Saccharine

THE HOSPITAL VISIT

Annika and Dante finally pull up to their destination. Annika jumps out of the car and runs towards the park, searching all over for her brother when she spots a man with red hair lying on the ground. It had to be him!

She made her way over to the body, and found her brother Maude lying there convulsing.

"Oh...oh my god... Dante call the ambulance please!"

"On it!"

And within six minutes the ambulance shows up, picking up her brother. Dante and Annika hop back in his car and follow the ambulance to the hospital. Once they arrive Annika rushes out and makes her way inside the hospital.

She eventually finds his room, number 306, and is asked to stand outside while they try reviving him.

Thirty minutes later and a doctor comes out of the room.

"Please tell me what's going on. Is my brother okay?"

"I'm sorry miss, we did all we could, but your brother was too far gone."

Annika stood there, not hearing anything but the ringing in her ears. She didn't even hear Dante come up to her, only felt his hand slip into hers. She gripped tightly, trying to feel something. What would her mother say about this? Or her father who never bothers to pick up the phone. It didn't matter now, Maude was gone.

Too afraid to speak fearing she would start crying, she turned around and started walking towards the exit. Dante followed, not quite knowing what to do in this situation.

Dante didn't have any siblings, nor parents. He grew up in a broken home, a home that didn't know what love was. He never got attached to anyone, therefore he didn't know what it was like to lose someone he cared for so deeply. But he would try his damnedest to help Annika in this situation.

He followed her all the way to his car, opening the doors for her.

"Anywhere you'd like to go?"

"Not home. Not here. Anywhere but here."

"My place it is then. Should I expect you to be staying?"

"Yes, please, if that's okay with you."

"Yeah, any time."

Finally breaching the door of his apartment, Annika sat on the oh so familiar loveseat by the window. She gripped the black backing in her hands and rested her head on them. Dante walked over and sat on the couch to the left of the loveseat, giving Annika some space to think.

She didn't want to be the one to break the news to her parents. She figured the hospital would call them anyways, so she decided she would let them find out that way.

Suddenly Annika's phone started buzzing in the pocket of her blue letterman jacket. She didn't even bother checking who it was, just switched her phone off.

"Is it okay... If I touch your hair?"

"... Yes." Annika replied hesitantly.

He came over towards her, and grabbed three sections of her hair. He started braiding ever so softly, running his hands through her hair and patting her head every so often.

Annika's memories came flashing back from when her mom used to braid her hair before bed. Things were simpler back then. She didn't have to worry about her brother od-ing or her mom not caring about his state of health. Back then her moms only priorities were her children. What changed?

She leaned into his touch, enjoying the calming feeling.

"You know, my mom used to braid my hair like this. She said it would keep my hair from getting tangled while I slept."

"Well if you want you can go to bed. I'll take the couch tonight."

"No no, you keep your bed. It's your apartment after all."

"Annika I want you to be comfortable. And if you wake up having a nightmare tonight I want you to come get me, yeah?"

"Can't we just share the bed? That way I don't have to get you and you get to be comfortable too."

"If you're comfortable with that then I'm fine with it. I just want you to feel okay."

"I don't know if 'okay' is how I'd put it, but I haven't had a total mental breakdown so I'd say that's a win."

"Even if you did no one would blame you. You're going through a lot right now, you're allowed to feel shitty."

"Well I'll try to keep the mental breaks to a minimum."

"Whatever you say. Now go lay down okay? You need some rest. You can come get me in here if you need anything."

"...okay."

And with that Annika walked towards his bedroom and shucked off her big jacket. Underneath she wore a white shirt and dark denim jeans. She slipped off her jeans as well, revealing her black boxers. She layed down and closed her eyes, immediately falling under.