| C H A P T E R : N I N E |
I started panting involving some hard sobs make my body shake, that I couldn't control it. He caressed me in a warm embrace his familiar sent filled my lungs making my heart feel warm inside. I took a deep breath in and out feeling less afraid. I noticed that I was holding him so tightly and he held me the same way back. Even though I felt better now, I didn't want to let go of him it's been forever since we've hugged like this and now this reminded me of it.
He released his grip on me and so did I. He looked at my face with concern and I couldn't explain anything to him but to only fill my eyes with more sorrow.
"What's wrong? “He said in a concerned tone.
"It was ... Just a bad dream." I said ... well that was true.
"It's going to be alright ... Do you want to talk?" He said pushing my sweaty hair back with his hand.
"No." I say, and hoping he wouldn't leave. He looks down at my hands that were still holding on to him and back up at me.
"I'll stay with you until you fall asleep," he said sympathetically. I shook my head up and down in agreement, at this moment I felt like a little girl who needs her daddy to take away all her fears. I moved over giving him space to lay down, with my head laying against his warm heart, and curling up to him. Seconds later I fall asleep in his arms feeling safe.
I wake up the next morning and notice that my dad wasn't next to me. I take a shower and get dressed for school and came down stairs and there was my mother. She had her hair up in a bun, wearing a faded yellow shirt and dark blue capris. She was still cooking breakfast which meant both my dad and brother was still asleep.
"Hey, honey, you’re up early." She says looking between me and the pancakes that she's making.
"Yah ... Last night was ... rough." I say halfheartedly.
"Your father told me. So what's up?" She said simply waiting for my response. I messed around with the table mats trying to think of a way to explain.
"It was a bad dream ... About how I lost a person close to me, and ever since we stopped talking all this week I realized how much I missed them." I say not looking up for her reaction.
"May I ask? But who is 'them'?" She says moving closer towards me.
"A friend." I say. Hearing this answer and comparing it to what I just had said sounded like we were more than friends.
"A friend ... and who is this friend?" She asked curiously.
"You probably don't know him ..." I say trailing off realizing that if she knew it was a male in the situation she might assume something totally different than what I perceived it to be.
"So it's someone you're crushing on ...?"
"No, it's just ... nothing like that at all, I think of him as--"
"Kaysly, it's ok to have feelings--"
"Never mind." I say, shaking my head.
"Does he have a name?" She says. I knew I shouldn't have brought it up, now she won't drop it.
"His name is Caden." I say simply.
"Okay,” she replies, unsure. I wasn't sure what she was thinking ... and I don't think I would want to know either.
I hear my father's foots steps on the staircase coming to the kitchen. He was holding his tie in his mouth and his shoe's and sock in each of his hand, searching endlessly for ... whatever he was looking for. It could be anything ... my father is often losing his things in the morning ...
"Good morning everyone!" He said happily. My mother came over to him and they briefly shared a kiss, and my mother dismissed herself and went upstairs to see if my brother was awake yet.
“So how’d you sleep last night?” My father said, observing my face.
“It was fine ... thanks for staying with me.” I say thoughtfully. He came over to me and kissed the top of my forehead.
“Anytime.”
**********
I watched as my father backed away in the review mirror of my car and back at my mother who stood at the kitchen window, picking up my little brother’s arm making him wave at my father good-bye.
I started my car and backed out of the drive way and waved goodbye to my brother and mom. As I waited under the light I got a text message from Caden asking me if I could pick him up at the Bethesda hospital.
The hospital?! I thought to myself, remembering last night’s dream coming to life. I tried so hard not to remember that dream. I didn’t want it to be true, maybe he was visiting a friend, maybe he’s fine, he must be since he texted me. But even though all these could be a good possibility, the dreadful memories of that dream started flowing in …
…. I saw Richards and Zachary graves planted into the ground. Zachary tomb stone had the number's 1:24 Richard’s tomb stone had the number 2:24. Then Caden's body lay cold on a hospital bed, dead. He had one of those tags attached to his toe and it had his full name, date born, death date, and the number's 3:24.
