yeah, I . .uh . .stayed in there, until the room filled up with water,” the young teenager rubbed her eyebrow, “Then when it was full, I was able to get out. By the time I swam up to the surface, it was just me and a ton of debris.”
“What ever did you do?” her sister asked.
“I grabbed a floating suitcase and a nearby bottle of diet coke. I tried to swim but only after the second day did I manage to see a nearby Island. After 8 more days I managed to reach it and thank God the first man who found me was a doctor. Which his expertise and his friends, they re-hydrated me and brought me back to health.”
“Oh, wow,” Sarah wiped her tears, “I had to meet these people and thank them.”
“They are a great bunch of people. Friends I know I will have for life. But Sarah, I found something for you . . ..someone was on that Island and he needed to come back to see you.”
“What?” her sister stuttered
“He’s admitted his mistake and he’s got something to tell you.”
“Jenny, what are you . .I mean, WHO could you have found on that Island that I know?”
Jenny kissed her on the cheek and then stood up, walking back toward the door. She then opened it and stepped out into the hallway. “It’s okay, you can come on in now.” Jenny said, taking his hand.
Sarah slowly stood up. She looked at the man being led in by her younger sister. The man that saved her life and the man she married for time before all the things fell apart. “Jack?” she whispered.
“Hello, Sarah.” The doctor whispered.
Jenny rested on her mother’s lap, as they both sat on the loveseat next to the far wall. They didn’t have to speak or do anything. Rosalina just wanted to hold her daughter for awhile and Jenny didn’t mind, laying her head in her mother’s lap; letting her stroke her hair. She missed her mother and was glad to be home.
Back on the other side of the room, Sarah and Jack looked at them. Then they briefly looked at each other. “Wow,” Sarah said, wiping her tears and smiling, “You and Jenny on the same plane. What are the odds?”
“Yeah, what are the odds?” Jack agreed.
“I’m sorry about Christian, Jack. I didn’t know.”
“It okay.” The doctor sighed, “I got called my mother about an hour ago. Apparently they were able to get his body through customs but he still isn’t here yet. So . . it’s one more point in my life I had to put on hold till I can get it resolved.”
Jack then looked down when he saw Sarah take his hand. “Jack, Jenny said . . .” the woman sniffed, “That a doctor took care of her when she was trapped in the ocean for ten days. Was . ..that you?”
“No,” Jack smiled, “ That was Tony Largo. He’s a good man. You should meet him.”
“I plan too but . .that’s another oddity. Two doctors on one Island.”
“Opposite ends of the Island too. We found each other and Jenny found me.”
“Well, regardless, thank you for taking care of her.”
Jack then chuckled a bit. The sight of his familiar laughter that she had grown comfortable with made her curious. “What’s so funny?” she asked.
“I didn’t take care of her.” The doctor admitted, “It’s the other way around.”
Sarah smiled at his excellent compliment.
“She’s a remarkable girl,” He whispered in all seriousness, “And If I take anything from that Island . . .back with me . . .is that I found my way back to her. No matter what happened between you and me . . .she’ll always be . . .my little Mei-Mei.”
“Mei-Mei?” Sarah whispered, “You haven’t called her that since she was 12. At the . .tournament.”
“Yeah, I remember too.”
“So, Jack . . .Jenny said you had something to tell me?” Sarah raised up her eyebrows briefly.
Jack shifted over to look at her face to face. He gently took both of her hands and held them. The woman was partly curious what he had to say; could he possibly be still in love with her? The doctor took a deep breath and then opened his eyes to look at her. “I’m sorry, Sarah.” He whispered.
“Sorry for . . what?” she blinked.
“I’m sorry for everything.” Jack admitted, “I am sorry I was never there for you when you needed me. I’m sorry I wasn’t a good husband. And . ..the more I thought about it . . .I never should have agreed to marry you. I loved you, Sarah but . .not in the way you needed to be loved.”
Sarah felt like she was going to collapse. She held her mouth closed and then Jack pulled her in for a hug. She gripped onto his arms, as he held her close. “Why . .why are you telling me this?” she wept.
“Because I promised Jenny I would . .and you deserve to hear it.”
Sarah looked up at him, then to her sister. Jenny had opened only one eye, looking at both of them from across the room. She slowly curled her lips into a smile. Jack then smiled and patted her on the arm. “I got to go,” he smiled, “I promised a friend of mine we’d have a drink together.”
As he stood up, Sarah stood up with him. She then hugged him one more time. “Thank you, Jack.” She whispered.
“If I ever hurt you,” he kissed her on the forehead, “It wasn’t what I wanted.”
Jack then gently walked away from her, letting his ex-wife finally be free of the cloud that hung over both their heads. The doctor then walked over to his former mother-in-law. “Good night, Rosalina.” He smiled.
“Good night, Jack,” the old woman smiled.
“Good night, Mei-Mei,” Jack extended his hand.
Jenny then took it but she used it to pull herself up to him. She embraced him, grabbing onto him tightly. “Good night, big brother.” She smiled.
Jack almost blushed at her comment. He hugged her back and kissed her on the top of the head. Sarah covered her mouth, trying not to cry anymore. She always knew Jenny loved her big sister but there was something about the connection to a big brother; a father figure in her life. She was thankful she found that in Jack.
The doctor slowly closed the door and left the family to their comfort of one another. He proceeded to walk down the hall and found his companion waiting for him on a beech by the elevator. “Ready?” he smiled.
“Ready.” Jilly grinned.
The deaf woman stood up and took his arm. The couple then waited for the elevator to come up and then stepped in to head down to the bar, below. Jack smiled at the woman as he pressed the down button.
Perhaps things were looking up after all.
posted by Jason | 8:40 AM
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