Never Again

5

      "Hospital?!" There was a beep as the call ended. Junkai set the phone down and lied on a bench, closing his eyes. 

       Roy started at Junkai but Jackson held him back. Roy glared at Jackson accusingly but sat back down anyway. Emily watched the whole thing. A flare of jealousy tingled in her heart. 

      They didn't talk. Silence filled the hallway. 

       20 minutes later, the door burst and in came a brunette woman, a worried expression on her face. The crew looked up. At first, Junkai thought it was Fiona. Almost immediately, he suddenly jumped up. But as the woman came closer, Junkai realized it wasn't Fiona, but her mother. He sat down, crestfallen and the clouds in his eyes regained their darkness. 

      She wasn't Fiona. She is her mother. 

     Fiona's mother looked around at the gloomy faces of the children and bit back the urge to cry. She must be strong for them. She looked towards the white door where her child would be behind, struggling to survive. It was no use. She wept. So many times she has seen this on a tv, times she's seen it happen to others. How could she have expected it would happen to her own daughter, her own child?

       A man in a white coat stepped out the door. He looked at all the kids there, and the red faced mother holding a purse. They all looked at him, expectant. 

      "She's alive." He said. Hope bloomed on their faces. "But-- whatever she's been through has left her in a coma." The woman breathed deeply.

       "There's a chance she will be in this coma for the rest of her life. She can hear you talk to her though, while she's in this stage." 

      They were all waiting for him. "Go in." he urged them and turned away from the sad faces, the tears, and the sorrow.  He couldn't look them in the face.

       They all came in. 

       Fiona's mother was the first to talk. She sat at Fiona's side. "Fiona, why did you get yourself into this, huh? Do you know how much this kills me?"she cried.  Roy, Jackson, and Emily knew it was time to go. So they left, trying to drag Junkai with them, but he didn't move. 

      "Fine, fine." Roy muttered. 

      The door closed. Junkai looked back to check. When what he heard was confirmed, he seemed to relax more. He seated himself beside Fiona. 

       He watched Fiona's mother pour out all her heart. He watched her go on and on for hours and hours. Fiona's mother wiped her tears and motioned for Junkai to go on. At last, it was his turn. 

      "I'll visit every day ," he told her. His eyes watered. "Don't worry, you won't be lonely." 

      Then in a quieter voice, he whispered in her ear. "I lo--" he stopped. No. And instead he kissed her on the nose. 

       He looked back to see Fiona's mother staring at the both of them and smiling painfully. She took out a tissue and blew her nose. "Why don't you come over for dinner today?" 

       Junkai nodded and texted his father: I'm going for dinner at the Watson's. He shut down his phone before his father could protest. He put his phone in his bag.

       "Where's Mr. Watson? I don't see him here today." Junkai said as he looked around.

       " Oh--you mean Patrick? He left us." 

       Junkai nodded slowly, thinking to himself. Fiona's mother smiled again and held out her hand. "Remember me? Auntie Watson?" 

      He took her hand hesitantly. Fiona's mother laughed at his awkward stance, released and patted his hand, reassuring him. "Don't worry, I won't make you do that anymore. " 

     As they stepped out of the building Mrs. Watson raised her hand for a taxi, and sure enough, a yellow one came to a stop in front of them. They went inside. 

      It was almost a habit. As soon as Junkai settled in the car, his eyes moved out the window. Meanwhile, Mrs. Watson directed the driver where to go. 

      Junkai stared out the window. Trees were brown, yellow, orange, and red. It was beautiful. Perhaps it didn't matter. About his mother. Perhaps she didn't do it. How could Fiona do such a thing after all? It's impossible.  

      Junkai and Mrs. Watson both left the taxi, Mrs. Watson first handing the driver money. "Keep the change."

      And with that, both of them walked together into the white house. Junkai tensed. It brought so many memories, of Fiona and him running on the green grass playing tag, giggling as they were young. It reminded him, Fiona might not be able to do that anymore. 

      

      School became dull and tasteless. All Junkai thought about these days was Fiona, Fiona, Fiona, and visiting her, talking to her. He would go on for hours in the stuffy compacted room, just telling her about things, things happening in his life. Soon enough, his grades were dropping. Once his test grades were the highest in the class. Those days were over.

    "Xiao Kai, you don't care about anything anymore! You know, it scares us." Roy said one day. Junkai had went by Xiao Kai again. 

       Now, Junkai ignored them, stuffed his books in his backpack, and left. 

      "He's probably thinking  about Fiona again." Jackson sighed. 

      "One of these days, I'm going to punch 'im." Roy declared. Silence. 

      Jackson looked him over with judging eyes. "You? Punch him?" Jackson scoffed. 

     "Yes, me." 

       Those two words set it off. Jackson burst into laughter. 

       "What?" Roy asked, confuzzled and annoyed.

    

       As he got closer and closer to the hospital where Fiona would be, a smile lit up on his face. His pace increased and soon he was almost sprinting. 

      "Fiona?" he called. Junkai knows he won't get an answer but it didn't matter to him. He opened the door and walked in. He sat on the white chair beside her, the place he always sits. Junkai laid his head on her stomach and watched the small puff of air puff out her mouth. Her face was peaceful and serene. There were no harsh storms or white blizzards. It was as if it was just another sunny day. But in truth, the days have been cooling. It was almost Christmas, in fact. He moved off her and leaned close to her face. 

     "Do you still like Christmas?" he asked her. Without saying anything else, he reached into his backpack and took out a golden necklace with a heart shaped locket in the front. Inside, Junkai had placed a picture of him and her. He gently held her head up and fastened it around her neck. 

       Many weeks ago, he couldn't say it, those three words. He wasn't sure whether it was the boyish pride holding him back or anything. He could say it now. 

        "I love you," he whispered. "So wake up."

        "Please." 

       No answer.