The Streets Higher Stakes

6. Reunion

Cole's POV

"Mom?" I breathed.

She nodded her head, smiling up at me. She had on a white t-shirt and dark blue jeans with feathers in her dark hair. "My little boy is all grown up." She said with tears in her eyes as she looked me up and down.

"How are you here?" I asked,  realizing that I was crying. She shushed me as she wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me to her.I wrapped my arms around her, as I watched my tears soak into her shirt. I could feel her skin on mine. This is the only time I got to touch her and the only time she got to touch me. I tightened my arms around her, before holding her at arm's length.

Her face was red from crying as I reached down and wiped the tear marks from her cheeks. I then pressed my lips to her forehead and placed my arm behind her. I had never got to do this so I wasn't going to hold back. Chuckling at my actions she placed a small hand on my cheek. "My son. A gentlemen I see." She said, smiling up at me. It was my turn to chuckle at her words. Breathing in her scent, I replied, " Dads doing a good job."

Her smile brightened at the mention of my father. "How is your father doing?" She asked as she took her hand away and stepped back.

"He's doing good. He misses you a lot." I admitted to her.

Her smile turned sad as she looked at me. "You can tell him I miss him too. You can also tell him that he can find someone else."

I shook my head. " I tried to get him out there a few years ago. It wasn't until he almost tore my head off that I left it alone. You're his one true love, he won't go and find someone else."

Speaking of my father, I got reminded that Trish was still sleeping inside. "Mom I want you to meet someone." I said as tugged her hand and started turning around. I looked over my shoulder, panic setting in. The house was gone. We were surrounded by nothing but whiteness. I was so caught up that I didn't notice everything disappear. Trish was inside and my unborn child and they were nowhere to be seen.

"Trish?" I called out, dropping my mom's hand and looking back and forth. I ran a few yards ahead looking everywhere. She was gone. As if she and our unborn child had never existed.

"Cole, come back here. We have to talk." My mom called to me. I walked slowly back to her, sadness seeping in.

"Where's Trish and our baby?'" I questioned. I had to find them.

Her smile turned sad as she grabbed my hands. "Cole none of this is real." She spoke slowly.

I blinked, not understanding her. "Of course this is real, I can feel you." I reached out touching her arm, only not to feel anything. It was as if I were touching air. "Wh-Why can't I feel you?" I had only got to touch her twice. Twice.

"You got shot. Remember Cole?" Her eyes looked pleadingly into mine. I gasped as my vision left as my mother disappeared in front of me. Instead I heard Thayer saying he was going to deal with everything, the guys coming and dropping off the drugs, a black car coming out of nowhere and immense pain.

I gasped again as my vision came back to me. "Where am I?" I asked breathlessly.

"You're at the hospital, recovering." She answered.

"How are you here and how can I get back?" My voice was desperate at the realization that none of this is real.

"You got pretty badly injured. I was only able to get here and talk to you because you lost a lot of blood and the doctors gave you a high dose of drugs, making you stay asleep longer. As for your second question there's nothing you can do here. It's up to your physical body to heal and then wake up."

I tugged on the ends of my hair, feeling frustrated. "Is there anything you can do?" I begged. She started to shake her head until she stopped. There must be something she could to then.

"Mom, please." Her eyes seemed to grow even sadder at my words. "You can come with me. You don't have to stay here."

"Come with you where? There's nothing here." She sighed before coming close to me and pressing the pad of her forefinger on my forehead. My vision disappeared once more, taking me by surprise.

When it returned, I could see a pair of black gates a few yards away from me. The sky was a dark blue and a white light, brighter than any other white light I had seen.  I felt whole and happy, as I started to make my way towards the gate. As I approached I could see a dark shape in the distance, land maybe? I  could hear voices but I couldn't see anybody. I stood there, focusing in on them. They weren't talking or arguing but singing. The angelic voices morphing together, sounding better than any choir I had ever heard. I stepped forward towards the voices, only to feel my chest tighten. I opened my mouth trying to get more air into my lungs but I couldn't. I stumbled back, away from the gates as my vision went dark.

My eyes shot open as I coughed, welcoming the air. I backed away from my mom, coughing more and more. I gasped as the coughs finished racking my body.

"What was that place?" I gasped, looking back at my mom.

"Heaven."

I widened my eyes, realizing what she had tried to do. "I asked you to help me mom! Not try to kill me!" I said angrily.

"You asked for my help and I gave it to you. You asked where we would go and I showed you." She explained.

"Mom I'm not ready to die yet." My voice weak as I still recovered from whatever had happened to me.

She smiled at me. "That's all I needed to hear from you. By the way, I know that you and Trish are together. I'm not sure if she's going to be good for you but I know you'll definitely be good for her." She placed a kiss on my forehead, backing away as she started to fade.

"Mom?" I panicked once more.

The whiteness in the room started to dim, until all I could see was blackness rushing towards me. I took one last breath as it consumed me.