Kaia raced out, tearing down the path. She needed to get to the hospital. And fast. A sense of dread picked its way into the pit of her stomach. Branches and sticks scraped against her skin as she weaved in and out of the trees, but she didn't care. She jumped over a log and raced out onto the main road. She would get there, no matter what it took. The cold wind brushed over her face, pushing her to move faster. Then, she tripped over a twig and stopped, panting.
Her mind was scattered, filled with emotions. She took a deep breath and exhaled until her mind was clear. It was only then that she realized the hospital was far, far away. She sighed and picked herself up, brushing off the dust on her pants. Then, she started walking in the direction of the main road.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The hospital looked as it always had. Too clean, too quiet, and had too much of that tangy sanitizer smell. Kaia wrinkled her nose and walked towards her dad's indicated room. The first thing she saw were her mother and her brother huddled in the doorway, talking in hushed tones. But as soon as they spotted her, they stopped talking and smiled at her.
"Kaia! There you are." Her mother said, rushing to meet her. But Kaia moved aside, letting her mother hug the air.
"What's going on?" She asked, crossing her arms.
Her mother's fake smile dimmed and her lips pursed. "You'd better go see him." She suggested.
Kaia closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and then calmly walked in the room. Her dad's hospital room was plain, with only a couple of pictures and a base of fresh flowers in the room. The scent of the lilies reminded Kaia of a distant memory, filled with laughter and childlike wonder. She smiled before pushing it aside. Her dad was lying on the bed as he had before but this time he looked almost peaceful.
Maybe her mother was wrong, he hadn't asked for her to come. After all, if he'd remembered, the last conversation they had been an argument. It was over something quite trivial, now that Kaia thought about it. But at the time, both of them had been stubborn about what they thought was right. He had his reasons, and she had hers. Now, that argument filled Kaia with guilt.
Just as she was starting to turn away to leave, her father 's eyes flew open.
"Kaia," he grunted, smiling faintly.
She was crying now and trying not to show it. She sniffled before running up to his side.
" I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry... " she muttered, giving him a hug. He returned it, rubbing her back affectionately.
"It's fine..." She heard him say.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When they'd finally let go, Kaia's eyes were puffy red. She sniffled.
"When are they going to let you go?" She asked, wiping her eyes on her sleeve.
" The doctor said in a few weeks or so " he admitted running a hand through his unruly hair. A sign of nervousness or lying, Kaia remarked in her head.
She stared at him in his hospital gown before wishing him a goodbye. He was lying about something her brother and mother probably knew. She could tell and she would find out.
Suddenly, she bumped into somebody.
"I'm so sorry.." Kaia started before realizing who she was talking to. " Rod? "
"Kaia?" It was Rod. It looked like him, well except for the fact that he looked like he hadn't slept well for a long time.
She stared up at him wide-eyed until she remembered who she was talking to. Then, she crossed her arms and leaned against the wall, smirking. "Checking me out, are we, Rod?" she remarked.
He scowled at her because he had been staring at her, then he smirked. "I could say the same for you. But I am more than okay with that, " he drawled.
She grimaced, disgusted. He had terrible ego issues. "Urgh. I wasn't staring at you, you...you..." She gave him a vulgar gesture.
He just grinned, sticking out his tongue. Then he turned and walked off, leaving Kaia to wonder why he had been there at all.
A/N: Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it! -See ya, Wiseheart12
YOU ARE READING
All it takes is a wish... (ON HOLD)
Teen FictionWhat if there was a tree that could deliver miracles? For Kaia Caverly, that sounded too good to be true. But when her life got turned upside down, maybe what she was going to need was a miracle. This story was made privately. Some parts are public...
