With Your Heart Wide Open

Denial

"What the hell was that, Dee?"

"Oh, please! Now you're talking? Have you heard her? She hates you too,"

"Maybe she's right," he closed his eyes then murmured with such disgust, "I'm such a coward,"

"I don't have time for that. I'm leaving," Dinah said as she grabbed her keys.

"Dinah, I'm talking... I'm talking to you!" He was furious now and had to gasp for air to finish every sentence.

She didn't answer. With her jacket on, she left and drove away.

"My little girl! Does she really hate me?" Richard's heart was beating faster.

He took a piece of paper and started writing "My dear Esther,"

He couldn't finish as he felt a sharp pain in his left arm. He tried to write some more, but the pain radiated through his shoulder and strongly on his chest.

The pen fell from his hand as he felt like the earth was spinning faster. It was getting harder and harder to breathe.

This can't be happening, he thought. He looked around for his phone to call 911, but that's when he remembered that Dinah had thrown it away!

Aspirin! He could use some aspirin! He staggered to the bathroom.

He opened the cabinet, but he was too weak to reach the aspirin. Using all of his strength and willpower, he took the aspirin. Before he could open it, he fell to the floor. 

They said that in circumstances like that, life usually flashes before your eyes. It was true for Richard, but it was not his own life that he saw. It was Esther's. His little girl. He saw her fussing as a baby, learning how to read, singing on the swing set. Lastly, he saw her coming back to him after these years. After all, he's done and hasn't done. She came back. That's when the flash stopped. Then it was darkness. Then it was pitch black.

...

It was late at night when Esther received the call.

She stood still with the phone clutched in her hand after the hospital hung up.

She then laughed, screamed, then laughed again. This only happened in movies. Or to other people. It felt unreal. Her dad was fine. How can they tell her that he's...

She couldn't say the word.

Dead.

Dead!

Her father was dead.

No! It was too heavy to bear. Too dark.  Too real.

She needed someone. Jeremy!

Dear old Jeremy! Yes, she would feel slightly better when she saw the genuine care in his face—Jeremy, the good friend that she didn't deserve but that she still needed. With shaking hands,  she dialed his number.

Please pick it up, she prayed.

He didn't.

She called again.

He didn't.

The last time she tried to call, it wouldn't go through.

She then sent him a text message begging him to come over, but it couldn't be delivered.

Was his phone dead or on airplane mode?

Lastly, she tried a voice call on WhatsApp. It rang, but he didn't pick up.