See You Around~ Grester (completed)

Chapter Fifteen

Grace's POV

He clung to my hand like I was the only thing that he had left to keep him sane. I could feel his heart beat through his palms. I forced back my tears- knowing how strong I must be for Chester. He wasn't particularly looking anywhere, his eyes in a melancholy daze; I had never seen him so lost- his hand felt like a baby's, so weak and so small.

The receptionist lead us to his room and when I opened the door Chester's hand dropped from mine, his eyes wide and face blank. He ran to his father's pale side as I walked over to his mother- her face just as  sorrowful as Chester's. She immediately stood up and fell into my arms, we walked outside leaving Chester and his father's body alone. 

"What happened?" I asked as we stared through the hospital room window. 

"Heart attack. He just went." She stuttered. I held her close to me as just like Chester she broke into a million pieces. "They're taking him away soon." 

She walked back into the room as I went to get a coffee, not wanted to intrude in their final goodbye. I tried to empathize with Chester, tried to transfer his pain to me but I had never lost someone who meant as much to me as Chester's dad meant to him. I sat in the reception room chair, staring into space as people in stretchers and beds were hurriedly wheeled past me. I had never liked hospitals, I only ever saw the diseases and lost patients; I had always turned a blind eye to the hope of these places and today was no exception.

Chester emerged into the room, he looked tired and lost as he scanned the room for me. When he found me he slowly walked towards me, he looked like a lost boy who had just found his mum. Chester sat down next to me, his hand on my knee.

"Hey," He quietly stuttered, the tears still present in his eyes. "They're taking him away now and then that's it. I don't know what to do anymore; am I meant to forget him, to move on with my life like he never existed? Or do I mourn for him wearing black everyday of the year? I can't even think straight anymore Grace, everything is so dark." 

Tears uncontrollably streamed down his face and I enveloped his fragile frame. Seeing him so weak and vulnerable made me want to scream, to tear the heavens down and destroy every inch of them. I wanted to get hold of whoever was up there and shake them, demanding answers. I was crying too now and when Chester looked up into my eyes I could see so much of his pain and I could feel it all. 

"I don't know." That familiar phrase which I had repetitively joked about now cursed me. The words made me feel sick inside and now there was no dark humour but an emptiness of the astray world I was confined to. I pulled Chester's head up and held my hand under his chin. 

"But I do know that he isn't really gone; wherever his body is that doesn't matter because you never loved him for what he looked like did you? It's what's inside that matters and if you ask me then I think he's not really gone, maybe he physically is but he'll always stay with you. He was so so proud of you Chester and he knows you can get through this, we all can." 

His lips passionately but softly touched mine, I could feel his tears on my cheeks and it was then that I reluctantly broke down. I knew how strong I had to be, not only for Chester but for myself because every second he was sad I was too. I couldn't wait till I saw his smile again, the one which could move mountains.

Chester's POV

The only thing I was certain of was my love for Grace- everything else was a clouded grey blur blocking my way and I was sure I would go tumbling forward. I breathed in closing my eyes as I withdrew breath, I felt as if the only sane part of me was that I was still breathing but then when I thought about breathing I thought about everyone who wasn't and I fell again. I couldn't admit to myself that my own father was dead because he was my lighthouse and I was a small sailing boat; all alone in the Atlantic. Now my lighthouse's flame has gone, it doesn't shine anymore and all I can see is darkness. I clung to the picture of Grace, knowing that she was my only hope throughout this journey.