No Wings To Fly

Chapter Twenty Eight

Sam could be dead. Those four words haunted my every thought.

What if she didn't make it? It would all be my fault. Why couldn't I have taken her out on a different day? Maybe this all would've never happened.

Sam didn't deserve this. None of it. She was just a sweet and innocent girl who wanted to live out her life. Why couldn't she? Why wouldn't this cruel and beautiful world let her do just that? I squeezed my eyes shut and clenched my fists to the point where my nails broke my skin. I couldn't sleep last night. How could I, knowing Sam was hurt?

The scene of Sam laying there pale and still hung in my mind. The beat of her heart, struggling to work, fading. My hysterical screams. The nurse's orders being yelled out into the night air. No. I couldn't have possibly slept.

It was noon and there had been no news yet of Sam's condition. Sam could be dead. Sam could be dead. Sam could be-

A lady rushed in at such a sudden pace it made me jump. She was yelling things quickly at the man at the counter. So quickly in fact that neither I nor the man could understand what she was saying. From my balled-up position in the corner of the room I lifted my eyes to examine her. She was a taller woman, had dark brown hair, and bloodshot eyes that were green in color, like mine.

"Mrs. White? Can you please take a seat?" The man stared her down with widened eyes.

Mrs. White? That was Sam's mom!

"Oh, um... sure." Though she agreed, Sam's mom still stood at the counter, knuckles white.

She suddenly turned and examined the available seats. I gave her a small wave and she took a seat one chair down from mine.

"Are you here for Sam?" I cursed under my breath for starting off my very first conversation by bringing up her dying daughter.

"Yes. Samantha White? You know her?"

"Yeah. I'm uh..."

"Wait-" She flashed me a small smile that reminded me of Sam. "Are you... James?"

"Jay. Yeah." I laughed. "You know Sam and I are-"

"Dating? Yes. I know." She gave me another sweet smile though I breathed a sigh of relief. "It's good to finally meet you. Sam has told me a lot about you." She winked and I realized how much Sam's mom was like mine.

"It's nice to meet you too." I shrugged and moved a seat closer.

Sam's mom wrung her hands together. 

"It's going to be alright... I think." I placed my hand on hers.

"Thank you Jay. But I'm not that sure. I'm not trying to scare you, but Sam doesn't have too much longer anyways. It will be hard for her to pull through this time, though I put all my faith in her. She is so strong and brave..."

"I know." I turned away. "I would do anything for Sam, just to have her be okay. I love her so much and I just-" I stopped myself, knowing I had just admitted I loved Sam.

My face turned crimson. "I love her too." Mrs. White gave me a sympathetic look. 

We sat there in silence, my hands still clasped onto hers.

"Mrs. White?" The doctor called. "This way."

Sam's mom stood to leave and then stopped. "Jay, you can come too."

I nodded my head and proceeded to the door where the doctor was waiting.