Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
AUGUST sighedas he looked at the food on his fork. He couldn't ever get down with hospital food and often wondered how was is that this slop on a plate wasn't bound to make people more sick? August slid away the mushed unsalted peas, the colorless chicken and the watery mashed potatoes. He didn't even like the jello. August only laid back as he sipped on his cup of water, his stomach still felt tender so he didn't want to eat anything anyway. August looked up the clock, his family should had been arriving anytime now. Nervous was understatement.
August had no idea what to say, and no idea what to even do. He had thought about all the ways to comfort them, all the ways to let them know it's not their fault and all the ways he could apologize. He had wondered about the look in their eyes, the tone in their voice and he still couldn't shake the feeling that they'd be mad, that they'd be disappointed. He was embarrassed by his actions and even more embarrassed to face them. August heard a slight knock at the door, as his heart rate immediately began to speed up.
"You have visitors." A nurse said with a smile as August gave a small smile back."Tell them come in." The nurse opened the door even wider and in walked his mom as well as Shakurr.
It was silent as soon as they walked in, Ashanti walked up to August just staring at him as August nervously stared back, he wanted to stare his mother in the eyes but found himself looking away. August glanced at Shakurr who was in the corner of the room almost as if he was suddenly invisible, he could see how nervous and panicked he was but how he was picking at his fingers and avoiding every spot but to where he was lying down. August looked over back at his mom, who stared at him with such sad and teary eyes.
His mother is a beautiful woman yet she looked so wore down, like the weight of the world was on her shoulders and August felt incredibly guilty for that.
"Ma, don't cry...I'm sorr-" August started to say as Ashanti embraced him in a tight hug laying his head on her shoulder as he heard her sniff.
"Oh my baby" Ashanti cried, before taking a deep breath."You have nothing to be sorry for.You have nothing to be guilty for. I should have seen that you were hurting so much, I should have known that bringing up your father would send you back done on this path. I should have protected you in the first place. It breaks my heart..It breaks my heart all the time." Ashanti cried rubbing circles in August back as he wrapped his arms around her and tried not to cry himself.
How would he comfort her, if he was crying?
"It's ok, Mama. It wasn't your fault. I never blamed you." August reassured, Ashanti grabbed August shoulders looking him in the eyes and staring at him. His eyes was glossy and his body tensed up,just like as a kid? He was always worried about how everyone else felt.
