My grandmother (love is patient sequel)

15

"What's happening?" I screamed, looking around me for an explanation as to where I was. Everything was white and blank.

"Hello?" I called, desperate for a response. Nothing. My voice echoed around me. I looked around, still blank. Then, when I looked down at myself, things started appearing. I was in a cheap, nasty hospital gown and lying in a hospital bed.

"Hello?"

Suddenly, a door opened. I hadn't noticed it before yet it was so obvious and real now. A nurse walked in. She had greeny-blue eyes and wavy brown hair, tied back into a simple ponytail. I knew instantly who it was.

"Grandma?"

She walked further in and sat on the end of the bed and stared at me blankly.

"Enfys Parry?"

With a confused look on her face, she hesitantly pulled off her face mask.

"Who are you?" She spoke softly with a soothing Welsh accent.

"I- I'm your grandson. Don't you recognise me?"

She continued staring at me, confused.

"I- I don't- I don't have a grandson. You must be getting me mixed up with someone."

"Then why would I know your name?" I stopped her as she began to get up.

"I don't know... But you can't be my grandson."

"Why not?"

She looked at me with tears in her eyes.

"I have- had. I had two daughters. One of them can't have children because she- because of her health. The other one... Well she... She passed away when she was only a child. Her and her father."

"What?"

"Look, I don't really want to talk about it but you cannot be my grandchild."

"But I am. I swear I am."

"I was only meant to come in here to treat you. It's my job. But I don't think I can do anything now."

She hung her head in sadness and rushed out of the room.

Suddenly there was a sharp pain in my chest. I was like my heart was trying to self destruct. I didn't know what to do but the pain was unbearable. I turned my head to notice a large, red button next to me. Large letters above the button read:

PRESS FOR URGENT ASSISTANCE. EMERGENCIES ONLY.

I slammed my hand onto the button as hard as I could. Nothing. I writhed in my bed as the pain continued and worsened. With my other hand pressed against my chest, I slammed my fist onto the button again. Still nothing. Trying to stay as calm as possible, I waited a moment. Yet again, nothing. Then I repeatedly whacked the button. After ages of pressing the button, I could hear people running towards the door. The handle moved urgently, as if someone on the other side couldn't get in.

"Sir. Your door is locked." A voice shouted from the other side.

"Sir?" Another voice called.

More voices contributed until a large mob of people were outside the door, knocking and shouting. Still in pain, I tried to get myself out of my bed and towards the door. Soon I was on the floor, crawling towards the door. Just as I reached up to the handle, everything stopped; the noise, the pain. Suddenly everything was white and blank again. I stayed sitting on the floor until an image appeared before me.

A beach. It was a breezy winter's day and there was a beach. I was not at the beach, just watching the beach. Then, people began to appear. First, an old woman with grey, wavy hair and greeny-blue eyes. Then an old man with grey, curly hair and eyes of an undecided colour. He walked next to the woman and they joined hands. Then a woman and a child, the woman had blonde hair that was pulled back into a messy braid. The child was a little girl, she too had blonde hair and it was in little pigtails. She walked along the beach bare foot while the woman held her hand and her shoes in the other. Then a man ran up towards them. He had short brown hair and was bare foot too. He ran up behind the little girl and scooped her up into his arms and then onto his shoulders. She smiled and held onto his head. Then two dogs appeared at once. Two small Italian greyhounds, one grey and the other fawn. They ran along together and chased after a tennis ball. Then came another woman and another man. The man was tall and had long brown hair and a bushy beard. He walked with his arm around the woman. She was similar to the previous woman and had blonde hair. Hers was tied into a messy bun. She walked slowly and had two dog leads draped over her shoulders. Next came two old men. One in a wheelchair with grey hair pushed to one side wearing a child like lion hat. The other pushing the chair with his grey hair pushed in the other direction and a child like llama hat.

They all walked along the beach together, happy and carefree. They walked along until the reached a certain point. Then I realised. They were my family. Why had it taken so long to realise?

"Guys?" I called to them. They all turned and faced in my direction as if posing for a picture.

"Guys?" I called again, reaching out my arm to them. It was my family with a few unfamiliar faces. And not mine.

Not mine.

"Guys." I called, yet again, louder and more urgently this time.

"Guys." I began shaking uncontrollably as I continued to shout at them.

"Guys." I shouted once last time before they all started to fade one by one. They continued fading until it was only one woman. Hafi.

"Tom?"

"Tom. For Christ's sake. Wake up!"

I still shook and reached out as she called to me.

"Tommy. Wake the hell up."

I screamed.

"What the hell was all that about?" Hafi looked at me. I slowly became aware of my surroundings. It was all a dream.

"It was all a dream?"

"What was?"

"Her... and then the hospital... and her and him and them and you and him and those two and the girl."

"What?"

"Oh thank god. It was all a dream."

"Tell me about it later. We need to go to see Gus in the hospital."

"Hospital?"

"Yes. Is there a problem with that?"

"No. No. Not at all."