Second Chances: a Coincidences novel

Chapter 17: A Talk in Waiting

Arriving home, I took a quick shower to wash away the stench of hospital. I hated going to hospitals but I needed a shower.

            After showering and getting dressed in fresh clean clothes, I stepped into the living room where my aunt, uncles, and cousins looked at me with a united front. I knew I was likely in the dog house but before I drew any conclusions, I let them speak first.

            "What's up?"

            "Come and sit with us" said my uncle, who was speaking in a rather serious tone.

            I sat down and faced my whole family, wondering what it was they wanted to talk about.

            "What's up?" I asked, trembling somewhat.

            "Why didn't you tell us you weren't feeling well?" asked my uncle.

            I was taken aback by the question, unsure how to answer.

            "It started with a simple headache and then it turned into a really bad migraine. But then I started feeling anxious and it got worse" I explained, or tried to, at least.

            "Then why didn't you call us?" Khaled seemed upset. "You know how worried I got when I couldn't find you and how scared I got when I found out you were in the hospital?"

            "I get it and I'm sorry" I had no idea what else to say.

            "Why didn't you call us, then?!" Khaled got angrier. "Why don't you ever let us in? Why don't you ever let us help you?!"

            "Khaled, calm down!" my uncle said. "Why didn't you call us?"

            "Because you were at your event. The last thing I wanted was for you guys to have to deal with my issues."

            "Well, your issues are our issues too!" Khaled snapped.

            "Khaled, calm down!" my uncle warned him.

            "But he always relies on himself when he can rely on us for support!" Khaled once again tossed.

            "Khaled, for reals. He's here and he's okay" Louai stepped in.

            "Why can't you rely on us? Why don't you trust us?" Khaled continued.

            I started tearing up, realizing how badly I was messing up. Yet, how could I explain to them that I was so used to being a lone wolf because I had to grow up faster than most kids my age and take care of just about everything on my own?

            How could I explain that?

            "It's not that I don't want to rely on you guys. It's that I don't want you guys to get tired of me when you're the only real family I have left. Plus, I'm used to taking care of everything on my own. I was forced to grow up faster than most kids my age because my childhood was cut short. It's hard for me to ask for help and to accept help from others when such help was denied me after my dad died."

            Once I finally explained my circumstances and why I relied on myself than on others, Khaled's expression softened a bit.

            "I see" he said, noticing he felt guilty for getting mad.

            "Khaled, you and Louai grew up differently. You guys had privileges I didn't grow up with but my dad was always there. We didn't grow up rich or with any kind of affluence. Then when my dad died, I was left to deal with my brother's addiction and my mom always being in-denial about how bad things were. I could not rely on her or my brother, and realistically I had no one."