Shattered

Faded

It's been almost a week since Gemima's disappearance.  No word from the police. Absolutely nothing.

I've went from depressed to panicking to angry for the past eight days.

My heart feels so incomplete. I've been calling her phone which is now switched off and leaving voicemail messages.

Charlotte and Elizabeth have been calling her as well and same response.

They've managed to have me eating again. Which is pretty exciting for them but for me, I cant hold any food.

"How was work Nate?" Charlotte asks.

"I didnt go." I say stoically.

"Huh! How was your day Liz?" She asks her sister.

"My day was alright. I'm actually fixing things with Usher. " she says and the ladies on the table all coo.

It doesnt feel right without Gem.

I violently push the chair and I walk upstairs. I grab the keys of my BMW and I head out.

"Where are you going?" Charlotte asks.

I run outside and I find myself driving mindlessly until I'm at a house. I stop driving and I walk up the curb to the door.

I knock and a very pregnant Willow opens the door.

My mind immediately goes back to Gemima. Everything reminds me of her.

"Mr Meyer are you alright?" She quizzes.

"Is Gemima here?" I ask.

"Uhh no, she isn't here." She says.

"Be honest woman!" I yell.

"She really isnt here." Willow says calmly.

"Man, you dont look so good." Alyster says.

I  cant find it in myself to fight anyone. I move back to my car and I drive around. I drive to her parents house.

But it looks lifeless. Just like how we left it, there is absolutely no one there.

I drive myself home.

When I enter the house,  there is absolutely no sound. I sit on the couches just she always would and cover myself with her favourite fleece throw.

I see a Magazine on the table. Oops Gossip is at it again I see.

I stare at the picture of myself at target looking disoriented and hungry.

I try calling her again.

Voicemail.

"Hey Gem. I just wanted to let you know that I love you. I love and I miss you alot.

This world without you is not a life I want to live. Please come home baby.

If it's me who drove you away just know that I'm sorry. I need you by my side.

I'm not functioning without you. Please." I hear myself say then I sigh. I end the call.

I miss her so much. My heart is pulled at the thought of her. The thought of her delicate smooth skin. The chocolate orbs that have homed me for a while now. The kindness and the ability to see positivity in everything. The beautiful scars that are on her skin.

Wait, the scars? Jeremy, her abusive boyfriend must be the one uptown this.

No but last time I heard of him, he was in police custody for drug possession.

Just as I'm stuck in my own mind, tires screech  against my drive way. I run downstairs to see who it is but the car is leaving the property the moment I'm outside.

Then I see a lump on the floor.

I walk closer to it and I see that it's a little boy.  It's my little boy.

"Ethan? Ethan? Wake up son! Come on!" I cry.

"Mom! Charlotte.  Somebody help!" I cry and they all come running.

Janice is the first to be next to me when she see what's in my arms.

"The hospital Nathan." Charlotte says running into the house.

She is out after a few seconds with my car keys.

"Drive." I tell her as soon as we're all packed into the BMW.

Ethan looks so lifeless. My heart is pumping fast. As soon as the hospital is in view, I run into the ER.

Barely sparing a glance to anyone.

"Somebody help him! Please!" I cry.

This feels like deja vu.

"Help him! You're a nurse please." I cry.

"Sir calm down, we will help him but you're scaring the other patients." The nurse calmly says as a doctor Miller takes my child.

"Dont tell me about scaring other patients God damnit dont you see what that boy looks like? I cant loose my kid nurse!" I cry.  Like sobbing. 

What the hell is happening in my life right now.

I keep pacing up and down the hallway. No body is telling me anything and it scares me what the hell is wrong with Ethan!

Somebody better come tell me before I go crazy.

The doctor comes rushing to me as he speaks, my body trembles in anger and fear.

"Sir, your son had a mixture of different very dangerous drugs. He had the likes of steroids , cocaine and heroin.

As we speak the drugs are being flushed out of his body.

It's a good thing you came her as early as you did, because he'd have died of overdose." He says.

"Is he going to be okay?" Janice asks.

"Yes mam.  We have done our best, and he will be more than okay once we've flushed the drugs out . He just has to consume alot of water this coming week." He says then leaves.

Janice hugs me. The same warmth that'd spread in me when she hugged me as a kid spreads in me now.

She cries and I try to comfort her.

"Nurse, can we see him now?" I ask. And she nods.

We all basically run to the ward where he is lying tirelessly.

Janice and Mrs Hart cry. The each hold a hand of his.

They sit there and cry for so long that they fall asleep. I'm just staring at this boy. Who survived.

I move the two heavy women to the more comfortable chairs and Charlotte chuckles at my struggle.

"I love you so much son." I kiss his heating  forehead.

His hazel eyes flutter open. Hugging my heart in the process.

"Champ you're awake?" I cry.

"Dad? What's wrong ? Why are you crying? Where's mommy?" He asks.

And my heart crashes.

My phone pings and I stare the message from the unknown number.

Now you have what you want and I have what I want.