Devil

-5-

-Esla-

"Esla, wake up," my mother shook me. I looked around, sleepy and confused about where I was. I heard my dad's laugh and joy sparked through me. "Dad, you're awake!" I cried, going to hug him tenderly.

My mom smiled as him and I embraced. "Did Mom tell you about everything that happened..." My father nodded, his eyes filled with sadness.

"I hardly remembered anything when I woke up," he admitted, "just putting out the trash."

"I'm sorry Dad, I didn't know they'd shoot you. Nobody even knows who it was," I admitted. "This is all my fault, I'm really sorry."

"Don't blame yourself, Esla. You were just protecting yourself. Sometimes bad things just happen to good people," my mom sighed.

"What is the verdict?" my father asked, sitting up straighter. I looked from Mom to him. "You haven't told him?"

"I was waiting until you woke up to tell you both. Things have...changed from what the doctors expected," she admitted with a hefty sigh. "You should be able to walk in a few weeks with physical therapy!" my mom announced, turning happy, picking up some flowers off the table and shoving them towards my dad.

"Well shit," he grunted, "what did they say at first then?"

"They were thinking like months, Dad," I told him, touching his arm tenderly. An unreadable expression crossed his face as he looked down at the flowers in his hands. "Thank you all for taking care of me." He looked to me. "I don't blame you Esla. Don't even think that for one second."

I nodded, tears coming to my eyes.

He looked my mother. "You're my wife. You really weren't tryna rush the 'til death do us part'," he laughed. They hugged and I looked away, giving them their moment.

"You guys should go. Enjoy life, your old man will recover just fine," he nodded with a cheery smile. "I'm ready to see what all that fuss is about with the hospital pudding."

We all shared a laugh.

"No but seriously, get some money and take yourselves out," my dad said gently, "I know you guys have been worried."

Mom played with her hands, "We're behind on bills again, Burt."

My mind flashed to what Fake Cop Rick had said. He promised me he would give us money for keeping quiet and I had been too distraught earlier to remember to tell my mother about it. I wasn't supposed to, but this was her house too, hell, she deserved to know.

"Mom. Dad," I looked them both in the eye.

"Please tell me you're not pregnant," my mother laid a hand on my arm. I was a little irritated after that comment. Why did people always assume girls were pregnant when they were leading on that they had big news? That was so annoying.

"No," I snapped, still leaning in to hug her. We were a very touchy feely family. We communicated best through expression of love.

"The cop that came in yesterday...Rick," I trailed off. Mom nodded, trying to see where I was going with all of this. I let out a deep breath then told them everything. Dad angrily hit the side of his bed. "Damn it, Esla. You should have told somebody. That was important. You're telling me you forgot because you were tired?" he hissed.

I looked down, trying to hold in my tears. I think I had cried these past few hours more than I ever had in my entire life.

"Esla, we need to tell the cops. I don't care if they have the money we need or not. We don't need to get wrapped into that sort of life. You're my only child," my mother argued.

"And then they would kill us for snitching. There's no way out," I argued back, gaining confidence. "We should just let them kill him and take the money. I'm sure they know how to cover this all up in a way the cops wouldn't find out."

"Cops wouldn't find out about what?" a head peeked in, holding the door to the room ajar. It was the detective from yesterday, his eyes demanding and accusing.

"Esla, go outside and shut your mouth," my mother ordered. My dad held a hand on his chest, catching his breath.

I moved pass the detective and stepped out into the hall, huffing. I put my back to it, avoiding looking too hard at the details of this place. It reeked of death and sadness, my least two favorite things. I closed my eyes, willing my tears to stay in. This was all my fault and I've only made things worse.

After about fifteen minutes, I could hear my mother inside yelling but I couldn't tell what she was saying. The detective bust out of the room, yelling for a nurse.

"Esla! Get in here!" my mother called. The door was wide open and I quickly stepped inside. "Mom- What's-

My dad was jumping up and down on the bed, his eyes rolled back. The IV was sputtering and my mother was trying to hold him still.

I didn't know what to do so I ran back out into the hall, trying to catch my breath and calm myself down. This is all my fault. This is all my fault.

Nurses and doctors rushed in, and I slid down to the floor.

A text made my ass buzz.

Bestie🤪🤪: Esla, how r u??
Me: my dad is dying...

I couldn't bring myself to keep typing.

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