Chances

Chapter 42

*Trigger Warning - Emotional/Verbal Abuse*

Mom.

Carina hasn't seen from or heard from her parents in months. Not that she's complaining, but the fact that this was so unexpected solidifies that something has happened. Her mom would never call her just to say hi and to check up on her.

"Carina?" Lily persists once more, voice filled with more concern than before. Carina knows she saw the name on her phone.

The younger girl continues to stare at the screen until the ringtone stops abruptly. Now it simply shows "1 Missed Call".

Carina lets out the breath she was holding in and she drops the phone on her bed, fingers still shaking slightly. Lily gently pushes her shoulder down, forcing Carina to sit on the edge of the bed. Then Lily does the same, shifting her entire body towards her.

Carina's eyes are focused down at her lap as she becomes lost in thought. Why would her mother call? She's been completely fine without having any sort of communication with her parents since college started, and she knows that they can say the same as well. They're anything but the picture-perfect family. If anything, they're the epitome of a broken one.

She feels Lily's hand rest on her back and she begins to rub it soothingly. Carina turns her head to look at her worried face.

"Are you alright?" Lily questions, eyebrows knitted.

"I... I don't know," Carina answers honestly. "She would never voluntarily talk to m-"

The phone rings once again and Carina jumps a bit, head shooting towards the sound. Now there is no doubt in her mind that something is going on. She just doesn't know what could be so important that would cause her mom to personally reach out to her.

Then Lily takes a hold of one of her hands and gives it a gentle squeeze. Carina blinks a few times, looking down at their intertwined hands. Holding her hand always felt safe and this time isn't different.

Lily gives her a delicate smile of encouragement and Carina swallows hard. Then, with one hand securely grasping Lily's, she uses the other to pick up her phone.

This time she clicks 'Accept'.

"H-Hello?"

"Carina," her mother, Salvia's, voice sternly states in her ear. She doesn't remember the last time she's heard it. It almost sounds unfamiliar.

Lily's thumb grazes across the outer part of her forefinger.

"Uh... yeah?"

"Where are you right now?"

Carina glances over at Lily for a second. She's still looking at her with those soft, gentle green eyes of hers.

"I'm in my dorm room. Why?"

Her mom is quiet for a moment, but then she lets out a sigh. "Your father had a massive stroke earlier today and he's in the hospital right now."

Carina's body tenses and she stares at the wall on the other side of the room. She honestly doesn't know how she's feeling, which says wonders about her relationship with her parents. Shouldn't she be worried? Shouldn't she be scared? Shouldn't she... care more than she does?

Carina doesn't know what else to say other than a simple, "oh."

Lily's confused eyes are still trained on Carina's face, but she's too absorbed in thought to react to the older girl.

"I... I don't know if he'll be okay after this," Salvia mumbles. Carina didn't fail to notice the crack in her voice.

Carina may not know much about her dad, Antonio, but she does know that his health has always been an issue. Due to genetics, that entire side of the family suffers from a plethora of health issues, including high blood pressure and high cholesterol. And his age isn't helping much either. Strokes aren't necessarily far-fetched for middle-aged men like him.