ChatRoom101

Chapter 32

“Come on, Luc, we’re nearly there.” The sound of Niall’s voice startled me, he sounded worried and on edge. I realised I was moving but I didn’t know where to. Where am I anyway? Then I remembered, the phone call, the doctor’s voice, my parents, everything came rushing back. My eyes flew wide open and tears fell freely down my cheeks. I didn’t realise I was even lying down until Niall scooped me upright and held me tightly to his chest. “We’re nearly there Luc. Shh, it’s ok. We’re nearly there,” he repeated.

I couldn’t speak, my voice refused to work and I felt paralysed with shock. No, it can’t be true. My parents can’t be dead, they must have made a mistake! No, it’s not my parents. My parents will be home soon and I have to be there before they arrive. I’ll cook them a nice dinner and share a laugh, I’ll even invite the boys and Alexis over. Yes, that’s it, they’re not really dead. I kept repeating that in my head but my hopes were slowly slipping from me the tighter I held on.

I felt the car stop and heard the door opening. Niall began to carry me but I shook my head and detached myself from him. I realised we were at the Royal Brisbane Hospital and I froze. Niall took my hand and squeezed it gently then he led me to the entrance. I couldn’t hear or feel anything, I felt numb. I saw Niall approach a lady and ask her something. The lady replied back, pointing to a hallway a few meters away. He nodded and tugged on my hand.

I heard footsteps behind me, everyone else must be following as well. After a minute or two of wandering through the mazes of halls and corridors, Niall seemed to have found what he was looking for because he twisted the door knob of a room and pushed the door open.

The horrific sight before me made it hard for me to breathe. My eyes stung and I felt like I’m made of paper. “No!” I screamed. My parents were laid on two beds, side by side, with their eyes closed. They looked so pale and lifeless. There were cuts and bruises on their faces and arms and they weren’t breathing.

I ran the last few steps to their bedside and held both their hands in mine. It felt cold against my own warm skin. “No!” I screamed again. “Mum! Dad! Wake up! Please wake up! It’s me, Lucy,” I pleaded. They didn’t respond and I felt like I’ve been punched in the face when it finally sunk in that they were dead.

I let their hands go and slid to the ground. Immediately, Niall’s arms were around me, pulling me back up, and held me tightly to his chest. I sobbed loudly and crumpled up his shirt in my fist. “I’m so sorry, Lucy,” he whispered, his voice breaking.

“You don’t understand. They’re my parents, Niall! My parents!” I shouted, pounding my fist to his chest. He just held me tighter and cried. “They’re gone, Niall. I’ll never see them again,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. But it seemed that for once, Niall was at lost for words. He didn’t seem to have any other comforting words for me to dwell on and it crushed me. I felt so helpless, so lost, I didn’t know what to do.

I cried and cried for what seemed like hours but Niall never shifted in my grip, he just held me until the tears ran out. Then he led me over to a seat and held me again but I felt numb. A doctor came in and pulled a chair up in front of me. He talked and talked but I wasn’t listening, whatever it was couldn’t be more important than the fact that my parents are gone. When he finished talking, he reached to touch me but I flinched and immediately retracted his hand. He bowed his head and walked back out.

“The doctor said your parents died on impact so they didn’t feel any pain, he said that it was a drunk driver that hit them. He also said that your parents already have a funeral arrangement so you don’t have to take care of that. Last he said that he’s very sorry he couldn’t do anything to save your parents,” Niall explained, his voice strained.

I didn’t stir but I heard what he said. I just stared at my parents on the beds, a few meters away from me. Anger coursed through me when I understood what he said about who killed my parents. Tears fell from my eyes again and I balled my fists up, how can someone be so care less? I felt so angry, so frustrated. I wanted to kill someone. But no matter what I did, or do, I knew my parents just simply wasn’t coming back.

It had been such a normal day, I said goodbye to my parents this morning and saw them off to work. Then it struck me, I felt like I was forgetting something on the way to the beach and I now know what it was. I forgot to say I love you to them before they left. I always do it, every single day since I could talk, I always said I love you before they went to work. Now I’ve been robbed of that last chance and they’ll never be able to hear me say it again.

I sat up from my position. “Niall, could you give me some time alone?”

“But Lucy,” he began.

“No Niall, I’ll be fine. I’ll meet you outside in a few minutes.”

His face scrunched up but he nodded and left. When he did, I stood up and walked to my mum’s bedside.

“Hey mom,” I said, my voice cracking. I cleared my throat and started again. “Hey mom, I just want to say I love you, ok? I love you with all my heart. I hope you rest in peace, mom. I’ll miss you. I’ll miss the way you greet me every morning and hand me my breakfast, already made. I’ll miss the way you’d stroke my hair when I cry and tell me everything’s going to be ok. I’ll miss your voice, your touch, the way you smile and talk. But don’t worry about me mom, I’ll be fine. I’ll take care of myself and I’ll graduate and find a good job like we always talked about. Goodbye mom, take care of you and dad up there.” Then I kissed her cheeks and wiped away the tears that I left.

I went to my dad’s side and held his hand as well. “Hi there, dad. I love you and I’ll miss you too. Thank you for everything you ever did for me. For driving me to and from school, for teaching me how to ride a bike and joking around when I’m sad. Thank you for teaching me how to drive now that I’ve grown up and thank you for giving me your support. I’ll miss being engulfed in your hugs and hear your booming laugh. I’ll miss you, dad. Stick with mom, ok? I love you.” Then, like I did with my mom, I kissed his cheek too and stroked his hair one last time.