Consequences - Grester

Chapter 29

A/N: This chapter's a bit of a filler, but things are going to get way more interesting very soon :)

Sophie's POV

"Thanks for driving us, Mamrie." Mom hugs Aunt Mames as she gets out of the car.

I climb out of the car and Charlotte hops out behind me. She's bouncing with energy, because I don't think she knows what Daddy actually looks like. I saw him on the stretcher after the accident. He almost looked dead, and I can't stop seeing him like that in my head.

"No problem. Call me when you're ready." Aunt Mames smiles. "Bye girlies."

Charlotte and I wave as she drives away. Mom takes both of our hands and we start walking towards the hospital's entrance. My stomach is twisted in knots and feel like I might be sick.

"Is Daddy still asleep?" Charlotte asks as we step into the lift.

She swiftly pushes the button that Mom points out and then looks up at her. I wait for the answer too and dig my fingernails into my palm because the lift frightens me.

"He is." She says quietly while the lift goes up.

"Is he having a lie-in?" Charlotte frowns a little bit.

"He has to sleep so his head will get better." I remind my little sister.

"That's right, Soph." Mom gives me a small smile which helps with the knots in my stomach.

The lift stop on the floor that Daddy's room is on, and we get out. I can feel my knees shaking as we continue to walk.

"This is his room." Mom points to a doorless room in the bleached corridor filled with lots of nurses and doctors walk back and forth.

It all seems very scary from so low down on the ground. I can feel my heart beating really fast.

"Come on, let's go in." Mom walks a bit in front of us and I gulp.

Charlotte eagerly jumps at Mom's side and I walk slowly behind them into the room. I'm barely tall enough but I can just see Daddy on his bed attached to lots of different machines and I start to feel sick.

Mom looks down at me and notices my green face.

"Are you alright, Sophie?" She bends to look at me.

"I'm scared." I whisper.

"I know it's scary. Everything that's been happening lately is very scary and I'm so proud of you for being my brave little girl and helping out with Charlotte." She holds both of my hands in hers and looks at me. "Come on. Let's just go and see Dad for 5 minutes and if you're not comfortable, we can go outside."

"Okay." I say softly and she kisses my forehead and stands up.

The three of us walk to Daddy's bed. I can't really see, so Mom lifts Charlotte and I onto a chair. She stands next to the bed and looks at Daddy sadly.

"Can we wake him up now?" Charlotte asks and touches Daddy's arm.

"He's in an almost permanent sort of sleep, Charlotte." Mom says. "He's in a coma, which means he hurt his head so badly that he can't wake up."

"Well why can't we take him out of the coma?" She frowns.

"It doesn't work like that." She says quietly and moves Daddy's hair off of his forehead.

I can't take my eyes off Daddy. He's so still and quiet, and he just lies there. The countless machines around him are scary and they beep or make funny noises sometimes. Seeing Daddy here has taken my words away.

As I sit by Daddy's side, I spot bright colours out of the corner of my eye. I look over and see a bunch of people in funny costumes with bright red clown noses. They're walking through the passage and dancing around.

"Mom?" I ask and she looks over at me. "What are those people doing?"

"They're called care clowns. They cheer up all the sick boys and girls in the hospital." Mom says.

"That's silly!" Charlotte giggles.

"Well you know what they say, laughter's the best medicine." Mom shrugs and turns back to Daddy.

A light bulb turns on in my head. If laughter really is the best medicine, maybe I can get Daddy out of his coma by making him laugh. I'm suddenly determined to try my best at being funny to help Daddy. It's a crazy idea, but I'm desperate to bring him back.

Charlotte climbs off the chair and onto Daddy's bed.

"What are you doing?" I ask her.

"I wanna give Daddy a cuddle. Hugs make everyone feel better." She shrugs and moves towards Daddy on her hands and knees.

"Charlotte, I don't think-" Mom stops in the middle of her sentence and just lets Charlotte do as she pleases.

She leans over him and tries to give Daddy a hug, but it's difficult because he's lying down and she's sitting up. Eventually, she wriggles into the space between his arm and his body and lies there, as if he's cuddling her.

I wish Daddy was awake, so he could give us a big hug and tell us how much he loves us, but everything will be alright. I'll make fix Daddy with laughter, just like the hospital care clowns. Maybe I can fix Mom too.