Completed Heart

Chapter 28: Hospital

Chapter 28: Hospital

I woke up at about 2a.m. because I heard someone slam open the door. Mum was home. I decided to go back to sleep and see how she was in the morning. Exactly four hours later I woke up and got dressed. Once I was all ready, I wandered into my mother’s room. It was vacant. She was probably downstairs on the couch. I walked down the stairs and into the TV room. Empty.

“Mum?” I called and walked into the kitchen. She wasn’t sitting at the table. I walked over to grab a water bottle out of the fridge. I moved around and peered over the counter. I gasped and my heart stopped. There she lay, on the floor, completely still. She was pale, her face tinted a blue/green. Was she… I couldn’t bring myself to think the word.

I quickly went over to take her pulse. It was dull and fast, but she had one, thank God. I rushed over to the phone and dialed the emergency number. As soon as I hung up, I could hear an ambulance in the distance. I went back over to my mum.

“MUM! Mum, wake up! Mum..” She wasn’t responding. I could feel tears well up in my eyes. I tried not to cry, but I couldn’t. My mother was never much of a mother, but she was still my mum. I couldn’t lose her, not now. This was the last thing I needed.

When the ambulance pulled up in front of my house, I rushed out to meet the paramedics. While a couple rushed in to my mother, one stayed out to talk to me.

“We think your mother has alcohol poisoning and possibly liver failure. Was your mother, by any chance, an alcoholic?” The paramedic spoke to me slowly, and with kindness. I nodded.

“If you can, could you explain her drinking habits?” I nodded, but hesitated. This is my family’s secret, I didn’t want to tell some stranger about it. I decided to proceed, anyways; my mum’s life was in danger.

“She, uh, she likes to party and stay out for days.”

“Do you know if your mother was doing any drugs?”

“I think it is possible, but I wouldn’t know.” The paramedic nodded and wrote something down on a little notepad. She looked back up at me, and smiled reassuringly.

“Honey, do you live alone with your mother?”

“I have an older brother.”

“Does he live with you?” I had to lie to her. If I didn’t; not only would the paramedic call social services but she would call Liam. I nodded. She scribbled something else down on her notebook and led me into the ambulance, where my mother lay in a stretcher. Once we arrived at the hospital, I sat in the waiting room, filling out paperwork. I forged Liam’s signature for most of it because a legal adult was needed. Once the forms were done and handed in, I found myself walking around aimlessly. My mum was in surgery getting a liver replacement.

I walked past a wall filled with brochures. One in particular caught my eye. It was for a rehab center for alcoholics and drug addicts. I had tried taking my mother somewhere like that before, but I wasn’t able to check her in because it would be against her will. They only allowed it against her will if she hit rock bottom. I would say that this, alcohol poisoning and liver failure, is rock bottom. I took the brochure, folded it up and slipped it in my back pocket. I decided that I was going to check her in as soon as she was released from the hospital.

I finally wandered back over to my mother’s room and plopped myself down on the chair across from her bed. I woke up five hours later, to find my mother laying peacefully in her bed. She wasn’t as pale or blue as this morning, but still looked sickly. I kissed her forehead and walked out of the hospital. After I exited the doors I stopped. How was I supposed to get home? I didn’t bring the car, I came in the ambulance. I had no one to call for a ride. I decided to walk home. I had no other choice. When I got home I took a quick shower and changed into my pajamas. It was already 8p.m. I looked at my phone and noticed I had a missed call from Liam. I tried calling him back, but it went straight to voicemail. I sighed, I had missed his call and now I wouldn’t be able to talk to him until tomorrow. I guess it’s ok though, he would have been able to tell that something was wrong. At least now I have 24 hours to get myself together.

I climbed into Liam’s bed, twisting my body oddly, which sent a sharp pain shooting in my ribs. I quickly readjusted to a position comfortable for my broken rib, and cried myself asleep.

do you think she's going to tell Liam about everything going on? Do you think she's going to get her mom to rehab?  Should she tell Liam abot what's been happening?