Family of 4

Chapter 8

"You said he was out of our lives!", Conor screamed.
"I'm s-sorry...he promised me he'd changed", I tried to defend.
"He never does! Do you wanna go be with him?", Conor yelled as he slammed his fist on the kitchen counter.
"Of course not! I wanna be with you!", I argued.
"Then please...tell me why you are the only one who doesn't see the way he hurts you. Tell me why I have to comfort MY girlfriend because some other dude is breaking her heart?", Conor choked out as tears filled his eyes.
"Because I've liked him since I was little and I was never good enough. I don't like him anymore, I swear. I just like the attention", I tried to explain.
"Do I not give you enough attention?", Conor asked, grabbing ahold of my hands.
"No of course you do. Just getting attention like this from people makes me feel wanted and like I'm actually worth attention.", I said trying to find the right words.
"Well...I've never wanted to become this boyfriend but I'm leaving. I'll come home when you figure out who you wanna be with", he spat.
"Wait what!?", I yelled.
"I've done everything for you! I have sat by your side when he hurt you and broke your heart. I'm starting to wonder who the hell is your boyfriend cause lately it hasn't been me", he mumbled and grabbed a bag he previously packed.
"Fine. Go. Because I'm always the bad guy", I yelled and shoved him out the door. I pressed my back against the wall, slowly sliding down. I pull my knees to my chest, burying my face and sobbing uncontrollably.
*phone rings*
"Ugh!! What now", I yell and search for my phone. Of course, it was a call from Danny.
I pick it up, "What could you possibly want now?", I spit.
"I just wanted to check on you. Have you been crying", he asked.
"No. And I don't wanna talk to you anymore. You're costing me my relationship.", I yell.
"What? How is it my fault!?", he argues.
"Because you make him jealous. And I don't care anymore. Stay the hell out of my life Danny Lambert", I scream, hanging up the phone and chucking it across the room.
I run to the bathroom and turn the water on. The tub begins to fill with water, I strip down. Staring in the mirror, what I see is something truly pathetic. I looked like a crackwhore with my bloodshot, puffy eyes and 6 month baby bump. I never thought this is what god intended for me, maybe it wasn't, this was my doing not his. This wasn't the path I should have ran down.
I step into the warm water, turning the faucet off. I lean my head back and sink into the water till only my nose is above the waterline.
It felt as if a hundred pound elephant was siting on my chest. Begging me to slip under, wishing for me to save everyone from the pain of being near me. I slipped completely under the water.
I opened my eyes and saw the beauty around me. My hair floating in the water reminded me of some sort of Greek sea monster. My hands trailed along my belly as my vision begins fading to black.
As black dots peppered my vision, 4 hands grip my body. 4?
"Grab her! Grab her!", one voice yells.
"I know! I know! Grab towels", a familiar voice screams at the first guy.
"Call 911", the first guy ordered as a towel was flung around me.
I wanted to scream out, tell them I was ok and that I didn't mean to. But I couldn't move...I couldn't open my eyes...why couldn't I say anything?
"I swear to god you better not be checking her out", the familiar voice demanded.
"Dude. So not the time.", the first boy yelled.
"I think they're here!", the second boy screamed as he picked me up.
"Oh really? What tipped you off? The banging on the door? The sirens? Or was it the flashing lights?", the first voice mocked.
"Dude don't tempt me to make you need an ambulance too", the second guy argued.
Everything seemed to fade away...

I was walking in a Forrest. A familiar one. I recognized this Forrest. This was the place my brother and I used to hike in. It's in New Jersey. When did I get here?
"Conor? Is that you", I say as I walk to the figure standing at the edge of the trees. No answer. I start walking towards the figure, this figure was too short to be Conor but too tall to be anyone I knew. I stumble as I take a few steps back.
A smaller figure, one that resembled a young child steps out from behind the bigger figure. This one doesn't hesitate to move. The small child-like silhouette races towards me.
"Mommy!! Mommy!", cries out a little girl's voice. The details of the figure become apparent the closer she gets. It's a small girl, 6 or 7. With long, curly, dark brown hair. And eyes that resembled the deepest blues and greens of the ocean. Eyes that seemed to hold the secrets of water. Golds and grays mixed her deeply colored eyes into a storm of beauty. She wore a white dress with a black ribbon around the waist that tied in the back. She had on fancy little white dancing shoes.
"Do I know you?", I asked, immediately realizing how dumb I sounded.
"Mama come on!! Grandpa says it's time to go", she cried out again.
"Grandpa?", I asked, once again dumbfounded.
"He says he's your grandpa, Mr. Dan", she explains.
I break out into tears, my grandfather
Dan Porter, died a few months ago.
"Mama come on!", the little girl yelled.
"Delilah! Taylor!! We're gonna be late", the deep rich sound of my grandfathers voice flooded my ears. Bringing a new wave of tears.
The little girl takes my hand and walks me to my grandfather. Who immediately wraps me in a hug.
"Where am I?", I asked.
"I'm here to take you home", he explains.
"Who's Delilah?", I asked suddenly remembering the little girl squeezing my left hand.
"The daughter you're one day gonna have the pleasure of holding", he says with a shake of his head.
He takes my right hand and leads me to the edge of the trees, a light fills my eyes. A bright light, one that paralyzed me with fear, I couldn't see a thing. The only thing I could focus on was the feeling of my little girl's hand in mine.

I jerked upright as I searched for air. Looking around I see I'm no longer in the forest but now in a white room. With heavy intakes of air I try to take in  my surroundings. Before I can, two boys barrel into the room. Clearly incased in their own argument. It was Conor and Danny.
They dropped the cups, of what I assume held coffee, to the floor.
"Where am I?", I managed to choke out, still grasping for air.