Unpredictable 》h.s.

Chapter 14

I sit at the end of the couch not wanting to be in the way and sip my cup of hot chocolate. I wait for mom and dad to get the camera and garbage bag before we start opening presents. It's Christmas, my favorite holiday and I would be lying if I said opening presents wasn't my favorite part. Of course it's my favorite part, I'm a kid.

Mom enters the room with a huge smile on her face and sits next to me. She gives me a hug and says Merry Christmas before giving me a kiss on the cheek. Dad enters with Lilly on his shoulders and a plastic bag in hand.

I grab my first present and open it already knowing what its probabaly going to be. It's pajamas. Pajamas are a traditional gift in the family and is the first present you open even though you already know what it is, making it not much of a surprise. But I love it anyways. Lilly takes her turn and opens up hers and it's the same.

I grab another box and open it, trying to guess what I think it might be.

These are the moments I love the most. When the whole family is together and happy. When you see the smiles on everyone's face and the pure joy of the holidays.

°°°

The ambulance. I can hear the sirens in my head even though they're not there. I can see the car and the elk and my father. I can imagine his face. His terified face. But even when all these images play over and over again in my mind, I still feel numb. I don't feel anything. Because it didn't happen, right? It didn't happen.

But it did happen. Moments like this. When you're sitting in a hospital and the Christmas memories fade away and all you're left with is sadness. With bags under your eyes from not sleeping and a headache because of the endless crying.

One moment you're sitting next to the Christmas tree and the next you're pacing around the hospital waiting room just hoping and praying they're going to make it. You always expect them to make it. You don't ever think of your loved ones not being okay.

°°°

I walk inside not caring to knock. I continue towards his room and open the door. He's laying there in bed, still asleep and it's 11:00 in the morning. I turn on the light and walk over to the bed. I rip the covers from on top of him and throw them on the floor.

"Get your ass up. I need to talk to you." I walk out of his room and down the stairs to the living room. I sit on the couch and wait till he comes down stairs.

It feels like an hour before he even reaches the stairs but it was only 5 minutes. He takes his time and walk down them slowly still trying to wake himself up. I'm surprised I didn't have to go back in there and jump on him just to get him out of bed.

He comes and sits on the couch next to me and doesn't say anything. I turn towards him and gather what I want to say before I actually decide to say them.