Before it's too late *UNDER CONSTRUCTION*

Chapter 4

Lanea walks through the door with Sean right behind her. It was way too quiet, usually her mom would be doing something around the house. She calls out: "Mom! I'm home!" She looks down and see her mom sprawled out on the floor. In shock she ran to her mother's side shaking her arm. "Mom! Wake up, please! Mom!" No response. Sean dialed 911 and with in minutes the ambulance appeared and rushed her to the hospital.

Lanea couldn't believe what was happening, she prayed that her mom was alright. Later that day Lanea, Sean and Monique and their parents waited impatiently in the waiting room, waiting for an update on her mom. "Lanea Johnson!" The doctor called out and she jumped up.

"Your mother is going to be fine, She suffered a minor head concussion but she will recover no problem. Just remember she needs lots of rest."

"Oh thank you so much, doctor Brice!" She was relieved to hear the news.

"Sweetheart, our door is always open to you; if you need to stay with us, you can as long as you need." Mrs. Mathews assured her. Monique's mom was like her second mom.

"Thanks, mom." She replied, giving Mrs. Mathews a hug.

Lanea walked into the room her mom was put in, pulled up and chair and sat by her side.

"Mom, I know you can hear me...." She paused, tears rolling down her face. "Mom, please wake up, I love you! please... I don't want to be alone..." She spat in between sobs. She still didn't respond, all that was heard was the beeping of the machines. A few moments later, Sean walked in with a cup of tea and handed it to her.

"Are you okay?" He asked. She kissed her mother's forehead gently and grabbed her hand.

"Yeah, I'm okay, the doctor told me she had suffered a head concussion be she'll be fine in a couple of weeks. She just needs rest." She replied, cautiously sipping the hot tea.

"I spoke with the cops, they know who did it." Sean said, staring at the body laying before them. He felt sorry for Lanea, he was upset that something like this happened to Mrs. Brown. He just wished that there was something that he could do but realized that it was too late.

"Who? Who did it?!" She asked anxiously, interrupting his thoughts. He hesitated.

"It was your dad, they said they found his fingerprints on the weapon he used and that the neighbors witnessed him escaping from the house right before we came there to drop you off." She stood up from her chair in dead silence. She felt as though her heart was in her throat. Words could explain how much she hated her father right now.

"Oh...my...God..." She said in a slow shaken voice. "That bastard! how could he do something like this to her?" she raised her voice. "I hope they caught him, I hope he rots in jail then rots in hell!" She spat and began to cry. "I can't believe this, first the attack now this?!" Sean took her hand.

"Everything is gonna be okay." He said softly, pulling her in for a hug.

"He wasn't always like this. He started drinking after he had lost his job then everything went down hill after that." He just held her close as she continued to vent. "I don't know what I'm going to do. What if it was me? what if he ended up killing her?" She couldn't take it anymore and broke down. He kept her in his arms never letting her go.


They all went back home later that evening, but Lanea had trouble sleeping. She couldn't shake off the sight of her mother being laid up in that hospital. She also thought about the dream she had about Sean the night before. Her emotions overwhelmed her and she began to cry and drifted off to sleep.

That night she dreamed that her mom was drifting away into the darkness. "MOM! MOM! Please don't go! I don't want to be alone! COME BACK! COME BACK!" Suddenly Sean appears right beside her. "Lanea, baby everything is going to be okay. I'm here for you so don't give up."..........."Mommy"........

Suddenly she wakes up, sweaty and gasping for air.

"Lanea! are you alright?" Monique wakes up and asks her sleepishly but alert with concern laced in her voice.

"Yeah I'm alright....I just had a rough night."

"Alright girl, try and get back to sleep."

"Alright."

"And another thing....I'm so happy it's the last day of school"

"Yeah I know, me too." Lanea replied sadly. She was happy this school year was over with but she didn't want to say goodbye to Sean. He was a senior, and she knew he was getting ready for college. She sighed deeply letting her mind drift back to his words in her dream. 'Everything is going to be okay, I'm hear for you so don't give up.' And before she knew it she was fast asleep.

.....'So don't give up.'