The Why Behind What We Feel

Chapter 11- I Promise

I've been beating on this damn vending machine for the past five minutes, trying to free the bag of chips that got stuck on the way down. So far, they haven't budged.

Getting frustrated, I pound the machine one last time, letting out a wild, animal-like growl. I smile victoriously when my chips finally fall and I'm able to retrieve them.

I haven't eaten anything since last night and I'm starving. These chips are going to do very little to curve my appetite, but at least it's something. I have no idea when my grandma will be released, and no idea when I'll get a real meal again, so this will have to do for now.

I take my chips back to the waiting area and crunch on them while I check my messages. Lizzy, Mr. Brewer, Mary and Aspen have all texted asking about my grandmother. It makes me feel good that so many people care about her, even if she hasn't met any of them yet.

"Miss Martin?"

I look up from my phone at Dr. Vita, my heart leaping when I see the smile on her face. Finally, some good news.

"Your grandmother is awake and she's asking to see you," she says.

"Oh, thank God," I sigh in relief, standing and dropping my bag of chips on the table next to my chair.

"She's a little out of it, so don't be surprised if she says some crazy things," she goes on, leading me down the hallway. "She's on the mend and should be ready to go home by tomorrow; however, I strongly suggest having her AC fixed before then. I know her situation, so I've written down the numbers of some people I think might be able to help you."

She hands me a slip of paper and I quickly skim over it.

"If you need anything else, please don't hesitate to call me. I've listed my number as well," she adds.

"Thank you so much."

She opens the door to grandma's room and as soon as I walk in, grandma's face lights up.

"Miss Sessy! I'm so happy to see you!" she grins, holding her arms out.

I rush to her side and sit on the edge of her bed, hugging her tight. "I was so worried about you," I whisper.

"No need to worry about me, sweetie. I'm gonna be just fine. You know I won't leave this world until I see my sweet granddaughter become a doctor!"

"Grandma, why didn't you tell me money was tight? I could've helped you!" I say, pulling away to meet her eyes.

"Because it's my responsibility, not yours. The only thing you need to worry about is getting that degree. Let me worry about the rest."

While her tone is firm and sure, her worried eyes tell a different story.

"You can't just live without AC, grandma. It's too hot and it's only going to get hotter. If you want, you can come stay with me at my apartment for the summer. Lizzy, my roommate, is moving out in a few days."

"Then you should be out having fun with your roommate instead of cooped up in this hospital with me!" she smiles.

"You know I'm not leaving you," I say, giving her a bored look.

She chuckles. "I'm planning on getting a job at the public transportation office, where I used to work, at least part time. You won't have to worry anymore."

"You can't work, grandma. You're seventy-seven years old. You should be at home watching Golden Girls and knitting sweaters like all the other grandmas out there."

"Since when have you known me to ever be like the other grandma's out there?" she asks, c*****g a brow.

I smile. "Never. But you shouldn't be working. You have to take care of yourself."

"It's a desk job, Sessy. I'll be okay. Besides, it'll be nice to get out of the house for a while and be around people. I get tired of being in that house alone."

My heart squeezes in pain. I don't know what to do right now, but I'm determined to figure it out sooner rather than later. There's no way I can leave for Baltimore in August with her in this condition.

I can't tell her that, of course.

"I understand," I sigh. "But promise me, if you need help, just ask. Even if I can't do it, I can find someone who can."

"Thank you, sweetie," she says, hugging me. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"I don't know what I'd do without you either," I chuckle.

_______________

Since grandma is resting, I make the short walk over to her place so I can pack a bag for her to come stay with me for a while. I know she won't like it, but she doesn't have much of a choice in the matter. Once I feel she's back to herself, I'll take her home. But for now, I need her to be close by, for my own peace of mind if nothing else.

I furrow my brows when I see Aspen and Drake out in my grandma's yard. They are both sweaty, like they've been working all day.

"Hey Sessy!" Aspen says, walking around from the side of the house when I enter the yard. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, um...my grandmother lives here. What are you doing here?" I ask.

"Fixing your grandmother's AC," he replies. "And we're almost done."

"What?" I ask.

"You have a key, right?"

"Yes..."

"Come on, let's go test it out," he says, taking my hand and leading me to the door.

I have so many questions. How does he know where my grandmother lives? How does he know how to fix an AC unit? I don't ask those questions, of course. I'm so relieved that it's being fixed, it doesn't matter why or how.

I unlock the door and both of us groan when a heat wave almost knocks us backwards.

"Wow, it is scorching in here," Aspen says, blowing out a breath. "But not for long. Where is the thermostat?"

I lead him over to the small walkway that divides the kitchen and the den, where the thermostat controls are located. He flips the switch up and after a second or so, the AC kicks on. He walks over and kneels next to the air vent in the corner of the living room, feeling around for any sign of cold air.

"It's cold!" he says excitedly.

When he stands, I jump into his arms, thanking him over and over. "You have no idea how much this means to me," I cry.

He holds me tight, stroking the small of my back soothingly. "I'm glad I could help."

"Hey Sessy. I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Drake smirks when he walks into the house.

"No," I chuckle, pulling away from Aspen. "Thank you so much for doing this."

"No problem," he smiles. "Does that mean grandma can come home now?"

"Well, I have to get the water turned back on, but after that-"

"Already done," Aspen says. "Lizzy took care of it this morning."

My mouth falls open in surprise. "Are you serious right now?"

Aspen nods. "Yep. She took care of the past due balance and added a credit to your grandmother's account which should probably last her through the summer."

I can only stare at him in disbelief. I can't believe how much my friends have come through for me. It's the sweetest thing anyone, other than my grandma, has ever done.

"I'll never be able to thank you guys enough," I choke, starting to break down again.

"We're happy to help," Aspen says.

"Yeah, you've been like a little sister to me for the past four years," Drake adds. "Of course you've got my help if you ever need it."

"Thank you so much," I sniffle. "I seriously don't know how I'll ever be able to repay you for this."

"You don't have to repay us. We're your friends, Sessy. We want to help you," Aspen says. "But...if you really want to do something for me..."

"Just name it," I say.

"You could be my date for the formal tonight. That is, if you're still going," he says, smiling bashfully.

Oh right...the formal.

I really, really want to go, especially since Aspen is asking me to be his date. But I can't leave my grandma. What if something happens and she needs me? I already feel guilty enough that I haven't been there for her like I should have.

But Lizzy bought me that gorgeous dress. She paid my grandmother's water bill. And Aspen and Drake fixed her AC so she can return home after she leaves the hospital. Don't I want to spend this night, one of my very last college experiences, with them?

My grandmother would absolutely insist.

"Okay...I just need to check on my grandmother and make sure everything's good. If so, I'll be happy to go with you," I finally reply.

"Do you need a ride?" Drake asks.

"No, I can just walk. My car is parked at the hospital," I reply.

"Okay, but...you do know the formal is in like, four hours, right?" he asks, grimacing.

I gasp, covering my mouth with my hands. "How am I supposed to get ready in four hours?"

"Let us give you a ride to the hospital," Aspen says. "You can check on your grandmother and if all is well, that should put you getting back to your apartment around 5:00. That gives you a solid three hours to get ready."

"But I...I can't just..." I trail off, knowing it will be hard to explain the amount of prep work it takes most women to get fancy. Especially a woman with a head of hair like mine. "Okay, I'll do what I can," I sigh.

Drake gives me a ride to the hospital and I hurry inside, up to the third floor. I don't know why I'm allowing myself to get so nervous about this formal. Grandma may need me here with her. Actually, now that I think about it, maybe I want her to need me here. I don't want to go to this formal, but I also don't want to let my friends down when they've done so much for me.

I go into grandma's room and she sits up, grinning ear to ear when she sees me. "Hey there, Miss Sessy. What are you doing back so soon?"

"Actually, I wanted to get your opinion on something," I say, sitting on the edge of her bed and taking her hand into mine. "So there's this...formal event tonight. And Aspen asked me to be his date..."

"Is Aspen the cute boyfriend?" she smirks at me.

I nod, biting my lip. "He's not my boyfriend, but he is very cute."

"When do I get to meet him?" she asks.

I pause for a second. He's right outside, waiting for me. If she wants to meet him, I guess now is as good a time as any. "Do you want to meet him now? He's actually here."

"Yes!" she replies, practically shooing me away. "You've been going on and on about this boy for weeks! Of course I want to meet him!"

"Okay, okay. But before I go and get him, I want you to know something. Your AC has been fixed and your water bill has been paid through the summer. When you leave here tomorrow, you'll get to go home," I smile.

The way her brown eyes light up makes my heart melt. "How in the world?! I told you to let me worry about that, Sessy!"

"I know, and I promise, I didn't have anything to do with it. My friends did. They didn't want me to tell you, but I feel like you should know how much people care about you."

"Or how much they care about you," she smiles at me. "Your friends did this for me because they love you, and when they saw you needed something, they came to your rescue. That's what a true friend does, and if you have those kinds of friends, then you are a truly blessed young woman."

"I guess I am," I smile. "I'm gonna go get Aspen. I'll be right back."

I can't wipe the big, goofy grin off my face as I hurry back to the parking lot to find Aspen. What he, Lizzy and Drake did for my grandmother goes beyond words. I want to come up with some way to thank them, and I guess going to this formal and spending my last college experience with them seems like a good place to start.

When I make it out to the parking lot, I spot Aspen sitting on a bench next to the Emergency Room entrance. I walk over to him, furrowing my brows when I notice the expression on his face. He's staring straight ahead, so I follow his eyes, expecting to see some kind of crime in progress, or maybe someone doing something stupid. But there's nothing in that direction except a bunch of trees.

"Aspen?" I ask, when I get closer.

He seems to snap out of his trance when he looks over at me. "Oh, hey Sessy. How is your grandma?" he asks, standing to his feet.

"She's fine. She..." I trail off and swallow back the sudden nerves I feel. Introducing Aspen to my grandmother seems like a really couply thing to do. Even though I really like Aspen, we can't get involved with each other on a romantic level. I won't even be around in a few months and long distance never seems to work out. "She wants to meet you," I finally force myself to say.

His mouth falls open in surprise. His eyes widen, as if he can't believe what he's hearing. I didn't think it was such a big deal, but maybe I'm wrong?

"O-okay," he finally answers, nervously clearing his throat.

"Are you sure?" I ask, meeting his eyes.

He nods, forcing a small smile. "I'm sure. Although...I'm very nervous to meet her."

"Don't worry. I'll be right there with you," I smile, taking his hand.

"You promise?" he smiles back.

"I promise."