A Call for Help

Chapter Seven: Terrible News

Samantha wondered where her mother was. It had been almost a week and she still hasn't showed up. Today she finally found out why.
The doctor that delivered the news had brown skin and spoke in an Indian (India!) accent. He was tall and almost hit his head on the door.
"Uh, your name is Samantha, correct?"
"Yes," she replied, her throat feeling dry. Her voice was getting better, but she preferred the note pad.
"I have some tragic news that I'm sorry to inform you of," he said. Samantha sat up a little straighter. "You're mother was in a car crash about when you came in. She was severely injured and we tried to save her. She died last night."
Samantha's eyes filled with tears. She'd thought her mother hadn't cared and here it turns out she had it worse. Samantha should have seen something coming. It always happens. When things start to go her way, something bad would happen and turn it ask around.
"I'm really sorry," he said looking at the ground. "Tomorrow someone will be here to discuss where you will go now. We tried to contact your father, but his number is out of date."
The tears began to fall from Samantha's eyes. He stood at the door, unsure what to do. Then, a boy about Samantha's age walked in. When he heard her crying, he dashed over to her. It was Johnathan.
They hugged each other, Johnathan whispering in her ear about how it's going to be okay. The doctor stood unsure what to do. Eventually he just left the room, going to do something else he's needed with.
"Hey, what happened," Johnathan asked, looking at her worried. Samantha tried to speak, stuttering and crying.
"M-my m-m-mother. She w-was in a car a-accident the d-day I t-tried to," she couldn't continue, bursting into tears and clinging to him like a lost blanket the child loved. He rubbed her back, soothing her in a soft voice. After a moment she calmed down.
"May I h-have a glass of water," she asked.
"Oh, yea." He quickly left and returned even quicker with a glass of water. She thanked him and drank it. After a moment she spoke up.
"You know, nobody had ever been this nice to me. Not even my own mother."
"You're a great person. Someone has to be here for you." He took her hand and looked into her brown eyes. She blushed and looked away. He smiled and nervously turned her head back to him with his free hand.
There they were. Time seemed to stop and watch. They stared into each other's eyes, lips, inches apart. Then nervousness took them both. Samantha looked away again and Johnathan stood as if to leave.
She took his hand again, keeping him from leaving, then dropped it, embarrassed by her sudden need. He simply smiled and kissed her cheek. It may have been lame, but for the rest of the day, they played checkers.