Against All Odds

Chapter 2

"I think he's waking up." A deep voice that I could only recognize to be my father's rang out as I opened my eyes, instantly hit by far too bright lights and the sting of something stuck in my nose.

My ears rang for a couple of seconds but once the ringing subsided, I began to become aware of my surroundings. The bleak, white walls, the borderline assaulting smell of disinfectant, and the steady beeping of some sort of machine beside my bed.

Am I in the hospital?

I blinked a couple of times, trying to get my eyes to adjust to the harsh lighting as I felt a gentle hand wrap around my own.

"Hi, sweetheart." Mom's soothing voice rang out as I glanced over at her.

The wild blonde curls I inherited from her were haphazardly shoved into a ponytail and her soft brown eyes carried heavy dark circles underneath them.

I tried to reach for whatever's stuck down my nose but she instantly clamped a hand down on mine, stopping me.

"No, no, don't touch that Cameron." I tried to protest but it felt like my mouth was full of cotton balls and just the smallest sound came out.

I looked to Dad for answers as he ran a hand through his graying brown hair, a blank expression on his face.

He sat down beside Mom, letting out a heavy sigh as his brown eyes locked on mine.

"Two days ago in the middle of the night, we got a knock on the door from paramedics saying that they were taking you to the hospital. I guess you went to a party and came home and blacked out in the backyard," He cleared his throat before continuing, "Rowan found you and tried to get you to wake up but you...you didn't, so she called 911." Rowan found me. Rowan had to see me like that.

"They said if she hadn't found you, you would've choked on your vomit and...and died Cameron." His voice wavered and he quickly swiped at his eyes.

I looked over at Mom with wide eyes as tears began to cascade down her cheeks.

I almost died?

"Alcohol poisoning is fucking serious Cameron. Drinking so much that you black out is serious. I take it this wasn't your first time either, was it?" My eyes shifted back to him and from the look in his eyes, I knew I couldn't lie.

"No, no it wasn't." My voice came out hoarse and scratchy as he nodded.

"Your mother and I have decided that an inpatient rehabilitation program will be the best thing for you right now. I know that's hard to hear, but you need help, Cameron. Addiction isn't something that just goes away, you have to put in the work to get better. There's a facility in Portland that's accepted you for a 30-day treatment program. You'll miss some school but Seaside's agreed to let you finish out the semester online."

Tears clouded my vision as I felt a gentle hand work its way through my curls.

I don't need to go to rehab. I'm fine, it was just one simple mistake.

But I don't tell them that, not when Mom was crying and Dad was looking at me like I'm the biggest fucking failure in the world.

"Yeah, okay," I mumbled, letting out a heavy sigh as I looked down at the various tubes and wires attached to my body.

He nodded before standing up and leaving the room to go get the doctor and cry, anywhere but in front of his son.

Mom placed a gentle kiss on my forehead as I looked up at the plain white ceiling.

I'm going to rehab at seventeen years old.

—

Later that day a nurse came in to finally take the damn tube out of my nose. I finally figured out what it was after asking Mom. It was an NG tube to suction out all of the alcohol from my stomach.

I didn't want to think about it too much.

Mom had been sitting by my side practically all day long while Dad set up my next destination, rehab somewhere in Portland.

"This isn't going to feel great but I'll try to be as quick as possible, alright?" The nurse snapped on a pair of gloves as I sat up, nodding.

"Alright." Mom took my hand, squeezing it as the nurse peeled off the tape securing the tube to my nose.

"Want me to count down?" She questioned and I shook my head.

"No, just go for it." She pulled the tube from my nose and I coughed as I felt it snaking back up my throat.

"Halfway there, try your best to stay still honey." She kept pulling on it until finally, it exited from my nose, leaving me bent over, coughing as my nose burned.

"Fuck." I sputtered as she pressed a tissue to my nose.

"Go ahead and hold this to your nose for a minute, you did great you've just got a bit of a nosebleed." She coaxed as I slumped back against the pillows, a heavy sigh escaping my lips.

She left the room and I held the tissue against my nose, trying my best to fight the pure exhaustion I was feeling.

"Everything's going to be okay Cameron. Your Dad and I love you so much and want what's best for you." Mom soothed as I nodded.

"I love you too," I mumbled as she began running her fingers through my hair once again, my eyelids growing heavy from the comforting touch.

A beat of silence passed before I decided to speak again, "I'm sorry Mom." My voice cracked as I looked at her tired face.

"I know. I know you are honey and I'm sorry too." I frowned, a stray tear slipping down my cheek as she wiped it away with the pad of her thumb.

"For what?"

"For not noticing. You were struggling and I didn't even notice. That's like the one thing a mother should notice and I didn't. And for that, I'm sorry Cameron, I'm so sorry." I watched as she slowly began to break down, stifling a sob and placing a hand over her mouth as tears began to stream down my cheeks.

We just sat there, in the comfort of the four white walls of my hospital room, crying our little hearts out.

—

This chapter was a shorter one but what are you all thinking so far? You'll get to know Cameron a little more in the next chapter, but do you think Cameron's dad made the right decision in deciding to send him to rehab?

As always, thank you for reading and I appreciate any thoughts or feedback you may have!