When Words Fail, Music Speaks.

Chapter 8: Fake smiles

 Once Mr Potterson dropped us off, we walked quickly into the hospital, anxious to see if Dad is okay.

 We rush off to the the waiting room to see Mum with her head in her hands. My heart broke seeing her like this- it is obvious how much they love each other and it hurts to see her so broken without him.

"Mum," Dan says, also shocked by Mums state.

"Oh, hi kids," She says flashing us a fake smile. Wiping her eyes to make it look like he wasn't crying. She's trying to be strong for us. I go over to give her a hug- just as much for her as for me.

"The doctors are doing everything they can." she says into my neck her voice cracking.

"I know," I reply weakly. 

I just hope it's enough to save him.

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"Andrew Matthews?" A middle-aged nurse with brown curls, calls out to the waiting room.  

"Yes, I'm Alison Matthews, he's my husband." My Mum says with a worried expression. 

She walks over to us with a clipboard in her hand. 

"You'll be glad to know, the surgery was successful and he is on his way to recovery." We all take a massive sigh of relief. While the nurse fills Mum in on his injuries, I zone out. He's gonna be okay. I close my eyes and take a shaky breath in.

"-He has just woken up so he might be a bit groggy but you can go see him anyway if you'd like." The nurse smiles at us.

"Yes please if thats okay," My mum says quickly.

"Of course, I'll lead the way!" she says. 

She leads us through a series of corridors and I wonder to myself how she knows her way around as everything looks the same. 

"Here we are," She says. "Remember to be careful with him and ring the buzzer if you need any staff." 

We thank her and go in.

The sight I see is shocking. Their sat in a hospital bed is a man. He has a bandage over his chest and a cast over his right arm. There is a black bruise on the side of his face and a cut in his lip. 

This isn't my Dad. My dad has eyes full of life and a never-ending smile. This man has dark bags and bloodshot eyes with a frown set on his face.

As he notices us his face brightens and he smiles but he flinches after, finding it too painful.

"Oh, Andy!" My mum cries while I stay frozen in place.

"Hey Ali," He manages to croak, smiling. Well, fake smiling.

"How did this happen?" she says sitting down on the seat, next to his bed. 

"I honestly don't remember," He explains."One minute I was driving home from work and the next I am sat in this hospital bed." 

"Thank God, you're okay! I have been worried sick!" My mum says he voice cracking, tears threatening to spill over.

"Hey, Ali don't cry! I'm fine see!" He comforts. 

"Hey Dad!" Dan says from beside me.

"Hi kids, how are you?" He asks.

"We should be asking you that." Dan says.

"Um, hi." I say quietly.

"Hi Livvy!" He coos "Are you okay?" 

"Yeah, I was just really scared."  I mumble.