Of Angels and Phantoms

Chapter 43 - Support

Hi everyone!

I know, I know...it's been 4 years. It's been a rough time here, so much has happened lol. Sorry for not updating this story for so long! I kinda lost my Wattpad details (just found it last week) and shelved it for other priorities as well. I'll explain my plans further in later chapters, but rest assured that I will finish this story as soon as I can. I promised to finish it, so I will!

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"Please."

Dr. Joe sighed, turning around to look at me as he put my file away. "June, listen to me. This isn't just another injury. It can be treated, but we need to start ASAP."

I kept silent, looking down at my feet as I sat still in my seat. Dr. Joe opened up the files again, pulling one of the papers out to show me.

"Look, June. Your condition right now is still considered mild, bordering on moderate. As long as we start treatment now, there's a very good chance that you can recover fully," he said, pointing to my diagnosis results.

"Can you guarantee that I'll still be able to compete in the next season? Can I make it for the next Olympics?" I questioned.

Dr. Joe paused for a moment before responding. "I cannot guarantee anything, but I am fairly confident that-"

I shook my head. "Dr. Joe, I don't know if I can do this if I can't skate anymore. I finally... It took me almost two years to get back on my feet. I don't know," my face fell into my hands as my eyes closed.

"I know, June. It's tough. But I promise you that I will do my best to help you recover," Dr. Joe said, reassuring me. "I know how skating is important to you, but you need to recover fully so that you can skate for a long, long time."

"Give me a few days to think about it," I replied, sighing as I got up. "In the meantime, could you not tell anyone first? Including Coach and my parents?"

After Doc gave me his word, I exited his office and crumpled outside, along the hospital corridor.

Long-term symptoms of traumatic brain injury. I thought I had already recovered fully since the accident. I started having frequent headaches and got tired easily, but I never imagined that it was due to the collision back in 2011.

"This is so fucking unfair," I cursed bitterly as tears rolled down my cheeks uncontrollably. I made my way down to the carpark after calming down a little, but I breathed deeply a few times before walking towards Dad's car.

"How was the checkup?" Dad asked, as he started the car. "Sorry I couldn't go with you, I had an urgent meeting just now."

"Yeah no worries, thanks for picking me up. It was okay," I lied, forcing a smile. "Business as usual, I guess."

"You sure about that? Why would Dr. Joe fly you down to Tokyo just for a regular checkup?"

I bit my lip, struggling to come up with something. "Um...it was a checkup for my old condition, so he probably just wanted to be sure that I was okay."

"So...everything's alright?" Dad looked at me through the rear view mirror. "Don't worry June, you can tell me."

"Yeah Dad, it's nothing too serious. Really minor stuff," I looked outside, avoiding eye contact.

Dad remained quiet throughout the rest of the journey until we got home.

"Welcome back! How did everything go?" Mum asked. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, nothing too serious, don't worry about it," I mumbled and gave Mum a smile as I left my bag on the sofa. "I'm gonna take a shower first."

As I turned on the shower, I closed my eyes, letting out a massive sigh, leaning my forehead against the wall.

It's been 3 years since the accident. Why did this only start surfacing so recently? Could Dr. Joe be wrong in the diagnosis? Maybe this is all just a really sick joke...

"Some symptoms include memory loss to a certain extent, constant headaches, fatigue, difficulty concentrating and remembering things...if you've already faced some of these problems, it's very likely that you're facing the long-term symptoms of traumatic brain injury. In fact, I'm pretty sure of it, looking at your recent scans," I recalled Dr. Joe mentioning the symptoms earlier.

Maybe this is all just a dream, and I'll wake up before I know it...I wish. I let out another sigh, turning off the shower. I got dressed and went back to my room, collapsing on my bed. I felt a pulse in my head. Not again. The pain throbbed relentlessly as I closed my eyes.

"No, please. Please don't take it away," I found myself crying out desperately, struggling to hold on to my skates as an unknown figure pulled it off my feet and pried the laces out of my fingers. "Please, it's the only thing I have left." As soon as my skates were taken away, every drop of energy in my body was drained as I crumpled onto the floor.

Where am I? What's happening? Why is it so quiet in here? I gazed upwards as my body laid on the floor, unable to get up on my feet.

I heard footsteps approaching slowly. The person walked over and stood over me, looking down with pitiful eyes.

"Who are you? Why are you doing this?" I croaked, using the remaining energy I had.

"You can't even remember me, can you?" He said softly, but I sensed the coldness in his voice. "You disappoint me. I gave you everything, Christine. How could you forget me?"

"W-" I tried to retort back at him, but my throat turned to sand.

"June," I heard a firm voice call out. "June, wake up. June," the voice was loud, but firm.

"Why-" I shouted as I jolted awake, gasping. It was a dream. It's just a dream.

"June, are you okay?"

I turned my head and saw Dad, who had a concerned look on his face.

"Did you have a nightmare?" He asked. "You kept mumbling in your sleep."

I nodded, wiping my perspiration away. "Yeah, I think so."

"I brought you some food. You missed lunch," Dad picked up a tray containing some cut fruits and a bowl of warm soup and put it on my bedside table. "I wanted to wake you up for lunch earlier, but figured you were probably tired."

"Thanks, Dad," I nodded. "I'll eat a little later."

"Um..."

"Yeah?" I asked, noticing his hesitation.

Dad paced around for a bit before letting out a sigh. "Look..." He sat down on the side of my bed, looking at me solemnly. "I'm sorry, I looked at your health report without asking. But something didn't feel right to me, and..."

I swallowed as a shudder came over me. Fuck.

"Look, June. This...this isn't something minor. The long-term symptoms of TBI need to be taken seriously."

"I know, Dad. I know, I really do. But I really want to skate," I said quietly, holding back my tears. "I've already lost almost two years, and I really thought I was finally ready to prepare for the next Olympics. Now this...I really don't know what to do anymore."

Dad slid over and wrapped his arms around me, giving me a tight, comforting hug. "It's going to be okay, silly. Don't keep things like that from us, okay?"

"I'm sorry, Dad. I didn't mean to keep it from you guys, I just wanted some time to think about it first," I explained, hugging him back.

"Everything will be alright, kiddo," he ruffled my hair, reassuring me again. "We'll fight this together. You, me, Mom, and Coach. And Gramps. He's got your back."

I buried my face in Dad's sweater, which absorbed the tears rolling down my cheeks.

"Okay."

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