Chapter 4: On the Way Home

The ambulance stopped in front of the apartment building where Jill lived. I helped her get out and handed her the crutches. She tucked them under her armpits and headed slowly toward the entrance without saying a word. The cast seemed much more out of place here than in the hospital. The people walking along the sidewalk were staring at her as if they had seen a ship in the desert. Feeling their unhealthy interest, she tried to move faster. I stepped up behind her, fearing that she may trip. As she reached the entrance, she stopped and looked back over her shoulder.

"Are you coming with me?" she asked.

There was something that puzzled me. She looked confused and slightly scared, which wasn't typical of her. Her eyes were boring into mine, as if she was trying to read my thoughts.

"Of course, if you don't mind my company... my dear Miss."

"You are so kind to me... sir," she said and playfully stuck out her tongue at me.

"Oh my God! What have they done to you, my poor child?" an old woman cried out, startling us.

I quickly recognized her as Susan, one of Jill's neighbors. She was staring at the cast with undisguised curiosity, her eyes twinkling merrily.

"I broke my leg," Jill answered dryly.

"I warned you that you would eventually hurt yourself riding that little moped of yours," Susan said.

"It has nothing to do with my scooter," Jill explained and hopped toward the entrance.

"You have a new boyfriend I see," Susan said and squinted at me through her thick glasses.

"No, I'm one of the older ones," I said amiably.

Jill looked accusingly at me and pulled a face. Susan nodded, smiled knowingly, then continued on her way.

"I don't think I can climb these steps," Jill said flatly.

There were two concrete steps in front of the entrance. I realized that if she tried to climb the steps, she would probably trip. Her immobilized hip joint made her dangerously clumsy. Actually, she was able to move her casted leg only by moving her upper body.

"Why are you looking at me like that? Are you going to help me or not?" she said with irritation.

"Sorry, I was contemplating some mechanical problem."

She leaned the crutches on the wall and I wrapped my hands around her back. We stepped up onto the steps in an awkward dance. The feeling of her body pressed against mine awakened sweet memories. Then, her face contorted as her casted leg bumped against my shin.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," I muttered.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," she said and retrieved her crutches as I was holding the door open for her.

In the elevator, I noticed a strip of white gauzy material hanging under the hem of her dress. I took it and crumpled it in my hand.

"What's this? What are you doing?" Jill asked and knitted her brows.

"Uh... the doctor used it to cover..."

"Aha," she said and blushed.

The elevator stopped on her floor and I pushed the door open. A little girl of around 4 or 5 years was standing outside. She saw Jill and her chin dropped, leaving her mouth wide open.

"Auntie Jilly, what is this on your leg?"

"A cast," Jill said with a smile and made her way out of the elevator.

"Did you get hurt?"

"I am not wearing it for fun, my dear, but I'm fine now."

The girl's eyes welled with tears.

"Oh Erica, please don't cry. Everything is all right."

"The way you walk scares me," the girl said and sniffed pitifully, then added," Are you going to walk like that all the time?"

Jill seemed to be at a loss for words.

"Where is your mom, Erica?" Jill asked and headed to the door of her apartment.

"She had to buy something and told me to wait here. Is your leg broken, auntie Jilly?"

"Yes, but am better now."

"When my Barbie doll broke her leg, daddy fixed it," the little girl said proudly.

"My leg was fixed too," Jill said.

I took the key out of her purse and opened the door.

"It doesn't really look fixed," Erica said distrustfully.

We got into the flat. Jill took a deep breath and sighed as I closed the door.