Daddy's Best Friend

70

CHAPTER 70

COLLIN’S POV

The morning sun cast long shadows in the kitchen, but the atmosphere was shrouded in an uneasy silence. Kayla and I sat at the table, the clinking of our utensils against the plates the only sound in the room. Sophia's absence hung over us like a heavy cloud.

"Why isn't Sophia joining us?" I finally asked, my concern creeping into my voice.

Kayla looked up, her eyes reflecting the same worry I felt. "I tried waking her up, but her door's locked, and she won't respond."

My heart quickened as a sense of foreboding settled over me. I rushed upstairs, calling Sophia's name with increasing urgency. The air felt thick with tension as my knocks turned to desperate pounding. The door finally gave way, swinging open to a scene that froze the blood in my veins.

I rushed upstairs, the fear gripping my chest like a vice. The silence that met my calls sent shivers down my spine. "Sophia! Sophia, open the door!" I pounded on the wooden barrier, my heart racing in tandem with the rising panic.

No response.

Something wasn't right. A chill swept over me as I stepped back, scanning the door for any sign of what was happening inside. In my desperation, I reared back and threw my weight against the door. It splintered, the lock giving way, revealing a scene that shattered my world.

Sophia lay on the floor, unmoving, an empty pill container beside her. "No, no, no!" I screamed her name, my voice hoarse with terror. I dropped to my knees beside her, trembling hands reaching for her, as if by some miracle, I could undo whatever had happened.

"Kayla!" I bellowed, the sound echoing through the house. I cradled Sophia in my arms, fear gnawing at my insides. I could feel the seconds ticking away like a time bomb, each one pushing us closer to a devastating outcome.

Kayla rushed into the room, her eyes widening in horror at the sight before her. "Call an ambulance!" I ordered, my voice strangled. Panic clawed at me, threatening to consume any rational thought.

"Sophia!" I screamed, rushing to her side. She lay on the floor, unconscious, an empty pill container nearby.

"Kayla!" I yelled, my voice strangled with panic. "Help me, we need to get her to the hospital!"

Anxiety and guilt gripped my chest, the weight of responsibility settling heavily on my shoulders.

She fumbled for her phone, fingers shaking as she dialed the emergency number. I could hear her relaying the information as I clutched Sophia to my chest, the world around me blurring into a nightmare.

Minutes later, the wail of an ambulance siren pierced the air, a haunting melody of urgency. The paramedics rushed in, their practiced movements a stark contrast to the chaos that had unfolded in Sophia's room.

"She took too many pills," Kayla explained, her voice choked with tears. I watched in silent horror as they worked to stabilize Sophia, each second an eternity.

In the ambulance, I sat beside her, my fingers intertwined with hers. The journey to the hospital was a torturous ride through the unknown. Questions swirled in my mind, accusations and self-blame colliding like a storm.

In the waiting room, I paced back and forth, my mind a chaotic whirlwind of blame and regret. Kayla sat in a corner, her face etched with worry, her attempts to comfort me falling on deaf ears.

"This is all my fault," I muttered to myself, unable to shake the guilt that consumed me.

Kayla stood and walked over, her expression determined. "Collins, you can't blame yourself. We don't know what led to this."