Game changers

The joy for him The sorrow for me

3:30am and I wake up to hear Rosie screaming at the top of her lungs I go to calm her down and to feed her when there was a knock at the door. I go downstairs to see a police car outside my house I open the door "Hello sorry to call at such a hour but this is urgent are you Paul Landson?" I police officer said stood in a high visible jacket, "yes that's me may I ask why you are here?" I replied slightly shocked "May we come in?" The officer next to him said. "Yeah I guess" I said before inviting them in. The officers sat down "We are here Paul to tell you your father was severely beaten up in a prison fight a few hours ago, we believe it was a targeted attack but the other prisoner will not tell us anything, do you know why your father could have been targeted?" The officer said, my heart sank it's obvious David caused this I thought he was gunna get me sacked not get someone to beat up my dad but I haven't seen my dad in 8 years since he was sent to prison... A few moments passed and I responded to the officer "No I honestly don't know why I haven't seen him in 8 years, I don't suppose I could go and see him now?" I said "Yes you can go and see him but he is in a terrible state the attacker punctured one of your fathers lungs and there is a 45% chance of survival I'm so sorry" he replied. They both got up and left leaving me to sit there in shock then Denise came running down the stairs "Why were the police here what's happened????" She said "David got someone to beat up my dad he might not survive.." I replied.

I got ready a few hours later before heading to the hospital to see my dad the first time in years I got to his ward and he was led in his bed hooked up to all these machines he woke up and looked shocked "Paul?" He said in a shocked tone "Don't get up you will only make yourself worse" I said before moving over to him. He was struggling to breath and had to take constant breaths from a oxygen mask "You look so different since I last saw you" he said with a smile "I'm 24 dad, why did you decline all my visit requests" I asked slightly angry "I didn't want you to see me in such a horrible place I wanted to surprise you when my sentence was done, which is another 2 years yet" he said before taking another deep breath "How's your mum?" He added "She kicked me out 4 years ago when I was 20. She couldn't cope with all the stress and she's gone to live with Aunty Hailey in France, a lot has happened dad" I replied back. "What else has happened then?" He said breathing heavily "I'm planning to get engaged to my girlfriend soon and I have a daughter too" I added. At this point a little tear came out of his eye "You've grown up so fast" he said wiping away the tears.

I sat with him for a few more hours and even fell asleep Denise phoned and I went outside to answer, when I went back in doctors were swarmed around my dad he's gone into cardiac arrest or some thing well that's what I heard one of the doctors say, I was escorted outside and watched as my dad slowly was drifting away into eternity and a flat line came over one of the medical machines, how could this happen it was just a few hours ago we were talking and we're getting on, someone came outside "Mr Landson I'm so sorry your father has passed away, I'm sorry for your loss" one of the doctors said, I stood staring blankly thinking back to the years when me, my mum and dad all lived together all having fun and being told I was gunna be a big brother and now it's all gone.

I sat in my car dreading the call I'm about to make to my sister who lives in Canada she answered "Paul why are you calling me now it's 3am" she said sounding agitated "Carol dad has died" I said back to her before wiping away tears, I could hear her down the phone crying before talking "I'll phone you back" she said before hanging up I burst into tears before punching the steering wheel why is David such a asshole what have I ever done to him? It's Denise he should hate not me!!!. I punched the steering wheel repeatedly until blood came spewing out of cuts on my hand, I got a text of Carol "I'm coming to visit you won't deal with this alone Paul xx". At this point I calmed down my sister looked after me when I was kicked out although it was meant to be the other way round I was meant to always look after her. She's been there for me the most and I owe her a lot.

I drove home and opened the door Denise was stood there "How is he?" She said I walked straight past her and walked upstairs and slammed the bedroom door before getting into bed and mourning the loss of my dad it's weird how I have so much emotion of his death when he hasn't been there for me for the past 8 years, when I did know him he was a nice man before he turned to alcohol, then my mum and him had argument because of me then that's when he got in his car and ran over that poor child, it all came rushing back to me I'm to blame for this, I caused my dads death if I didn't cause that argument none of this would have happened, my dad would still be here, I'm to blame for this......