Jim looked at her in stunned silence for a few seconds
“They thought what..” he said in disbelief before looking at Yanis
“No…no” he cried softly
“There was a dog or something in the road, I swerved to avoid it… it all happened so fast”
Pausing he had looked at her again
“Did you read the note” he asked as she had nodded
“Then you know what it was about” he said frowning in surprise. Lee had nodded again
“And you didn’t tell them the truth” he said, a small tear rising to his eye. Lee had brushed it away with her finger before hugging him
“It wasn’t for me to tell” she said softly
“I couldn’t break a promise I made to you” she said a small tear falling down her own cheek
Jim had nodded
“Thank you Lee” he said with such love and warmth in his voice, before the two of them had looked over at Yanis who stood in stunned silence listening to the exchanges. Giving Jim a small kiss on the forehead Lee had risen to make room for Yanis who Jim had beckoned over.
“I’ll let you two talk” she said before looking deeply into Yanis’s eyes had said so sadly
“Goodbye Yanis” and left the room.
As he made to stand up and follow her, Jim had placed a hand over his arm to stop him
“Please I need to tell you something”
Jim could see the way his friend was torn with his desire to follow Lee and his need to stay with him before he had finally sat back down turning to look at Jim
“What’s going on Jim” he asked, his face confused and more than a little ashen
Taking a deep breath Jim had blurted out “Yanis I’m gay” waiting for a response from his friend his face tense as Yanis had looked back at him dumbfounded
“I met somebody special, but I just couldn’t come out and tell everybody. I planned to just give him up and push down my feelings but I couldn’t do it Yanis..I just couldn’t do it” he paused for a second seeing the look of surprise on the other mans face
“Lee told me that I should be true to myself or I would lose the love of my life – she just told me to be honest and that anybody who really cared about me would understand”
His voice trailed off as he looked at Yanis with apprehension.
His face was white and sombre as though he had just discovered something completely unpleasant. In a voice as calm as he could make it, he slowly said
“Are you telling me Jim that she was keeping your secret – that you weren’t in love with her”
“Yes” he replied
Much to his surprise Yanis had stared at the floor for a second, his face a myriad of emotions before he leapt from the bed and started to walk quickly out of the ward breaking into a run as he tried to catch up with Lee. As he reached the exit on seeing her about to get into a taxi he had called her name. For a second she had hesitated looking at him sadly before getting into the car.
As it drove away he had run his fingers through his hair watching as it joined the many other black hacks on the main street before becoming lost among the multitude of other taxis and cars. Slowly he turned back towards the hospital, to mend some fences with his friend and to admit to him what he had done to Lee.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Two weeks later Lee stood before a full length mirror pulling on the electric blue cocktail dress, which she had picked up from Claire the previous week. Claire had been surprised to see Lee, but had handed over the garment which they were storing for the orphanage benefit the following week. Although the gown had been paid for at the time she had ordered it Lee had felt guilty about keeping such an expensive garment, especially as she could pay for it herself. However, Claire had refused to take her money and return Yanis’s money to him. Claire had shown concern for her seeing how pale she was.
“Yanis was in touch” she had told her softly
“He wanted me to let him know if you came in”
Lee had looked at her pleadingly
“Please Claire, don’t tell him” she had said, seeing how the other woman had looked at her before deciding. With a nod she had given Lee a hug, promising to keep it to herself, giving Lee her private number if she needed somebody to talk to. Lee had been touched by the other woman’s kindness thanking her as she left
On the day of the event itself, she had spent the afternoon in the salon having her hair placed onto her head and her make-up professionally done. She had smiled at the irony of her little treat to herself, one which was designed to try to make her feel better as she tried to deal with all the changes in her life, knowing how she had refused such luxuries when she had money being thrown at her. Looking into the mirror she had looked sadly at her reflection. Once more her mind full of images of Yanis which tugged at her heart strings so painfully