This Is My Stop

"Excuse me, miss, we're about to land. Would you please fasten your seatbelt?", said the flight attendant while she padded my shoulder for me to wake up.
"Sure, sorry. Uhm... I have to get to Chicago, do I have to get down or am I waiting for the next flight here?"
"You can stay, not too many people are coming in the next flight so that shouldn't take more than 20 minutes" she said as she smiled broadly.
What was that? Was I just dreaming with the guy I met on my way to Newark the other day? I guess I was really hostile, maybe I shouldn't have left that way...
The flight to Chicago was actually very pleasant although I couldn't stop thinking about everything that had happened in my dream. Maybe there's a chance that he knows Mr. Way or is even related to Sophie. I was actually going to Chicago for her, she has been receiving chemo over there, Mr. Way told me she had been asking for me. Since I had a couple of free days due to a recent shooting there's been at NYU I had two weeks off, so... I decided to fly over here. Maybe I should ask her... Everything felt so real it was creepy.
I dropped my things at the hotel I was staying for the week and made my way to the children's hospital with a stuffed giraffe. Sophie loved them, I had been in a class with her due to Mr. Way's tight schedule. She stood behind once the class finished. She was crying because she had no hair due to chemo. After talking to her I took her for ice cream and I got to know her better.
I approached the front desk, there was a blonde nurse giving out a few sheets of paper to a woman with a child on her arms.
"Excuse me, I'm looking for Sophie Pricolo"
"What's your name?"
"Aubrey, Aubrey Saenz"
"She's been waiting for you, you're on the list. She's in room 301. Becky, take this young lady to see Sophie, please.", she said as she smiled and handed the other nurse a box with medical equipment.
As we walked down the hall she started by giving me a robe, "Are you related to Sophie?" Asked the nurse.
"Oh no, I gave her an Art class a few weeks ago. I met her there"
She gave me a surprised look and laughed sweetly, "Oh, are you the girl from Chile?"
"Hahaha, yes I am. Did she tell you about me?"
"She talks about you all the time, right now her parents are there. They've been eager to meet you. You have to wear the robe because it's a very delicate environment. Oh... I must warn you, she's been having a hard time with the chemo so she might be a little skinnier"
"No problem, she's beautiful to me."
The nurse knocked the door, I saw two people in a robe standing next to Sophie's bed just laughing and playing with her.
"Excuse me, Mr and Mrs Pricolo, this is-"
She was cut off by Sophie, "AUBREY IT'S YOU! YOU FINALLY CAME!", she attempted to get off the bed but realised she was receiving medication through a machine connected to her arms so she just waved at me and started moving erratically on her bed. She had certainly lost some weight, although her hair started to grow slowly. I thought that was a good sign, I smiled at her and waved.
Sophie's parents came close to me as the nurse left the room, "Aubrey, it's so good to finally meet you. She's been talking about you since she got back from Jersey. We wanted to thank you for making her feel better, she's been happier ever since." Said her mom.
"I truly admire Sophie, she's a fighter. My grandfather died of cancer 10 years ago, I felt so proud of her when I found out she didn't give up on this disease."
Her mother started tearing up and hugged me, "You have no idea how grateful we are, she was being consumed by the treatment. She now smiles an plays around, were very happy you came."
Mrs. Pricolo was very beautiful indeed, she had big blue eyes.
Mr. Pricolo had big hazel eyes, he reminded me of the guy I met on my way to Newark... I believe I stared at him long enough because he started to feel uncomfortable.
"Aubrey, would you mind making Sophie company? My wife and I have to pick up Sophie's siblings from school and take them home"
"Sure, Mr. Pricolo, that's why I'm here", I said as I looked at Sophie and winked.
I approached Sophie's bed and stood next to her.
"Aubrey, I'm so happy you made it. I asked Gerard if she could call you so that you came to visit me. I thought he forgot about it"
"Forgot? Oh no Sophie, he told me right away, I was in middle of a class with him when you called. I had two weeks off college so I came to see you. I have something for you, close your eyes"
She covered her eyes with her tiny hands and giggled. I took the giraffe from the bag and moved it towards her as if it were kissing her.
"Aw! You remembered! I love giraffes, this one's so beautiful", she took it on her arms and started hugging it,"it's very soft and also smells yummy like you do", she said while smiling and giggling.
"Do you have a name for it?"
"Hmm", she said as she put rubbed her chin with her index finger, "What about Thomas?"
"Hmm, I think it suits him perfectly. Why Thomas?"
"Well, Thomas is my daddy's name and my best friend's third name"
Third name? How much do you have to hate your kid to put him three names, I mean... I only heard of that in my country. Parents were cruel enough they put even four names to their children, plus in Chile you have to use both surnames. You might as well spend all day saying your name...
We played around and talked about her treatment and random stuff like her likes and dislikes.
"Aubrey, are you doing something for Halloween?"
"Uhm, no... I don't think so. I don't have any plans yet, why Sophie?"
"Well, you see Halloween is near, so is my best friend's birthday. He was planning on throwing a party in Jersey. Would you like to go?"
"I'd love to, I love Halloween parties. What are you going to dress up as?"
"Well... I was thinking on being a princess but now I want to be Frankenstein's daughter"
"Wh-what? Does Frankenstein have a daughter?" I said with a puzzled look.
She giggled and grabbed my hand, "of course he does, she looks just like his bride but smaller. Frankie is going as Frankenstein, he doesn't have someone to go with him as the bride of Frankenstein so I'll be his daughter."
I laughed but remembered my dream, the train guy also went as Frankenstein... It was very weird, I could only remember his face but not his name. Every time I Saw Sophie's eyes I remembered the way I stormed out.
"Who's Frankie?" I said while I came back to reality and sat on her bed next to her.
"It's me", said a very familiar voice behind me.
Sophie raised her arms and signalled him to come closer. I stood up and looked at him.
"It's you." I said as I grabbed onto Sophie's bed, my knees felt week.
He smirked and approached Sophie.
"Frankie! It's you! I'm so glad you're here, this is-", Sophie was cut off by him
"Aubrey." He said while looking at me from head to toe.
"You know each other?" Sophie said as she left Thomas aside and pointed at us.
Frank picked her up and kissed her cheek, "You see, Sophie, I met Aubrey on my way to Newark a week ago. I was talking to her because she seemed nice but she left me. I think I might've said something that offended her", he looked at me and winked.
I blushed and put my hands on my hips, "it wasn't WHAT you said but HOW you said it. Sophie, do I look like a cartoon artist to you?"
She giggled while she cuddled in his arms, "Aubrey, you're going to put bad guys in prison why does it matter if you look like you can draw batman or not?"
Frank let Sophie down and started laughing hysterically, "YOU SEE, EVEN A SIX YEAR OLD GETS IT!"
I looked at him fiercely, "Well Sophie, if you must know, what happened that day in the train was this. I was sitting down, I had a very awful day. It started to rain, I was cold and late to Mr. Way's class. So... I was trying to relax on my way to Newark but Frank came to me and sat there. I won't lie, he was nice at first but then, when he found out that I was taking comic book lessons he mocked me and laughed! As if I looked like I couldn't do it!"
Sophie frowned at Frank and crossed his arms, "That was very rude, Frankie. Aubrey taught me how to paint giraffes and elephants"
Frank kept laughing, he walked closer to me, "Sophie, what little miss judgemental doesn't know is that I said that because I knew she was going to see Gerard or Mr. way as she likes to call him. If I'm not wrong I said it was 'curious' for that matter, not because she didn't look pret-like a comic book artist"
Sophie laughed, "well why didn't you tell her that?"
"She didn't give me any time, she stormed out and left me at the train by myself I saw her leave, I saw her leaving even more furious when she found out she didn't have any class. In fact, I wanted to tell her she was going to Jersey for nothing because I knew Gerard wasn't going to be there so-"
"Not that, why didn't you tell her she was pretty like you were about to a while ago?"
I looked at Sophie with a surprised look on my face, my eyes looked like dishes.
Frank was blushing, "I don't know, she would've though I was too straight forward or a creep. Right?", he said while he looked at me with puppy eyes.
My knees started to shake again, "W-wh... No. I'm sorry, I think I overreacted."
He came closer to me, with Thomas in his hands and handed it to me, "You're pretty."
Sophie's giggle broke the tension between us, "Frankie, Thomas is mine you can't give it away! But Aubrey, you are pretty."
I blushed uncontrollably, "Thank you, Sophie but you're the prettiest." I said while I smiled at her and grabbed her small hands.
We played with Sophie for a while until her mom and dad walked in, it was almost 8 pm.
"Frankie, sweetie, it's so nice to have you here. Have you met Sophie's friend, Aubrey?" Said Mrs. Pricolo
He hugged her, "Oh, have I met her" he said while winking at Sophie.
Mr. Pricolo approached me, "thanks for watching Sophie, I hope neither one of them gave you any trouble. I mean, Sophie's a doll but Frank over here is... He's something"
"Oh no, Mr. Pricolo, they were both lovely. I had a very pleasant afternoon." I said as I winked at Frank.
The nurse came in to tell us visit time was over, Sophie's parents were staying but Frank and I had to leave. I kissed Sophie on the cheek and made my way out.
As I waited for the elevator, I heard him behind me again.
"So... Are you in a hurry or want to go out for dinner?"
"I'm starving", I said.

Notes

Hey, new chapter is up. I know it's weird but I hope you like it :)