Guys My Age

3-Carl-3

I walked into the hospital, my heart in my throat. I always got that feeling when I entered this building, call it whatever you want, dread, fear, anxiety and so on. My biggest fear is that ill walk in here and it'll be the day that monitor finally beeps one last long time.

At this point I don't even need to check in, I just wave at the receptionist, who nods back at me. I walk to the elevator and push the up button. I bounce on the balls of my heels as I wait for the elevator to arrive. After a moment the thing dings and a patient us wheeled out by a nurse. I stepped in and pushed the button for the fourth floor. I leaned against the back if the elevator wall as it moved up.

Once it got to the right floor I stepped out and went to room 227, my dad's room. The door was cracked open a little, I could just see the edge if his bed. I bit my lip and swallowed the lump in my throat. I pushed the door open and walked in, closing it behind me. I walked over to the chair at the side of his bed, sat down. And grabbed his lifeless, but warm hand in mine.

"Hey dad, its Carl." I said in a quiet voice. I bit my lip to stop the tears that were threatening to form in my eyes.

"We all miss you a lot, Judith's getting really big too." I said smiling to myself slightly.

"Me and Tawnya are seniors now, which I've already told you before but oh well. Daryl says his new partner they've got him working with is a us less annoying bastard, as he put it." I said chuckling slightly. I kept talking to him, catching him up on everything that was going on in my life, our families lives, my friends lives, and pretty much everything. I tried to do this at least once a week for him, I was holding out the hope that he was somehow able to hear us, like a really long episode of sleep paralysis.

After I finished talking I sat back and turned on the tv. Before he slipped into the coma we used to watch this show called Impractical Jokers together, so I got the people here to enable the dvr for dad's tv so I could still watch it with him. I watched a few episodes with him before turning off the tv. I leaned over his bed and hugged him as tight as I dared. I finally let a few tears slip down my cheeks as I looked at him for the last time today. His beard was getting long and so was his hair, i'd have to get Ron's mom to come here and fix that.

----

I walked up to the front porch of our house. I opened the door and walked in, the sound of pots and pans clanking around came from the kitchen, Michonne must've just started dinner or something. I quickly jogged upstairs to my room and but my backpack down on my bed before going into the kitchen.

"Hey Michonne." u said as u walked in. She looked back over her shoulder at me, one if her dreads falling out if the tight wrap she had them in.

"Hey Carl, were you with your father?" she asked. I nodded and sat down at the small table that we keep in the kitchen, and usually eat at.

"Yeah." I said kinda quietly.

"How was he? Nothing happened right? Judith and I went there just before you got out of school." she said. Judith is online schooled. We tried public schools but it didn't work for her. Judith is easily stressed out, and for a girl her age, has really bad anxiety.

"No nothing happened, I just talked to him for a while and then out on our show." I told her. Michonne nodded, approving of my report.

"Any day Carl, and day." she said. Michonne has been telling Judith and I that since a month after dad slipped into the coma. I was trying my best to still beileive her.

"What are you making?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Baked chicken with some corn and baked potatoes." she said. I nodded before getting up and walking over to her. I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before walking upstairs. I knocked on Judith's door before peeking my head in. She was drawing as usual. Judith picked it up really easily, I didn't understand how she was so good at such a young age.

"Hey Carl." she said as I walked in and sat on her bed. I always tried to make sure she knew I was here for her. I'm her best friend, and one of her only friends.

"Hey Judy. I was thinking if Michonne is okay with at, after dinner me and you could go into town and hang out, would you want to do that?" I asked. Judith out her colored pencil down and turned her folly chair to face me.

"Yeah that sounds fun, what would we do?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow slightly.

"I was thinking either get smoothies or get some candy and go to the park. Either one." I said. Judith nodded and smiled.

"Okay."

----

Michonne had given me twenty bucks and the car keys after we ate. I got in the drivers seat and Judy got in the passenger seat. I started up the car and pulled out of the driveway. We talked a little on our way into town. We ultimately decided on the way their to get smoothies, both if us always get strawberry bannas.

I paid for the cold drinks and drove to the park. I stopped the car and turned off the engine in the parking lot. We drank our smoothies in silence for a while. I could tell something was wrong with Judith. I could read her like a book most of the time, and she could usually do the same to me.

"What's wrong, Judith?" I asked. At first she didn't say anything.

"I had another attack today." she said in a quiet voice, the straw still resting between her teeth. I closed my eyes and swallowed my mouth full of smoothie.

"Was it about anything?" I asked, concerned for my little sister.

"Yeah.." she trailed off.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." I told her. U always made sure Judith knew that she wasn't gonna be forced to talk to me.

"Its okay.. I just.. It was about school and dad and everything." she explained. I sighed and set my drink down. I reached my hand out and Judith slipped her substantially smaller one into mine. I gave it a comforting squeeze. I absolutely hatred that my nine year old sister had to go through the same kind if stress and worry most adults do.

"I'm starting to forget what his voice sounds like, and mom doesn't like to play videos of him." Judith explained. I bit my lip and held back tears.

"He's gonna wake up soon okay Judith?"

"Okay.."