When I knew for sure he was asleep I slowly took the phone away from my ear, and put it on my dresser. I turned the speaker on just in case he woke up and needed me.
I glanced at the clock, noticing the time read 8.00pm. I walked over to my closet and pulled out a long t-shirt to sleep in. I went into my bathroom and pulled off my clothes and shoes.
I turned the shower on, and once it warmed up, I hopped in.
The hot water felt great against my skin. I closed my eyes trying to push away most of my stress of the day. I was hoping that Justin would be at school tomorrow. I dried myself off and wrapped my hair up in a towel. I put my clothes on and went back into my room.
"Lil?" Justin's sleeply voice came from the other end of the line.
"Yeah, I'm here Justin." I replied picking up the phone.
"Sorry, I didn't realise I was that tired."
"Don't worry about it."
"I haven't been able to sleep lately. That's why I feel so tired." He explained.
"I noticed."
I brushed my hair and then pulled it back into a ponytail, so that it wouldn't be so frizzy when I got up in the morning.
"Do you... do you think maybe you could come up here?"
"What? Now?" I asked.
"Yeah. I could really use some company."
"Sure, I'll be up there in 20 minutes."
"Thanks. Lil, you're the best."
"I know." I said, smiling.
After I hung up the phone, I went to my closet and pulled out a pair of jeans, and a plain t-shirt and put them on.
I knew I was going to be tired in the morning, but Justin needed me. It was worth it.
I grabbed my keys off of my desk, and went downstairs. I went into the kitchen and grabbed a water bottle out of the fridge. After leaving my mom a note I went to the car.
I started the car and it revved to life. I pulled out of the driveway and made my way to the hospital.
The traffic wasn't as bad as it was in the afternoons. But that was because everyone had already gone off to work or were in bed.
When I got to the hospital, I made my way inside and up to the front desk.
"Can you tell me which room, Tara Dawson is in?" I asked, politely.
The lady pushed her glasses up on her face and typed something into the computer.
"301." She replied in an irritated voice.
I nodded and made my way through the halls. They were completely white, ever since my dad passed away; I'd refused to come to one. But I had to be there for Justin, so I had to face my fears.
I turned the corner and found room 301.
I opened the door, and came and looked around for Justin.
"Hey, over here." Justin called.
I followed his voice and found him lounged out on the couch watching some random show on TV. I looked to my right and froze when I saw her lying there.
She looked horrible. Cuts and bruises covered every inch of her face. She had a tube in her throat, and a monitor hooked up to help her breathe.
I suddenly felt everything rushing back. The day he died. My mom's piercing scream. The sobs that had erupted from my chest when I saw his lifeless body on the floor in our kitchen. The memories flooding back as if I were reliving them. I was five at the time.
****Flashback****
I swung higher and higher on the swing set each time mommy pushed me. I was waiting for daddy to come home. He promised, he'd play with me as soon as he got home. But he hasn't come home yet.
I giggled, when I went really, really high. I looked up at the sky. It looked different than when we first came out here. It was a different colour. It was darker. What did that mean?
Suddenly mommy picked me up out of the swing and into her arms, then ran inside the house. She sat me on the couch and spun facing the TV. She turned it on and kept her eyes focused on it.
I crawled off of the couch and went and sat down right in front of it. There was a man on the screen and lots of different colours. But I couldn't understand what they were saying.
Then mommy started crying, and picked me up and rushed me into another room. I'd never been in this room. It wasn't familiar to me. It was different from all the other rooms I'd been in.
"Mommy!" I cried, reaching out my to her wanting her to pick me up.
"Shh!! Come here sweetheart." She cooed, picking me up.
I clung to her, tightening my fingers around her shirt, refusing to let go. I was scared. I could tell something bad was happening; I just didn't know what.
"Daddy!" I cried. "Mommy!! Daddy!!"
I wanted daddy. He'd promised to play with me as soon as he got home. Why wasn't he here? Where was he?
"Shh! Baby!! Shh!!" Mommy murmured, holding me tighter to her chest.
Then a loud bang sounded in the room we were in, it was loud and I didn't like it. It scared me. I wanted daddy.
"Daddy!" I cried, the tears spilling over onto my cheeks.
"Shh!! Lilly! Shh! Daddy... He'll..." Mommy cried and then she started crying.
She held me tightly to her chest, never releasing her hold on me. I felt her chest moving up and down. Mommy was crying too. Why was mommy crying?
"Daddy!!!!" I cried, struggling to get free. I needed to find daddy.
"No, Lilly." Mommy cried, tightening her hold.
Then I heard a faint noise in the distance, it sounded like the door opening, then I heard footsteps coming toward the door, followed by a crash.
"No! Steve!" Mommy cried out, her sobs getting worse.
"Daddy!!!!!!!" I cried.
Mommy stood up, holding me to her chest and walked toward the door. She opened it and followed the path of all of the shiny pieces on the ground.
I looked at the ground and saw daddy lying there. Except it wasn't really daddy; because he wasn't moving. He was still.
Mommy crashed to the floor making sure I did get hurt. She was screaming and crying. Why? What was wrong with daddy?
I crawled out of her lap and over to daddy.
"Daddy..." I whispered, gently placing my hand on his cheek.
He didn't move. He just lay there, not moving.
"Daddy!!!!!!!" I cried.
I crawled up onto his chest and lay against him. Never wanting to let go. I wanted daddy. I wanted daddy to play with me like he'd promised. I wanted him to keep his promise.
****End of Flashback****
"Lil... hey are you okay?" Justin asked, breaking me from my reverie.
"Oh, uh yeah." I said shaking my head.
I went over and plopped down next to him. "What are you watching?"
"News."
"Oh. Nice." I said and laid my head against the arm of the couch.
"Yeah. There was nothing else on, believe me I tried."
"Whatever you say, Justin."
He scowled. "Whatever."
"Okay." I said smiling.
"You think this is funny?" He asked, laughing gently.
"Maybe." I said.
He smiled and shook his head.
I yawned and pressed my face further into the couch, hoping to find a comfortable position. I didn't realise I had fallen asleep until I heard the TV go off and the lights go out... I felt Justin lay back down next to me, on the couch. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me closer to his chest.
"Night Lilly." He whispered in my ear.
"Mmmm... Night." I replied, half asleep.
I rolled over and cuddled up next to him, feeling the warmth embrace emanate off of him. I laid my head on his chest and fell back asleep.
