Crossroads (Book Three)

Chapter 13

Lyla

Another week in the books. I'm on my way to track practice right now, weaving my way through the groups of other students as I navigate along the sidewalk. I'm glad I grabbed a hoodie to bring with me this morning as I was leaving my apartment because fall has officially arrived and the temperature outside has definitely dropped off.

I can't believe it's going to be November tomorrow. That's right, today is Halloween and by some miracle it falls on a Friday this year, not that it ever stopped anyone from partying before if it was on Wednesday.

Shawn has an away game tonight and the bus leaves at five. Conveniently my track practice will be wrapping up around four thirty so I'm going to hang back to see him before he leaves. He won't be back until late either so we are going to meet up tonight at a big Halloween party one of the Frats is throwing. I can see the athletic building ahead when I hear my phone start to ring as I pull it from my pocket, seeing it's my mom calling and my face breaks into a smile.

"Hey mom," I say when I answer the phone.

"Hey sweetie," she responds and I can tell right away something is wrong by the sound of her voice. There's a shakiness to it that she only has when she breaks bad news to me.

"What's wrong?" I ask her as I come to a stop and stand out front of the athletic building.

"I don't want to worry you," she starts and I immediately begin to worry, my stomach starting to feel queasy with nervousness. "But your dad is in the hospital."

"What happened?" I fire out as I start to run through all the worst-case scenarios in my head.

"We aren't too sure yet, he's getting some tests done right now," she explains.

"Well is he okay? Should I come home?" I can most definitely borrow someone's car to get back to Harrington.

"No, no, no honey, there's no need for you to rush back. He took a fall at work, they seem to think he fainted or something. But he is alert and aware of everything, they just want to check out his heart and head and do some scans to try and rule out a few things," she continues to explain to me.

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding in. I feel helpless and wish I was closer to home so I could be to them within ten minutes and lay eyes on my dad to know he is really okay.

"What do they think is going on?"

"They aren't really sure at this point," my mom admits and I hear her sigh through the phone. I wish I could hug her right now. "I will keep you up to date as soon as we hear anything more, but try not to worry about it Lyla. He's already been cracking jokes with the nurses," she adds and laughs softly.

"Please let me know when you guys hear anything," I beg her through the phone. I can feel tears already on the brink, but I take a few deep breaths to try and calm myself and keep them at bay.

"I promise I will. I'm going to head back into the room though with your dad, I will talk to you soon honey. We love you."

"I love you guys too, give dad a big hug for me please."

"I will. Bye sweetie."

"Bye mom."

I hang up the phone and feel frozen in my spot. I have so many questions flying through my head right now and I'm frustrated I don't have any answers for them. I feel like I could burst into tears right here, but I know there's nothing I can do to help right now except continue on with my day.

My mom assured me that my dad was his normal self and there was no reason to rush home. It was probably just a little spill he took at work, nothing more. He always forgets to eat throughout his shift so he was probably light headed and just fainted from not eating.