A Carol In Hospice

Asra was nervous, that was to say the least, but now with his new, not so reclusive friend, he hoped that he would be able to enjoy the holiday period, at least, not alone this time.

They had made plans to go carolling with a small group Juniper knew, but Asra didn’t really know any of them, and he didn’t really know any of the songs.

Apparently there was to be a big event held at the church, where they could just sing along, but even still Asra felt nervous. . . . 

Asra knew it wasn’t long before Juniper and her friends arrived and felt nervous, what if he didn’t get along with them, what if he annoyed them with his voice, what if they hated him?!?!?

Asra collapsed to his knees, cuddling a pillow close to his chest as he heaved in deep breaths, trying to calm the rising panic attack.

And then the Doorbell rung. . . . .

His eyes bolted open and towards the front door, Diego began to bark at it, while Hitch sat on the couch and just huffed out an annoyed sigh. 

“Asra are you there? It’s Juniper!”

His heart pounded faster as he began to panic more, ‘No no no!’ This was all too soon, he couldn’t do this, it was too much, his heart couldn’t handle the stress!! . . . .

He went to slowly get up, and sneak to his room, when Diego’s loud bark seemed to cause a ruckus outside.

A loud thump and “Omph!” Was heard, as the pained cry of Juniper came through the front door, and his instincts kicked in and before he knew it, he had dropped the pillow, scooped up Diego with Hitch following close by his side, only to open the door and find Juniper, at the bottom of his steps, slowly lifting herself off the icy ground.

A grumble or two escaped her chapped lips, her face blushed by the cold, and a few stray tears filling her eyes, as she slowly came to stand.

Asra grabbed the pole on the side of the steps ready to rush down to her aid, when suddenly the ice sent him flying towards her, they came to a collision, both crashing to the floor, Diego letting out a whimper, as Hitch rushed down the steps to their sides.

Asra groaned and rubbed his sore side, tears pricking his eyes, and as he looked up, he realised he had landed on top of Juniper.

Panicking he quickly got up off her, apologising profusely, but, she didn’t respond, her eyelids shut, not tight, just calmly, and Asra realised, and began to panic. 

Kneeling down at her side, he began to shake her shoulders, only to get a muffled groan out of her, and a frow of her brows. And he breathed a temporary sigh of relief, she was passed out, not dead. . . 

But, what had or was happening to her he couldn’t say, he wasn’t a doctor after all.

So rushing back up his steps and back outside, he immediately dialed the emergency line for the ambulance, and waited by her side, clutching her hand as it got colder in the icy wind, draping his coat over her upper half, and pulling her head onto his lap, as he waited for the ambulance to arrive. 

—————————————

Juniper had to have had the strangest dream, she remembered warmth, and then cold, the frightening bark of a strange creature, and then nothing.

Opening her eyes, she quickly closed them again, the light was too bright, and her head hurt, it felt as though she’d been pummeled by a sledge hammer.

And then it hit her, she wasn’t in her house, this was the hospital!

How long had she been out? She remembered the loud noise followed by the fall, but not much after that. . . . ‘Oh shit!’ What happened to Asra?!?!

A soft weight dipped the end of the bed, and she bolted up from her lying spot on the bed, to an upright position, and soon found herself clutching her ribs, and groaning. 

“Hey, hey, calm down, it’s just me! Asra. . . .”

The last word, his name, sounded so pained, and as he gently pushed her back down into her lying position, she reached up a hand to land on his arm.

“Asra?”

“I’m so sorry Juniper!!! I panicked and, and, now your. . . .”

She chuckled a pained laugh, “Of course you did” she joked, though he didn’t seem to catch on and bowed his head in shame. 

“Hey, calm down! It’s no big deal!” Juniper assured him, as he pulled his arm away from her touch. “How can you say that?!? You're here because of me!! You have three broken ribs, a broken femur and a severe concussion! Because of me!!!” 

He sighed, “I just screw everything up. . . ! I always have, and I always will. . . . . . . .” 

Juniper turned her head away, demons did that feel familiar! It’s exactly how she felt after her boyfriend broke up with her. . . .

Like she was somehow the problem, when he was the one cheating on her. . . . She felt useless, unwanted, and most of all used. . . . . 

So she understood a little when he said what he said, she didn’t know what had led him to such a train of thought, but, nonetheless, she got it. More than he probably realised. 

She chuckled and shook her head, to which a teary eyed Asra looked over at her, and she slowly pulled herself up into a sitting position.

“That’s not true. . .” She spoke, her tone soft, and calm with an understanding. “Sure, you fucked up this time, but well, who doesn’t? You're not a terrible person for making a mistake, let alone for panicking, you're just a bun, trying his best, and that’s all I can ask for in a friend!” She encouraged him. 

“But what about your other friends?” He asked, “At least they’re not a total wreck right?” 

Juniper sighed, and pulled Asra around to look at her by the shoulder, “Asra! Do you see any of them here now? Did you see any of them when I came to your house? Did you get a single person asking if I was alright?”

“No?” He spoke softly, confused as to what she was getting at. 

“They ditched me Asra. . . . Ditched me for my ex!!” She said spitefully.

“Oh. . . . I’m sorry. . . .” Asra spoke softly, her pain reflecting in his eyes.

“Don’t be, they were a bunch of assholes anyway. . . . !” She spoke with a bit of a grumble.

And Asra chuckled, “Yeah, sounds like it. . . !”

The two began to lightly chuckle, the mood rising as the tension in the air slowly disappeared. 

And then it came, one voice after another, a symphony of voices, harmoniously singing.

“Hark the Herald Cherubs sing, glory to the new found king.”

“Do you hear that?” Juniper asked and Asra nodded, “Their Carolling. For the people in the hospital”

“Angels or Demons, we will sing, glory is this holy thing”

Closing their eyes and letting their ears take in the song as it got closer and closer.

“Harmony we call these ones, shared with our cherished buns

The sound was getting louder and louder until it was clear as day, as they opened their eyes to see the choir of young buns singing at the door to the private room. 

“Last of all we come to say, holy be this new found day!”

The two looked at each other as the song came to a finish, the little buns bowing, and giggling and laughing with joy, and the two began to clap for them.

Maybe they didn’t get to go carolling this year, but at least they could be in the presence of the songs of the holiday.