Lasting Effects (Sequel To After Effects)

Chapter 12 ~ Lest You Forget

I stared at dad.

He stared back at me.

Slowly, smiles came onto both our faces.

"What?" he queried, glancing at the pudding on his tray and then making a face, pushing it away. I laughed, still watching his every move, whether it was the involuntary wrinkling of the skin at the corner of his eyes as he smiled or the widening of his mouth when he yawned. For the last two days, we have been in the hospital, and everything he did seemed important to me.

My mood only improved as I shook my head to say 'nothing'. He rolled his eyes and reached for the water on the small table beside him. I immediately got up to get it for him.

"Dad let me-"

Already his hand was on the glass and he quickly gulped down some of the contents. I sat back down with a frown, partially because dad wouldn't let me do anything for him but also because-

"Dad why don't you get some more rest. The doctors did say you need to rest as much as possible."

I clenched my jaw.

Right.

Also because of him, though I couldn't argue with him about that suggestion.

Against my will, I sighed and agreed with Gray.

"Yes, dad. You've been up all morning with us, even against the doctor's wishes. It may have only been a mild stroke but let's not get ahead of ourselves, okay?"

Gray took the water from dad's hands and placed it back on the table. "We'll be here when you wake up. Don't worry."

I didn't look at my brother as he spoke. Still, I nodded and continued smiling at dad. Dad groaned and mumbled like a child who didn't want to go to bed early but eventually shuffled himself until he was laying properly for a good rest in the hospital bed.

"Fine," he mumbled, playfully waving my brother off who had been sitting on the other side of his bed from me, watching every movement dad made as I had been doing. And as soon as his head hit the pillow... Lights out.

The smile on my face instantly died. I stood and left the room, the chatter of the other families who were visiting the other patients in the shared room was only background noise to me.

I sighed once I was out that room's door and in the emptier hall. I thanked God. I could finally relax. But then, the door reopening behind me made me tense again. I stood still for a second but then groaned loudly.

"Listen, Gray, let's not do this now. I need some time before we can talk about what happened last night. Just leave me for-"

My eyes widened once whoever had exited the room after me walked past me, not stopping. The older woman's head was turned towards me as she glanced me up and down, probably wondering why I was talking nonsense to her.

Quickly, I looked away from her and sat on one of the chairs lining the hallway outside the door.

It was a bit of a relief that it wasn't my brother but that just brought all my thoughts of our family back to me.

Dad and Gray had been so close before mom passed...

I put my head in my hands and then ran my fingers through it.

They did so many things together, especially because they had similar interests when it came to entertainment and sports.

When mom died and they both came under so much responsibility, there was no longer any time for the things they both loved. Hence, no more time for their bonding. Everything became about money and... Gray did have to put our family over himself.