“Uhh, Babsie?”
Babsie looked up.
“Yes, Jack?”
“I... I think you’d better see this...”
“Okay...”
Babsie stood and followed Jack to her friend Nick’s room. He opened up the door slowly, let Babsie in and closed the door behind them. Babsie gave Jack a curious look, and then walked over to where Nick was in bed.
“Nick?”
There was silence and Babsie leant over. After a moment she pulled away.
“He’s dead, isn’t he?” she asked quietly.
“I don’t normally like to disturb him – I know he’s been sick, but I was concerned when he wasn’t up at his usual time.”
Babsie nodded slowly and fought back tears. She had known this was a possibility. He’s shown up at her doorstep over a year ago now – almost two, after a fight with his brother Jarod. He never told her what it was about, so curiosity eventually got the better of her and she managed to pry the information out of Jarod’s wife – her sister Psylocke. Nick, her long time good friend and colleague, had AIDS.
And it looked like his time had finally come.
Babsie took a breath.
“I should call Jarod and tell him.”
Jack nodded.
“I already call the ambulance. They should be here soon.”
“Okay,” Babsie replied slowly. “Thank you, Jack.”
“I’m sorry, Babsie. I know you were close.”
Babsie looked down at Nick’s prone, frail body.
“Don’t... don’t let the kids see him.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“Thank you.”
Quietly thus, Babsie left the room.
**********
A few days later, Babsie was on a plane back to Australia with Nick’s body for the funeral. Once back in her native country, she gave Jarod a sound scolding for the anguish he had put Nick through.
“Hey, he didn’t need to go sleeping around!” Jarod declared. “He brought it on himself!”
“You didn’t need to make it worse.”
“Forget it Babs,” Psylocke interjected. “I’ve been telling him the exact same thing ever since we found out. He’s just being stubborn and now he’s never going to have the chance to make peace. So sad that such a strong friendship between brothers should end in estrangement.”
The twins both gave Jarod pointed looks at that point, linked arms and walked off.