𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫,𝐲𝐨𝐮//𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞

𝓛𝓲𝓿𝓮,𝓛𝓪𝓾𝓰𝓱 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮

"The worst day of loving someone is the day you lose them"

It was already late in the evening when the Wheelers finally arrived at the hospital. The four teenagers were sitting in the waiting room, but when they saw Nancy's parents, they immediately stood up and were ready for anything.

"Oh my god, Barabara, what happened to her? Is she okay?"
Mrs. Wheeler ran over to the tired and scared teenagers.

"We haven't been allowed to see her yet; we don't know how she is."

Mr. Wheeler, who looked like he would rather stay somewhere on the couch than be in the hospital for his daughter, came to the waiting room together with his little daughter and son by his side.

"And where were you when it happened, huh? Is that what you call friends? To let this happen to her?"

Robin didn't hesitate for a second and started speaking for everyone in the room.

"Let this happen to her. Are you kidding me? Where were you, Mr. Wheeler, when your daughter tried to take her own life? Don't pretend you care about her now when you haven't for seventeen years."

"Excuse you? I didn't even talk to you. I don't expect such a mentally ill person to be a good example for my daughter. People like you shouldn't even have the right to talk to me in such a tone."

What he said angered everyone. Not just Robin. But also Barbara, Steve, and Jonathan. Even Karen and Mike, who knew Nancy very well,.

However, Jonathan's nerves snapped because he had to deal with such a person once before. His father used to talk about his brother like that. Even worse. He also hurt him physically.
He grabbed Ted Wheeler by the collar with his hands and pushed him against the wall.

"Now listen to me, Mr. Wheeler. I don't care who you are or what you can do. I don't care if you ruin my life. You won't talk about my friends like that. You don't know, Robin.
And accordingly, what did you say now without even knowing your own daughter?"

Steve also joined the conversation.
"Nancy had a lot of problems of her own, but she was always there for her friends and siblings. She tried to make sure none of them ever had a life like hers, and that's because of you."

Barbara slowly approached and said it softly.
"If you can't accept that your daughter is not what you imagined, I think you should get another family. Because Nancy won't change, she will fight to be with the person she loves. And we, her friends, her mother, and her siblings, will support her. Because this, Mr. Wheeler, is true love. The love you'll never get."

Everyone was silent for the next few seconds. Jonathan, Barb, and Steve went outside for some fresh air.
Ted, who had gone to the coffee maker, sat down and waited in the chair.

"Did you see that? They're crazy. They're all mentally disturbed."

"I think you should go, Ted."
Karen said this with both children by her side.

"Go where, Karen? What the fuck are you talking about?"

"You should get out of this hospital and out of our lives."

This time, Ted got up and walked closer.
Karen didn't move back. She wasn't afraid of him. Well, she hid her children behind her back to protect them, no matter what happened.

"Are you kidding me, Karen? Have you lost your mind too?"

"We don't need you; I can prove that I can take care of my children on my own."

"And who's going to pay for all your clothes, jewelry, and hairstyles? You can't even get a normal job, Karen. All you can do is cook."

"Go home, pack up, and leave. I don't want to have anything in common with you anymore."

Ted bent down to speak to his daughter.
"Holly, you don't want your dad to leave, do you?"

But Holly, with tears in her eyes, hid in her older brother's sleeve.

"Stop, dad; she's scared. None of us want you at home. You're pretty naive if you keep thinking that."
This is what Mike wanted to tell him his whole life.

Without another word, Ted took his jacket and left the hospital.
Karen didn't even notice that Robin, who had just come out of the ladies' room, was watching their whole affair from the opposite side of the corridor.
Since no doctor had yet come to see them, Robin decided that now might be the best time to reconcile with Nancy's mother.

She sat carefully next to Mrs. Wheeler.
"That was pretty tough and badass, Mrs. Wheeler; I never thought you were so brave."

Karen smiled softly.
"Thank you, Robin."

It was quiet again for a while.
They both waited for one of them to speak.

"Robin, can I ask you something?"

"Sure"

"Is it all true? What did your and Nancy's friends say?"

"What exactly do you mean? They've said quite a bit tonight."

"Does she really like you?"

But Robin couldn't answer that question.
"I don't know; she'll have to answer that when she wakes up."

Karen nodded softly and slowly before asking quietly.

"Do you love her?"

"What?"

"Do you love Nancy?"

Robin was clear about her feelings. But she was afraid to say it out loud. What if it all goes wrong?

"I-I...I do"

She did it. She said it. She said it out loud.

She expected anger and disgust from Karen, but instead, Karen smiled softly at her and grabbed her hand.

"Then go get her. Do what you want. If you really love my daughter, prove it to her."

Both had tears in their eyes. Tears of happiness and joy. Robin has a chance to start over. And she was ready to take full advantage of it.