Everything & More (Book 1 in the E.C.N Series)

Chapter 56-Ryan

The snowflake that I observed falling from the sky landed on the pavement signaling that it was time. I began my journey as the grass crunched beneath my feet, due to its frozen state, leaving footprints in my wake.

The two headstones that came into clear view caused me to clutch the bouquet of flowers just a little tighter in my gloved hands.

Robert James Mendoza Jr. 'Loving father and husband, friend to everyone'

Katherine Mendoza 'Gone too soon. In loving memory'

I never got to say good-bye.

Evidently they left me around this time of year on two separate occasions. I haven't celebrated the holidays since I was 13.

When Martha asked if she would see me this year, I didn't know what to say. I knew my thoughts would be consumed with the worst of memories and I didn't know how to push them aside and be there with her and Paige.

Their headstones had collected debris and had started to collect the snowfall from today. I wiped the top of them and around the base before taking out the old flowers from each cement vase; replacing them with the new ones, Calla Lilies.

"I miss you guys." The words came out no louder than a whisper praying that they could hear me no matter where they were.

~~~~~~

"Your mother was taken to the hospital while you were in school." She wanted me to give you this.

A letter was passed to me and I rubbed my hand over it debating if I wanted to read it.

The letter disappeared as quickly as it was given to me. The setting changed from sitting on the couch with the broken shell of a man that was my father to sitting in his car going down the highway.

"Dad, look out!"

"Ryan, hold on." The car swerved away from the oncoming traffic. All I could do was hold on to the grab handle above the window. Soon a hard jolt came causing my head to smack into the passenger window making everything pitch black.

When I opened my eyes the beeping of the machines filled my ears. "There was an accident." The police officer spoke as I laid in the hospital bed unable to remember the exact events.

Both dead; I felt empty, felt hollow now.

A woman came to the hospital when I opened my eyes again, "Ryan sweetheart, it's Auntie Kate. I'm here to take care of you."

All the words I kept hearing were suffocating me, my body was heating up. This isn't real, but I don't know how to stop my mind from replaying it over and over again.

I woke up in a sweat seeing the light shining into the room as I tried to catch my breath feeling my heart pounding in my chest. When everything finally slowed down I sat up pulling the covers off my body.

I need to get out of here

~~~~~~

The passenger door opened, gaining my attention away from the bottle in hand.

"Please tell me you haven't been drinking and driving?"

I scoffed at my best friend, "No Mason, I got here and opened the bottle when I realized you wouldn't be home for another 2 and half hours."

Mason was chuckling a bit as he raised his hands in surrender, "Alright, was just checking."

Sitting in silence for a few minutes gave him enough time to gain the courage to speak, "How are you?"