Burning Desire (Completed)

chapter 67

Jasmine awoke groggily, the morning sun streaming through the curtains of the room. She rubbed the sleep off her eyes and let out a yawn, stretching out her arms. She looked by her side and Raymond was gone.
He had left her a note telling her that he'd went for a board meeting and would be back in the evening.

They'd both slept in Christine's room last night on the small couch. Raymond's coat was wrapped on Jasmine's body and he held her to his chest all through the night. A nurse had come in to check on Christine and when she saw Raymond and Jasmine together, the nurse smiled and quietly did her job and left.

Jasmine pulled the coat off her, got up and moved to the bed, Christine was still sleeping. Jasmine removed a strand of hair and placed a soft kiss on Christine's forehead.

She let out a long sigh, staring at Christine's pale face. In this moment, Christine looked calm and at peace, that one would doubt that such a person was violent and a drug addict.

Jasmine turned and headed towards the bathroom, then Christine stirred on the bed as she let out a low groan.
Jasmine's eyes shot wide and she quickly rushed to Christine's side.

"Christine?" Jasmine's voice was almost like a whisper as she held Christine's left hand.

Christine's eyes flicked open slowly and her grey eyes gazed at Jasmine.
Jasmine's heart leaped with joy, seeing Christine back to life.

"You're awake!" Jasmine exclaimed excitedly, her eyes wide and glassy and a wide smile spread on her face as she touched Christine's Cheek softly.

"Jasmine?" Christine's voice was low, staring at Jasmine's blue eyes.

"Yes, it's me. It's me Christine,"Jasmine said, pressing her lips to Christine's knuckles. "I'm here."

"Where am I?" Christine asked weakly, her eyes glancing around her unfamiliar surrounding.

"You're at the hospital. You were brought in by your friend, your roommate last night." Jasmine told her.

Christine arched her brows in a frown as she didn't seem to remember how she got to the hospital. When Christine said nothing, Jasmine became worried that maybe Christine couldn't remember anything.
She tried to call a nurse but Christine stopped her.

"Do you remember what happened to you?" Jasmine asked softly, holding onto Christine's hand.

"All I remember is injecting myself with those drugs and then everything went black." Christine said quietly and swallowed hard, massaging her neck slowly.

Jasmine noticed Christine's discomfort and grabbed the paper cup at the table and filled it with water from the tap. Christine lifted her head and with Jasmine holding the cup, she slowly drank the water.

"Why did you do it?" Jasmine asked.
All through the night, Jasmine  woundered what would have propelled Christine to want to take her life a second time. She'd thought that the rehab would help in terminating any suicidal thoughts from Christine.

"I don't know." Christine murmured, her eyes staring at the ceiling. "I was feeling so depressed and I needed something to take away my pain. So I met this guy, he gave me some drugs and I just took it."

"Who was this guy?" Jasmine inquired.

"It doesn't matter who he is Jasmine," Christine said bluntly.

Jasmine exhaled heavily, rubbing a palm on her forehead. She decided to let the matter go as she wouldn't want to upset Christine.

"You know, I felt myself slipping away and at that moment, I felt at peace," Christine said, eyes still staring at the ceiling. "It was so beautiful and relaxing and I wanted it to stay with me forever. I felt no pain, no fear, no regret....it was nothing like I've ever felt before. It was my place of comfort, it was home."

Jasmine felt a sharp pang in her heart hearing Christine say out those heartbreaking words. To Christine it might have felt like home but to Jasmine, it was the scariest place she would ever know.

"It felt like I was being transformed into a new body. I'd felt reborn." Christine continued and then turned her gaze to Jasmine. A smile tugged on her lips and as she spoke, tears formed in her eyes. "And then in the mist of my glorious transition, you won't believe who I saw."

Jasmine felt uncomfortable with their conversation but she didn't want to sound cruel and interrupt Christine.
Maybe this was what Christine needed. To have someone by her side who would listen and try to understand her.

"Who did you see?" Jasmine asked.

Christine's grey eyes lit with hope and she grabbed Jasmine's arm. "I saw mum and dad and kalisha."

Jasmine went still as she gazed at Christine with wide shocking eyes.
"What!" She whispered.

"I saw them Jasmine," Christine said smiling, "they were so happy and felt so alive. It felt so real Jasmine. They took me into their arms and kissed me. They told me they love me and always will."

Jasmine's heart beat quickened as she sat frozen to the chair. She couldn't believe what Christine had told her.
"You saw them?" She repeated.

Christine nodded."Yes I did. I swear to you, I saw them. You have to believe me Jasmine." She held Jasmine's arm tight.

Jasmine's gaze fell to her arm and back at Christine's face. Her expression was blank and Christine couldn't tell what she was thinking. "I believe you," Jasmine finally said and smiled.

Christine smiled. "Thank you. You know Jasmine, all these years I'd blamed myself for their death, carrying such a heavy burden in my heart and I...I just..." Her breath caught in her throat and a tear escaped her eye.

Jasmine sighed deeply. "Christine..."

Christine cut Jasmine quickly. "They told me they love me Jasmine. Not loved but love. And at that moment I realized that they actually never blamed me for their death, they never did. They want me to be happy, to be free and be their little princess again.
They love me Jasmine. Even after what I did, they still love me...they.. they love." Christine broke down in tears, putting her face in her palms.

"Christine." Jasmine leapt onto the bed and threw her arms around Christine. She crushed Christine's shaky body against hers. "Hey, It's Okay." She whispered and kissed Christine's hair.

"Oh Jasmine, I'm so sorry," Christine said in a shaky voice and lifted her head slowly. "I'm so sorry for everything I did to you. For everything I've caused you, I'm deeply sorry. All you've ever done is shown me kindness even though I didn't deserve it.  You've always been by my side, you never stopped loving me and all I did was push you away. I'm so sorry Jasmine, I'm sorry." Christine choked in her tears, her eyes filled with an agony of regret.

Tears filled Jasmine's eyes and no words could come out from her lips. She held Christine's shoulders as tight as she could, afraid of loosing Christine. The tighter she held Christine, the more Christine shook in her arms.

"It's okay. Everything is alright now."
Jasmine stroked Christine's back softly, placing a kiss on Christine's hair.

For years, Jasmine had waited for this moment. A moment that Christine would come to realize that her family loved her. Despite everything that had been going wrong with Christine, she needed to realize that no matter what happened, her family would never stop loving her. Since their death, Christine had been lost in the darkness, until now. She had seen the light, she was freed from her grieve and now, she's home.