Distractions

Chapter 14: Permission

I woke up in a hospital bed. The brilliant light blinded me. I groaned and I tried to block the light with my hands but I didn't have enough strength to. I winced and Oliver rushed in the hospital room. He ran to my bed.

"Are you okay? They wouldn't let me in here, how are you doing?" He stroked me cheek. Guards came in after Oliver and grabbed him by his elbows and pulled him from me. "No!" He yelled. "You don't understand, she's my sister." Irina strode in as he said this.

"Let him go, he's with me." The guards hesitantly let him go.

"We were supposed to detain him."

"Well let me explain something to you, he hasn't been able to see our dying sister in the three weeks that she's been here. We've already lost our mother without saying goodbye. Please, show some humanity." The guards looked at me then at each other. And they left.

"Well done Irina!" Oliver congratulated. She smiled bashfully.

"Well I'm trying." She looked at me and sat on a seat next to my bed.

"Hey sis." I looked at her, knowing I couldn't talk yet. I smiled weakly. "I got you some flowers." Tears welled up in my eyes. There was so much I wanted to say. But I couldn't. I balled up my fists and clenched my eyes. She took my hand in hers. "I know. I'm sorry too." I looked at her confused. "I should've been there. I should've went with you. I never should've let you go." Her chin trembled. Her voice broke. "And now you're here. And it's my fault." I shook my head as far as I could tolerate. She leaned away from me and into Oliver who had crossed the room. She let go of my hand and cried into his shoulder. Every sob was like a cut into my soul. None of this was her fault. Oliver held her until she stopped sobbing and thensome. She turned toward me, still in his arms. "You could've died." She whispered. "Your heartbeat stopped for a long time. I don't know what I would've done without you."

"Yeah me neither." Oliver rested his chin on the top of her head. They talked to me to tell me what I had missed. And at night they both agreed that Oliver should spend the night in the room so Irina could go back to our father and Oliver could make up for lost time. Even though I couldn't talk. I think Oliver just wanted to be with me. And I wasn't complaining.

When I woke that morning, Oliver was still asleep. It's crazy to think that not even three months ago, I thought my life was normal and complete. I had always felt there was something missing, as it turns out a part of my brain was preventing me from knowing the truth about my life and the truth about my father. Oliver started to stir in his sleep, he fluttered his eyes open, he looked at me and saw I was awake.

"Good morning." Since I couldn't talk, I just smiled. He stretched his arms long and wide while yawning. "Okay, well, I'm going to go and brush my teeth." I smiled at him, assuring him I would be fine. As soon as he left the room to go the bathroom down the hall, a figure I had hoped I would never have to see again appeared. My father. He came in taking unwavering steps infused with confidence as well as controlled savagery. His eyes were dangerous and I'm sure it wasn't the first time in my life I was afraid of him. He put his finger to his lips. I nodded and a knot tightened in my chest. Given I've been shot in the head before, the pain wasn't the worst I've felt, more of an uncomfortable cluster beginning to form. He strode to where some water was, he poured the water into a glass mug. He took his time, knowing he didn't have much of it. Power move. I glanced to the door that was casually closed. I shifted my eyes up toward the windows. All of them were bolted shut. I tried to shift my body so the pain would loosen, but the closer he moved toward me, the tighter the cluster would knit together. No escape would be possible unless I alerted someone. I tried to scream, and it would've worked except that it came out like a strangled cat. He stopped and towered over me. He watched me with a pitiful look, aware that was the only way I had out of the situation.