Euphoria

A Thousand Little Trees Of Blood. II

You know what I like about hospitals? They don't need to know how good of a person you are in order to take care of you. They don't need to know what's going on in your head before they wrap a bandage around your arm. People like that are rare. The doctor put Leslie in touch with a rehab for Rue, who might have an open bed early next week. Told them to stay strong. Come to think of it Rue's Mom is one of those rare people, but maybe that's 'cause she's kind of like my mom. I spent most of the ages between 5 and 8 with her. She also grew up in the church. And say what you want about Christians. At least they believe in forgiveness. Rue couldn't remember anything she said to her Mum. She wishes she could say she didn't mean any of it. Is that actually true? She thought it. She felt it... She said it. I'm sure most people would say the world would be a better place without Rue. I know Rue doesn't disagree. In fact, she's been trying to leave it for as long as she can remember. Ali is also one of those rare people. The strange thing is, I bet most people would say the same thing about him. "He's just a fuckin' crackhead wife-beater." I bet his daughter said that. Even Rue kind of said that, but that. That she really fucking regrets. Even if Rue got clean today, no one would forget the trauma of her not being clean. But She really regrets what she said to Ali. Reducing someone's life to a moment... an ugly moment. And punishing them for it. That's what cops do. It's actually what everyone does. It's what you would do to me if you didn't know me.

"Hello?" Coles groggy voice sounded and my eyes immediately snapped open. When I glanced over at him he was turned on his side and had his phone up to his ear. The blue light of his phone making my eyes squint.

"Who is it?" I whisper smacking his back slightly and he glances over at me this time with wide eyes and my sleepiness disappeared quite quickly after that.

"Rue?" Cole asks in shock and I pressed myself closer to Cole so that I could eavesdrop on their conversation over the phone. I could hear heavy breathing on the other side. A clear sign of someone who was struggling with detox. "Hello?" Cole asks again and this time Rue on the other end sucked in a breath

"Cole? It's, um, it's Rue." Rues voice comes across the phone

"What do you want, Rue?" Cole asks not sounding snappy but instead sounding cautious as if he were trying to not upset a child.

"Um... I just wanted to, uh, call you and tell you that, um... I just wanted to call you and tell you that I'm sorry for what I said and for um punching you in the face. Um... and I really regret it. Uh... I just-I never should've done that. And I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Rue continues babbling and Cole just sighs into the phone

"Rue, I forgive you." Cole says and I could hear the small gasp of air Rue sucked in, clearly she was as shocked as I was because I don't think my eyes could open any wider.

"You do?" Rue whispers

"I do." Cole says as he glances over at me and gives me a small smile. I could hear Rue sniffling on the other end of the phone call

"How do you know that I mean it?" She sobs quietly

"Because I think you might have saved something that I thought I lost forever" Cole whispers as he stares into my eyes and I cant help but smile giddily. He was beautiful. He really was. And it seemed like he had changed. Lord knows I don't think I could handle another heartbreak if something like the Jules situation happened again.

"Thank you. Thank you." Rue sobs through the phone and I could hear her sucking in gasps of air as Cole tried to console her with soothing words.

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Rue had made her next apology call to Ali. Ali forgave her like the saint he is but said he would only stop by if he could cook dinner for Rue's whole family. He also invited Cole and I to come. I had only met Ali a few times but I knew he was good to Rue.