It All Started At 6 a.m.

Chapter 16

Leah

One suitcase, a duffel bag and my school backpack slung over my shoulder, I knocked on my neighbour's door and waved at mom and dad who were leaving for Eugene in my car.

Yes, my car. Because theirs got some technical problems so they can't drive theirs, which leaves me to sort out how I'd go to school from tomorrow.

I tapped my foot on the front porch as I waited patiently for someone to open the door. Andrew, Ethan's dad, greeted me at the door and took my suitcase from my hand as he gestured me to come inside. Such a gentleman.

"Books?" He smiled at me as he pointed at my suitcase exclusive of books.

"I couldn't pick any specific book or genre. So I got all of them. Better safe than sorry." I shrugged and smiled sheepishly at him.

"Well, if you run out of these, you know where my collection is, right?" He chuckled and started walking up the stairs towards the guestroom.

Oh yeah, he has these two, floor to ceiling shelves, spread across each wall, exclusive of his books collection in his study. And the man has got good taste when it comes to literature. I know I won't be disappointed.

"Of course, Andrew." I smiled at him gratefully as he placed my suitcase down on the floor of the guestroom.

"Andrew, did you leave the stove on?" Savannah's voice rang through the house and Mr. Adams's face paled as he started backing out of the room.

I laughed as he rushed downstairs, he'll probably be getting an earful from his wife. I sighed as I looked around the room where I'd be staying for a few days until mom and dad returns from Eugene.

Here's the deal. Mom and dad had returned on Tuesday night when I was dead to the world. The next day when I left for school, my parents were still sleeping because of the exhaustion of the previous days. When I returned from school both of them were sitting at the dining table, working on their laptops.

"Leah, there is something we want to tell you." Came from mom when we were having dinner on Wednesday night. This line can never be good when it comes from your parents. I put my fork down and waited patiently to listen to what they have to say.

"Your mom and I, we are going to Eugene for a few days. I don't know how long we'll be there." Dad said as he picked at the peas. He doesn't like peas. At all.

"Is everything all right there?" I asked as I suddenly didn't feel like eating anymore.

"Your grandma.. She isn't in her best of state." Mom sniffled and wiped away the tear that had managed to escape through her eye and that's when I started to lose it all.

"What do you mean? What happened to her? And why is mom crying? Do you want me to come with you guys? Yeah, that's it. I'm coming with you to Eugene." I said frantically as my mind started conjuring up bad possibilities.

"Leah, honey, you know you can't come with us. You can't miss school for so long." Dad insisted and massaged his temples.

"At least tell me what happened there."

"You remember your uncle Jeremy's phone call and later me being worried about someone's coughing fit in the background?" Mom asked me.

"Yeah, I remember that."

"Recently mom's been getting a few symptoms like cough, fever, shortness of breath." Mom said and I could feel the blood draining from my face.

"Jeremy and Lisa tried to get mom to undergo some tests, but she wouldn't budge. You know how stubborn she is." I nodded and she continued. "On Sunday, after dinner, she complained about pain in her chest and she was immediately rushed to the hospital. She told the doctors about other symptoms as well, so the medics ran some tests on her and she was diagnosed with exudative pleural effusion."