Sallos (A Demon Romance)

Chapter 7

The tv blared for hours as my dad mindlessly watched. He had barely spoken to me but I didn't really mind much.

The nurse brought in my lunch for the day which consisted of a sandwhich, fruit and applesauce. I tried to take a few bites out of the sandwhich but it tasted like eating fake food so I decided to rely on the fruit.

As I ate my little fruit cup, the door to the hospital room opened. My eyes widened seeing who it was.

"Meme!" I shouted, seeing her bright smile glow as she saw me.

She rushes over to me as she leaned down to embrace me in a tight hug. She placed several kisses on the top of my head.

"What're you doing here?" I cheerfully asked.

"Oh, as soon as I heard about the incident I booked a plane ticket. I'm sorry but pop pop won't be able to make it. You know his oxygen tank and everything. It makes it hard for him to travel but he told me to tell you that he loves you and to give you this" she pulled out a small stuffed penguin from her purse.

I felt my heart flutter as I took the soft stuffed animal. My pop pop had spent every summer taking me to the zoo about an hour away from his and Meme's house. We would spend hours just sitting there looking at the Penguins. We would even make pretend voices as to what we thought each Penguin would sound like. People always looked at us like we were crazy but my Pop Pop never cared much about other people.

"Please tell him that I love him and this so much" I said, sniffling back a few tears.

"Of course, my dear" she sweetly smiled at me.

Her eyes roamed around the room until she finally noticed my father's presence. Meme loved me dearly but she was a cold woman. She had never approved of my father or his blue collar career. She always would urge him to attend college once my mother got pregnant but my dad was content working for his boss at the time.

My dad has always been a construction worker that had been long time buddies with his boss since high school. My mother was a Pediatrician so her income mostly supported our family but it wasn't like my father was making nothing. He made a decent amount of money and he worked really hard.

Once my mom died, we immediately had to move out of our previous house. My dad couldn't keep up with all of the taxes, house payments and other bills on top of that.

I think a very subtle and unconscious part of Meme blamed my dad for my mother getting sick.

"Hello, Jeff" she nodded to him.

"Hello, Stella" his voice was flat and awkward.

"I didn't realize you'd be stopping by" my dad said, getting up from his chair to let her sit down.

"Well, I wasn't going to let my granddaughter just rot in the hospital without someone to care for her" she replied, setting her purse down in her lap.

"Dads been doing a really great job at taking care of me. I actually feel a bit better today" I smiled.

"Yes, I'm sure your father tries, dear" she said, making my father roll his eyes.

We sat there for a few more hours just talking until the sun started to set in the distance. The orange hazy glow gave the cold hospital room, a false warm glow.

"I best get going to my hotel then, it's getting late and I believe visiting hours ends soon but rest assured I will be here tomorrow" she got up from her chair, coming over to kiss my forehead.

"Make sure she showers tonight" she scolded my father before leaving.

A soft laugh left my lips as my dad scoffed.