Love Me, Again?

Chapter 24: Please Wake Up

Chapter 24: Please Wake Up

After hearing the news of their son’s accident, their parents zoomed to the hospital. They found Leila, silently sobbing to herself. Her clothes were stained with blood. Mrs. McCormick slid onto the floor and cried. Not now, she didn’t want her son to leave so soon. The blood on Leila made her heart ache even more. Why couldn’t it be her instead? She has already lived her life. Louis hasn’t even graduated from high school yet.

“Hey princess,” Leila’s puffy eyes shot up. She jumped and hugged her dad tightly.

“It all happened so fast. I… Louis… That was supposed to be me!” She screamed.

“Shush princess. It’s not your fault, okay? Your brother is strong. I know he’ll pull through,” he rubbed her back soothingly.

“Mom, I…” She was cut off by her mom’s tender embrace. They held onto each other like a life line. They silently sobbed to themselves, until they heard the door open. Out walked a man in a white coat. His stethoscope hung around his shoulders and his thick rimmed glasses covered his eyes. He cleared his throat, “Mr. and Mrs. McCormick?”

“Y-y-yes?” Her mom’s voice broke.

“We’ve tried our best but he was suffering from internal bleeding. He will be going under surgery in a few minutes. I don’t want to give you false hope, but we’d need a huge miracle for him to live through this. We are afraid that his skull might be fractured too. The hospital records said that he was diagnosed with leukemia five years ago?” The doctor flipped through his clip board.

“Yes,” Leila’s father replied as he rubbed Leila’s back again.

“We will try our best. Your son is lucky to even be alive. The trauma was severe. I just need you two sign these papers and we will be doing the surgery in a couple of minutes,” He handed them a folder. Shakily, her parents signed the papers.

“Please bring my son back, doctor! He… He’s too young,” Leila’s mother clutched onto the doctor’s collar. Her husband pried her hands away.

“I will try my best, Mrs. McCormick,” He turned and headed back into the room her brother was in.

“How come you never told me?” Leila whispered.

“Tell you what?” her mother titled her head sideways.

“That he had cancer,” Leila remembered the times her brother’s nose bled, the times she saw huge bruises on his arms and legs, and the times he couldn’t attend school. She pieced everything together and concluded, “That’s why our first Disney Trip was cancelled, wasn’t it? Louis was diagnosed with cancer that same year! Why didn’t you tell me?” Hot tears began to form as her blood started to boil. This was the big secret they’ve kept from her. She turned to her dad and accused, “That’s why you were never home! You had to work many jobs for Louis. I thought we were all a family. I thought we wouldn’t keep secrets from each other!” By now, Leila began to shake. She swallowed back the lumps that were forming in her throat.

“We’re so sorry, princess. He made us promise not to tell you. He didn’t want to stress you out,” her dad pulled her into a hug, making her calm down.

“I’m sorry too, sweetheart. Louis wanted to tell you himself. I couldn’t do anything because he’d be absolutely angry if he found out I told you,” her mother joined the hug.

“It’s okay. I understand,” Leila whispered softly and pulled out of the hug. Leila’s eyes felt heavy as she rested her head on her dad’s shoulders. Soon after, she fell asleep.