Hearts Afar

...33...

...33...

When I started to open my eyes, I was immediately blinded by bright, white lights. I wanted to sit up but something was holding me down. I felt a pinch on my arm when I tried to move it and looked at the line that ran from my arm to a pole. I was hooked up on an IV. I was able to move my head and looked from side to side. I saw mom stand up and walk to my side. She placed a hand on my cheek and I turned my face into her touch. Her eyes started filling with tears as she spoke to me.

    “Hey honey.”

    “I...” my throat was so dry I couldn’t speak.

    “Here, eat some ice,” she said, placing a piece of ice against my lips. I ate a few more pieces and when I felt like a could talk, I asked what had happened. “We don’t know, sweetheart. We were hoping that you could tell us. Haylee brought the kids home, came back with them and said you were in hysterics. You were shaking so bad when Barbie and I got there. The doctors said you were in shock and we’re just trying to figure out what set it off. Do you remember?”

When she asked me that, I closed my eyes. Hoping that something would happen where I could remember what happened. I don’t even remember anything from the point of waking up because my phone rung. As if on cue, my brain triggered something. I remembered hearing Clay’s garbled voice on the line. I remember the phone ringing again and hearing the gun shots in the background. I threw my hands up to my mouth as I felt bile rising. 

    “Clay...”

    “What about him?”

    “He... called,” I hiccuped. “I... gunshots... He... Oh my god mom. I think he’s dead.”

    “Calm down honey. Let’s not say things like that until we know for sure.”

    “There was shouting. I couldn’t understand anything and then there was gun shots. Did I listen to my boyfriend die, mommy?”

    “No honey,” she held onto me. “No, Clay’s still alive. He’s going to come home.

    “What...” I started shaking again and I vaguely remember a doctor walking in, saying something to mom and then putting something in my IV. A few seconds later, I was overwhelmingly sleepy and soon, sleep claimed me.

I didn’t know if I was dreaming but whatever it was, made me happy, it felt so real. I was laying down in a field of wild flowers. When I sat up, I noticed that the weather was absolutely perfect. I stood up and looked down. I was wearing a beautiful flowery sun dress and I was barefoot. I had never seen a place this beautiful and I never wanted to leave. 

The first person I saw was Caroline and she honestly had never looked so good. Her hair was long, thick and the light wind was blowing it behind her. She had so much color in her face and her eyes literally sparkled. She walked right up to me and wrapped her arms around me. I fell into her arms and started crying.

    “It’s okay honey,” she said, her voice sounded so healthy.

    “Am I dead?”

    “No sweetie, you’re just in limbo.”

    “What’s that mean? Am I going to die?”

    “No Claire, you are not going to die. Your father and I are making sure of that.”

    “My father?”

    “Yes, your father. Honey, you have been through so much in recent events and you are trying to handle everything on your own. I didn’t leave here thinking you would take full responsibility for everything. Some things were to full on Barbie also. I didn’t want you to get overwhelmed by it all.”