Chasing Chase (Urban Fiction)

9 | Let Him Go..

"His lungs aren't functioning properly. One bullet was lodged in between two vital arteries and we were not able to remove it fearing that he would bleed out even more than he already did. At the scene he lost tremendous amounts of blood. It's amazing he even made it to this side of town. All of this to say that he's technically alive, though he is in a coma, but we do not expect him to last very long."

"Uhh.. how long do you think we have?" Parker spoke for me as his arm was placed around my shoulder, holding me as close as possible.

The doctor turned to JoJo's room "Two days, three tops." At that very moment I lost it. I began my tears again. I had been crying so much these past 24 hours that my cheeks were raw from rubbing them. "I'm very sorry.. Ms. Daniels, as his guardian, you'll have to be the one to do the paperwork.. when the time comes." I broke away from Parker's hold and went into JoJo's room closing the door behind me.

Shit can change so fast in 24 hours. Looking up at the clock, I realized what time it was. 10:00. At this very time yesterday, I was walking across the stage, diploma in hand, and hearing JoJo cheer me on. I felt the tears coming again, but I couldn't let them fall. I had to be strong for JoJo. I watched intently as his chest would rise and fall, I payed attention to every breath, making sure it wasn't his last. JoJo was my everything. I couldn't have been more proud to call him my brother. I remember the fun times we once shared, the tears we cried together for our father, the days that made us both stronger, the times when he couldn't understand why mom was never there. Those were the times when our dad would always know what to say. If there was a time for that, it would be now. I needed him to swoop in and save us, just like he used to.

"Chase, how come Mommy isn't around anymore?" a heartbroken JoJo looked to me. I motioned for him to sit on the porch next to me. At this time JoJo was a mere 10 years old and I was 13. He understood that Mom was no longer around, and knew there was a big reason, but didn't know what it was.

"JoJo, Mommy has a problem.. she takes these medicines that don't make her Mommy anymore." I tried explaining to him.

"She's always Mommy Chase"

"She is always Mommy, that'll never change, but she doesn't know how to be Mommy right now."

"Yes she does! She always does. I want mom to come home" he began to cry.

I didn't know what to do. Do I hold him, and make him feel that it's her loss and not his? Do I let him cry, and man up about the situation? Do I walk away, and allow him to come to his own conclusion?

My father came outside and took a seat on the porch with us, placing JoJo on his knee. "JoJo, look at me.. your mother loves you.. she does, she loves both of you" he smiled, while looking in between both of us. "She just has things to work out with herself.. but the best thing you can do for her, is pray .. pray that she comes home ready to be mommy again, and that wherever she is in this big world.." he sighed. "Pray that she's okay"

We laid our heads on our father and he brought us in for a long hug. "I love you guys"

"Chase?" I heard a faint knock on the door, I looked to it and saw Parker making his way in. I turned my concentration back to JoJo. "H-hey baby.. you've been in here for two days now.. I think you should go home, change clothes, maybe sleep.. come back later"

"No" I responded, never turning to face him.

"Chase.. come on now baby, he'll be fine for two hours"

"I said no Park, leave it alone" I got up and began exiting the room, he followed.

"What's the real problem here Chase?" he grabbed my arm, yanking me back to face him halfway down the empty hospital halls at 2 am.