? DISCONTINUED ? Between the Perennial Blooms || Paul Lahote

"Within the human heart, there lurks a desire to destroy everything. Destruction as the affirmation of one's own being, to and against everything."
—Niki de Saint Phalle

• • •

A few days later, Bailey -much like Jacob- stuck to the confines of her bed as she sleepily awaited the passing of her sickness. However, unlike Jacob, Bailey merely dealt with the aftermath of a cold while he battled a particularly nasty bout of mono -according to Billy Black via Charlie. As a result, Bella was upset, beside herself, and seemingly at a loss for how to function without the company of her best friend by her side. She spent her time tending almost excessively to Bailey, making sure she ate soup and took medicine as well as checking her fever every few hours with all the rapture of a mother hen. It kept her busy, Bailey knew this, yet no matter how many times the youngest Swan sister attempted to reassure Bella that Jacob was just sick, mono took ample time to overcome, and that he would be back to full health when his body was strong enough, Bella simply allowed it to go in one ear and out the other. She needed her best friend back.

Bailey never realized how good he was at keeping her sadness at bay.

"Hi, Jay," Bailey mumbled into the speaker of her phone after having been sent straight to voicemail. "I was just calling to say that I hope you feel better soon. Bella's been going a bit crazy without you there to talk to everyday, but I just wanted to let you know that I miss you very much! Have you been getting the soup I've been sending with my dad? And that brown stuff in the tub, I know it smells strange, but it's my Gran's homemade sick-slayer. You just rub it on your chest and above your lip and in a few minutes you'll feel ten times better. Anyway, I miss you again; and if you get this, tell Billy I said hello! Bye!"

"Was that Jake?" Bella suddenly rushed into Bailey's bedroom, standing at the foot of her bed as she awaited her answer with an almost eager impatience.

Shaking her head, Bailey watched her older sister's face fall. "No," she told her, wishing she could have said yes if only to prevent the sadness from washing back over Bella's brown eyes. "I was just leaving him a voicemail."

With a sigh, Bella grabbed her sister's hand and pulled her from her criss-cross position on the bed to lead her down the stairs. "Lets try him on the house phone one more time. Maybe Billy will pick up."

Once they made it to the kitchen, Bailey hopped up onto the counter and amused herself with swinging her dangling feet back and forth while Bella dialed the number she knew by heart on the landline. It rang and rang, two times, three times, four times, until it finally just asked to leave a message with an automated voice and a high-pitched beep. Bailey's shoulders slumped and Bella, feeling exasperated, proved unable to help the desperate plea from escaping her lips.

"Jacob. Please. Call me." Then she hung up and leaned her forehead defeatedly against the phone.

"Hey, Harry and I will be back by three-"

Charlie paused, looking from Bella's crestfallen expression to Bailey's weak smile, then sighed heavily. "It's mono, Bells." His hand rested itself on her shoulder.

"He's too sick to even call?"

"You just gotta wait it out." He attempted to console. "You know, I don't have to go fishing..."

Bella forced a smile. "No, go. I'll call Jess or someone." Then she looked at Bailey. "I'll take Bay with me too."

Seemingly satisfied with her response, Charlie nodded. "Good. But stay here or at Jess's. No hikes or anything. We're issuing a warning about some bears we've been having trouble with recently."