Birdcage Ch. 08

"And Joni...I think maybe we all need to talk soon? The three of us. I'll find a way. We can't...let's talk soon."

Joni nodded once more and gave him a thankful smile before darting back out into the darkness.

She replayed the doctors directions over in her head as she walked, pressing herself to the walls at the slightest sound and ducking behind furniture when doorways swung open. She moved as a shadow, more cautiously than before. Reaching the door quickly, she had taken one more glance up either end of the empty hallway, and punched in the numbers he had told her to use.

*492104*

The backlight of the keypad flashed green and Joni heard a single *beep* and then the loud *click* of the lock turning. She pressed down the handle and breathed a sigh of relief when the door swung open. She stepped in and quickly shut it behind her, hoping it would lock again automatically.

"Henri?" She whispered. The room seemed empty, and the lights were lit low. The vague smell of lavender lingered in the air.

"Henri?" A little louder the second time, she reached the bathroom and glanced around the darkness.

When she was sure that she was alone, Joni moved back to the main room and sat on the edge of the crisp white bed, bringing one of the pillows up to her face. The smell was so familiar to her now, and she was taken back to her first time there. She recalled her fear, her embarrassment, and her whispered 'please' as she had urged him on. She wondered if she stayed long enough if he would come, but she knew she didn't have long away from the dorm before someone came looking.

Joni pulled out the paper and pen from her bra, unfolding and smoothing it out on the bedside table. She paused. She'd planned getting out of the dorm, sort of planned getting to the doctor and definitely planned getting to this room, but she hadn't planned what she would write to him. As usual with him, she felt like she had a hundred questions to ask, and no time to ask any of them. She brushed her hair behind her ears and brought pen to paper.

'H,

2 in charge now, pushing my sale.

Please meet soon. Here. Tell me when.

Time running out.'

Joni paused. The words she wanted to say lingered in her mind. With another deep breath she scribbled the last lines.

'I miss you. I'm scared.

J'

As she put the pen down, the letter 'J' spread in a watercolour swirl of blue. A fat heavy tear had fallen down onto the page below. Joni hadn't realised she was even crying, and in that moment, she didn't know why. She felt so overwhelmed. Too much to do, no time to do it.

Folding the paper in half, she placed it atop one of the pillows, and smoothed out the sheets. Looking once more around the room, Joni headed for the door and stepped out.