When Two Rivers Meet

Chapter Nineteen

Slowly walking into the room, Mike stared at his son laying in the small hospital bed, many cords attached to his body. Instantly the father broke down again, the sight of his son going through this experience tore him from the inside out. He never imaged this happening and it didn't seem like reality until he saw Isaiah beginning to stir in the bed.

"Daddy?" Isaiah questioned in a whisper, he didn't know where he was at and had no clue why he was in a hospital bed. Tears were flooding in his  eyes as he looked around, unaware of his condition.

"I'm right here, bud," Mike smiled, walking over to the five year old and taking a seat on the edge of the bed.

"Where am I?" Isaiah asked his father, letting some tears roll down his face. He began to remember the last time he was in a hospital bed, and in that last time he had lost one of the most important people in his life.

"Don't cry," Mike said, his voice cracking. He was telling Isaiah not to cry but he was about to cry himself.

"Why am I here, dad?" He lifted his hand up to wipe the tears on his face and waited for his dad to give him an honest answer.

Mike took deep breaths, not knowing if he should tell him the bad news. He wasn't sure if he would understand or not. He opened his mouth to speak but he was saved by Ivey and Carrie walking through the door, both of them with tearstained faces.

Carrie smiled at Isaiah, kissing him on his head. She tried not to say anything because she knew anything could cause her built up tears to begin to flow down her face.

"Mommy," his sweet voice was soft as he tried to stop crying, "what is going on?"

Carrie broke down, turning around to fall into Mike's arms as she bawled into his chest. Isaiah calling her mommy made her heart shred, she knew she wouldn't be hearing that too much longer.

Her uncontrollable tears stained Mike's shirt. He was crying too and the room was filled with tears. The only difference was that Carrie, Mike, and Ivey knew why they were crying, Isaiah had no clue.

"I think we should go freshen up." Mike dried his tears, holding Carrie in his arms. "Ivey, would you stay here with Isaiah."

"Yes, of course," she smiled faintly, also trying to stay as strong as she could.

"Aunt Ivey is going to stay here with you," Mike told Isaiah. Carrie got off of him and grabbed her purse and such. "Mom and I will be back sooner than you think."

The little boy nod his head, more confused than ever. The parents gave him a kiss and a hug then left the hospital, still in tears.

"Auntie," Isaiah whispered, watching Ivey wipe away tears.

"Yes, sweetheart," she smiled, sitting in a chair and scooting it to the side of the bed.

"Why are daddy and mommy so sad? Can you tell me why they are crying... And why you are crying too"

Ivey had to think of the right response, she knew Carrie and Mike didn't want to tell him about his disease yet.
"We are all just going through a tough time right now." She glided her fingers through his hair and kissed his cheek. "I promise you it'll all be okay."

His smile overshadowed the tears on his cheeks. His grin was wider than it had been in hours. Ivey smiled back, but her grin didn't hide the feeling of her heart breaking. She had lied to him. It wasn't going to be okay.