Page 145 of Wingwoman
But I couldn’t just leave her out there to fend for herself.
Forty
HOPE
Nina droveus half an hour to a beautiful stone building set with sprawling bright green grass and a pond, flanked by a tall iron gate and fence that could have easily been the campus of a private college.
The scent of freshly mowed grass and roses wafted into the car's open windows.
Sweet scent of summer in the air, of flowers and pollen. It smelled like a garden after a rainstorm.
The sign above the guarded entrance readEmerald Pine Retreat: Psychiatric Hospital and Assisted Living.
“Nina,” I whispered. “Where are we—”
“Shhh,” she cut me off just as a guard walked up to her window.
“Nina,” the guard said. “Didn’t expect to see you so soon.”
She smiled at the guard, leaning out her window. “I know. But I made brownies and really wanted her to have them. You can take one, too, if you want.”
Reaching into her backseat, she pulled out a Tupperware container, popping it open.
Grinning, the guard took one. “Thanks. You know I never turn down one of your brownies.”
He waved us through and the gate opened, allowing us to drive forward.
The cobblestone drive wound around the expansive property, allowing glimpses of the manicured gardens and well-cared for grounds. Nina parked in front of the main building and I cautiously made my way out of the car.
Nina grabbed my hand and led me down a path between a line of trees and a stone wall to the front door, holding it open for me.
I stared up apprehensively at the shuttered windows.
"You wanted to meet Jenn," she said. "Well, she's in here."
Despite my pounding heart, I walked up the steps and entered, following behind Nina to the front desk where a pleasant nurse wearing pastel green scrubs greeted us with a smile.
“Nina! Twice in one day?”
Nina returned her smile and popped open the brownie container, offering the nurse one. "You know me, I can't stay away. By the way, this is my friend, Hope. She's here to meet Jenn today. This is the best nurse in all of Texas, Nurse Bella."
Bella gave me a warm smile before leading us down a hallway filled with doors that I assumed each led to the patients’ rooms.
My boots clicked against the golden hardwood floors and the cool white walls gave the place a warm, but sterile feel to it. The building’s hallways are fragrant with honeysuckle and the building smells of pine, roses, and the damp paper of old books.
Eventually, we stopped at a room with the same nondescript heavy looking door as all the others. “This is Jenn’s room,” said Bella softly. "Good to see you again, Nina. And nice to meet you, Hope. If either of you needs anything, you just ring for us," Bella added as we stepped inside.
I hadn't noticed how thin and pale she was when I first saw Jenn before the rodeo. The woman I’d briefly seen at Josh’s house in a gown looked so different from the woman sitting on the twin bed before us.
Vacant green eyes lit up as soon as she saw Nina enter and her long, stringy dark hair framed her gaunt face, fanning out against the crisp white scrubs she wore.
My gaze fell to the scars covering her arms and two fresh bandages on her wrists.
The bed creaked beneath Nina as she sat down beside Jenn and handed her one of the brownies, not minding when crumbs fell onto the floor below them. I silently watched as they talked, Nina's voice soft yet strong.
“Jenn, do you remember my friend, Hope?”
Up until that moment, Jenn’s expression had been warm and hopeful. Bright even. But when Nina said my name and her eyes turned to me, the entire expression fell sour. “You’re friends with her?” Jenn hissed.
