One Last Time

Chapter 3: In coming news

"Laura... Laura... Please wake up" Huh... Eric? "Eric, what are you doing here? Wait are you crying? What's going on?" Eric's expression is making my heart race. "Laura... L-Last night... Oh gosh, how do I say this?" He sighed making me even more on edge "what happened last night?" Eric then grabbed my hand. "The news this morning said a Captain and his third in command died last night rescuing a drunken crewmate..."

What?... A Captain that could have been any boat... "There are loads of men at sea Eric and as you said he's a professional" I smiled tapping his shoulder in reassurance but he grabbed my hand and pulled me out of bed to the TV. Eric then switched it on...

BREAKING NEWS: HEROIC CAPTAIN AND COMMANDER SAVED BOY BUT UNFORTUNATELY DROWNED WITHIN THE RESCUE...

I just gulped on air... I'm sure it's not him. It can't be him... Dear God, please don't let it be him...

THE SHIP WAS FOUND 43 MILES FROM THE COAST... THE HELICOPTER CAME IN AT 1:32 AM AND PICKED UP BOTH MEN FROM THE OCEAN... WE WILL SHARE THE HEROES NOW...

"Aa- Aaron?" I just fell to my knees since they posted a picture of him and Cameron on tv together... "NOOOO!!... I WON'T LET THIS BE TRUE!!" Eric reached to hug me as I broke down but then I heard Andy's voice... They're interviewing him right now on the docks...

I let go of Eric and made a run for my coat and headed to the beach... There's media everywhere...

I pushed through a big crowd but they wouldn't let me get to Andy so I shouted to him... "ANDY!!!" My eyes still balling I managed to see Andy run to me... I fell... I can't take this. This isn't real. Where's my Aaron...

Andy hugged me and I asked him if this was real... With tears in his eyes, he said "Yes... I tried to save him. I really did but the wave struck and I can only guess that he pushed the ring closer to me since once I had seen the ring the was only the boy in there. I told them both to hold on... I did everything I could. The other men wouldn't wake up I'm so sorry, Laura" He hugged me again but the cameras were trying to get to me. Andy shouted to them I was Aaron's girlfriend and he pulled me away from them. "The media has had enough for one day. Let's get you home Laura"

This day is a nightmare he's the love of my life and he died just like that?!? "I SAW HIM YESTERDAY ANDY! THIS ISN'T REAL! I CAN'T TAKE IT EVERYTHING IS LYING TO ME ALL OF IS LIES! WE WERE GOING TO GET A HOUSE TOGETHER!!!" I broke to my knees again. I feel awful because Andy has to bring me home hysterically and he's already had an awful night. "ANDY I WANT TO SEE THAT BOY! NOW I NEED TO SEE HIM."

Andy looked at me and gently urged me into his car... "That's not a good idea Laura... Come on get in it'll be okay"

How is he so calm? "I want to kill him!" Andy grabbed my hand and looked at me... "No, you don't Laura... This isn't you. You know Aaron wouldn't like that" I took a deep breath and nodded I suppose he's right. Saying nothing I stared out the window all the way home.

I wiped my tears but they started up again once we drove past the house Aaron always looked at... "I feel so weak..." I looked at Andy and he also has tears in his eyes but kept it together. "It's okay Laura. We're almost home now"

He made a major turn and pulled into the car park of my apartment. "Okay, Laura... Let's go upstairs. I'll make you some tea" He got out of the car and I followed him to my front door but then I noticed Andy looked a bit pale and weak...  All of a sudden he fell to the floor and fainted... "Andy!" I held his head up in tears and reached for my phone to call Eric to come downstairs and help me.

Me and Eric lifted Andy together and brought him upstairs and onto my couch. "Eric, should we get an ambulance?" Eric shook his head no.

Eric has first-aid training thanks to his work in media. "He'll be okay Laura he's just in shock with stress. Go get a damp cold towel" I ran to the sink for a towel and fell into the living room when returning. I threw the towel at Eric and he placed it on Andy's head. Not long after my heart started to race  I think I'm starting with a panic attack but Eric ran to me and hugged me telling me to do some breathing exercises. I keep crying and he keeps reassuring me but I'm very weak. The only thought in my head is Aaron calling me his strong girl... I'm letting him down right now.

"Laura, you can handle this. Do this for Aaron. Right now Laura he's a hero. The man died saving a life... He and Cameron are heroes of the ocean. I'll be here Andy will be here for you. We'll make sure you're okay." I kept taking deep breaths and eventually calmed down.

Andy started to wake up again. "Yo Andy take it, slow man... How are you feeling?" He looked at Eric and looked at me. "The most important question is how is Laura?" I looked at him and said "This is too hard for me to believe right now but Aaron would want me to be strong and it's going to be a long time for me to adjust but I'll be okay. Andy please how are you doing? Tell me everything"

Andy sighed and looked at me sitting on the floor while Eric was on the couch at the side of him holding the damp towel on his head. "Everything that happened last night keeps circulating in my head as if I'm playing a video on repeat. That man trained me. He made me who I am today... Aaron was always there for his crew and was the best man I could have ever known. You Laura... You were his reason for living. The more I keep looking at it the more I keep blaming myself... If only I could have shouted louder to wake up the other men while holding the rope... If only I was stronger and pulled faster would I have saved all three of them? I think I'll have this regret on my mind for the rest of my life"

"Andy... You and Eric were the closest thing he had to brothers. He loves you both even now I bet he's watching over you. Andy, you are a hero too... All three of you are heroes. I know Aaron is proud of you for what you did. There's no way you could have done more lifting 3 men at once as much as you did was a miracle. Don't ever blame yourself" I got up the strength and hugged Andy...

"I have those thoughts to Andy... Yesterday morning we woke up and he said he had to go and I asked him that previous night if he had to... If only I stopped him then" Eric looked at me and said "You would never have been able to stop him. None of us would have and the fact he even listened to you and planned a future with you proves how much you mean to him because he never would have stopped for us. This is nobody's fault. I could point fingers but life is like a chain reaction one fault move and a chain of events occurs"

"You sounded like Aaron then Eric," said Andy... "Aaron always gave advice one life... You know the boy said his father made him take the job so as Eric said if the boy never listened to his father this wouldn't have happened just like the chain of events..." I looked at Andy as he said this... "Aaron was made to do it by his father... No wonder he stepped in" A moment of silence echoed through the room as they tried to gather their thoughts on what had just happened.

Aaron would want me to take the next steps strongly so that's exactly what I'm going to do...