Forsaking Lilly

Chapter Thirty

I knew some hours had went by since I'd first woken up. Within that time, I talked to my mother about everything I felt. I know it may seem strange, but I couldn't help myself. Even though I felt it was out of my character, I spilled every feeling in my gut the moment she had touched my hand, asking me if I was alright. I rambled on about my flip-flop feelings for Cooper, my blooming hatred for Marcus, and anything else that happened to pop into my mind. To my surprise, she listened intently, her hand stroking my own. It was a calming gesture, which only seemed to force me to confess more. Once or twice, I almost told her about Hope, but each time I felt the need to shut my mouth. I think she noticed, because her brows had knitted themselves together every time I quieted.

Finally, I had told her everything and seeing this, she offered me a motherly smile and patted my arm  once or twice. "Well," she said, standing from the armchair that had became her nest," I knew things weren't easy for you, but I had no idea you dealt with so much." She sighed and smoothed back her hair, which had long ago fallen from her messy bun. I noticed then the bags around her eyes, the true signs of stress in her apparel. She'd obviously been worrying about me, but at least she seemed to be more relaxed now. " I didn't know Marcus was so...," she trailed around looking for words to say to put all the things that were Marcus into one fitting word. Needless to say, she failed and just shrugged her shoulders.

"Tell me about it...," I muttered, turning my head to the side. It felt good to know that someone other than just myself knew how I felt. I felt a little foolish that I had thought my mother would never understand, but just chalked it up that it was only natural that I had thought that way. I was, after all, just a teenage girl.

"So, have you taken the time to call your Aunt Marie?" The question startled me, and with a groan I placed my hand against my face. It was safe to say that telling her that I had forgotten would be a severe understatement. My Aunt Marie had never even crossed my mind. It wasn't that I didn't want to talk to my aunt, because I really did, I'd just been so swamped!

"Mom, I-"

"Don't worry about it, Cal," my mother said, holding up a hand," I'll just have you call her as soon as you get home." I nodded, but then squinted my eyes at my mother.

" How long do I have to stay here exactly?" 

My mother's answer was interrupted by the hospital door opening. A woman with a plump face and a head full of black hair that was pulled back into a high ponytail, stuck her head in and offered both my mother and I a smile. " Nice to see you're up, hun," she said to me, and then turned to my mother. " Calla's got a few visitors, but I wont let them in if you refuse them."

My mother nodded at the nurse, and made a hand gesture that it was okay for them to come. The nurse nodded her head and then stepped back out. I looked to my mother, expecting her to answer my earlier question, but then the door opened again and in walked Cooper. Quickly, his eyes found mine and they searched me for a while. Quickly, he looked away and found my mother leaning against the wall on the far side of the room. 

Immediately, my mother's eyebrows shot up and, whistling loudly, she excused herself from the hospital room, leaving me and him alone. Awkwardly, I tried to sit up and make myself comfortable. The motion caused me to feel a little dizzy, but I tried not to make any faces. Cooper looked just as uncomfortable as I felt and I watched with tired eyes as he slowly made his way to the armchair beside the bed and sat.

" Hey...,," he mumbled.

" Hi." His hand instantly went up to run through his hair, and I waited patiently for him to say something.

" Look, I'm sorry....I should have watched you, I should have been there. I didn't think there was, I mean, I didn't know there was-" I shook my head, trying to offer him a small smile, but I wondered if it looked strained.