The Real Reed

Chapter 34

I tried once before but I didn't get too far
I felt a lot of pain but it didn't stop my heart
And all I really wanted was
someone to give a little fuck
But I waited there forever and nobody even looked up

                                          -Badflower

Reed's POV

"Estepha." I hear my dad call me with a quiet voice, but I pretend like I didn't hear him and continue watching my show.

"Estepha." He calls me again, a bit louder, before he starts coughing several times and I quickly look to where he's laying on the couch, and the blanket on the floor that mom had wrapped him up in before she left the living room is on the floor.

"Yes dad." I sigh as I get off the floor and walk over to him, before I bend to pick the blanket off the floor and pull it over his body. "Mom says you should always cover up so that you don't catch pneumonia." I remind him, as I tuck the edge of the blanket around his sides.

He knows that he's supposed to be covered up at all times. That's one of the many, many rules the doctor gave and it wouldn't be under my watch that he broke them.

"You were always the smart one. That's why you're my favorite." He whispers with a small smile, making me laugh, but I stop laughing when he starts coughing again.

This time his coughs are stronger and his eyes become red like he wants to cry. He continues coughing until he coughs up something red into his hands, and I feel something weird in my stomach when I realize what it is.

"Daddy," I call him gently, and when he turns to look at me, he still has a small smile on his face.

"I'm fine." He tells me as he tries to calm himself down. But I don't believe him because his skin looks lighter than it did a few minutes ago when he finally settles down.

"Are you sure?" I ask him as I grab a tissue from the table and start wiping his hands. "You look a little-"

"What?"

"Like casper?" I offer weakly, as I drop the stained tissue on the table. I'll throw that away later.

"Shoot. I was going for a paler Regina George." He jokes and I shake my head at him as I try to fight a giggle.

"Well, you went a little overboard with that one. Maybe cutback on the powder next time." I tease him as I boop his nose, making him chuckle lightly.

"My girl." He sighs with a smile when his chuckles die down, making my smile widen.

"Well, did you want something? 'Cause you were kinda interrupting Lindsay Lohan." I bop my head towards the TV across the room.

"You've watched that movie over a hundred times. I don't think I was interrupting anything you hadn't seen before." He muses, snuggling into the pillow under his head.

"Hey! I haven't watched it that many times....." I defend myself even though I know it's a lie.

I've watched that movie so many times that I can recite every line, tell you the names of everyone that was part of the production, as well as their roles, and recount what everyone wore in each scene.

"Hmmm." My dad comes, continuing to tease me.

"It's a classic."

"Just like teletubbies is a classic?" He grins, and I try to hide my shy smile.