Noodle Boy | Jachary | Book One

Sixteen

Zach

Love.

It was something you felt towards someone who means/meant a lot to you.

But you don't realize how much you do until they are almost gone.

I regretted yelling at my mother in my pre-teen years and when I was a kid. I thought I knew more, that I was my own leader, but as I sit in this chair and think, I can't lead myself. Not then, not now.

It has been two to three hours since they told us about my mother. She went further into the coma and she couldn't breathe on her own. It could lead to the cause of death.

I rubbed my eyes but it didn't help. The tears kept coming.

Ryan and Reese were here with my aunt and uncle. Jack was talking quietly to them while I sat alone.

My phone kept going off from texts and calls from the rest of the boys and Eli, but I didn't answer them.

More family piled in but I still sat alone, away from everyone, until Jack came up to me with his phone going.

"Hey Zach. It's the guys." He said, holding out his phone. I sniffle and set it on speaker so we both hear what they say.

"Hey." I say with a little sniffle.

"Hey. How are you doing bub?" Jonah asks.

"I'm fine." I say. I take a deep breath and look up, my eyes meeting the door. I sigh and lower my eyes but my attention is drawn to it as it open.

All of a sudden, I am up on my feet and over to the nurse. My mouth starts going while I sit there waiting for the best or worst.

"Is she okay? Is she not? Will she wake up? I need to know because she is my only parent-"

"She is doing quite fine. She can breathe on her own. And for being away, yes."

I grin and thank her. She lets me go to the room and I am by my mother's side in a matter of seconds.

"Oh Momma." I say kissing her hand. "It is all my fault. I am the one who put you through this."

"Zachary, it isn't your fault. You should know that." She takes her hand and puts it on my cheek, my hand following her.

She was so pale, and there was wires everywhere. I couldn't stand it.

I glance around the room and see that a lot of people were in here. Ryan and Reese stood across from me on the other side of my mother and my aunt and uncle stood at the end of her bed. Jack was in the corner watching contently and talking the boys on the phone.

"Hey Mom." Ryan said touching her shoulder. Reese was peering over the edge to look at our mother and I chuckled as she jumped, attempting to get a better look.

"Hey Ryan." She said turning to him with a smile. He smiled back at her and gives her a small hug.

"We missed you." He said smiling and Reese nodded eagerly.

"Auntie Marie doesn't make as good of casserole as you." She said pointing to my aunt at the end of her bed. She chuckled and shook her head.

"Myta got our mother's recipe, that is why." She said laughing. We gave a little chuckle now and then as we had a casual conversation as if nothing ever happened.

My mother stayed for the last night there, and they allowed me to stay by her side. I smiled as I wished my mother goodnight, knowing that in the morning she would be there to wake up to and take home.

—

It was great knowing my mother was safe, but all too soon, the trip home came. Jack and I had to drive back to California and leave my hardly put together family.

"Momma, you will be safe. He is gone. If anything bad happens again, call me, okay? I will be on the next flight, or road, here." I say. She smiles and gives me a hug.

"Okay, Zachary." She said smiling. "But wait!" She says as she runs to the kitchen.

My mom walks out with a tub of her homemade chocolate chip cookies. My eyes widen and I shake my head.

"Is that for me?" I ask looking at her. She shakes her head and giggles.

"It is for all of you, silly. You, Jack, Daniel, Jonah, and Corbyn." She says handing me the tub. I smile and nod.

"If they get to the rest first..." I hear Jack mutter and I stifle a laugh as he looks at me in confusion.

"What?" He asks. I laugh out loud and shake my head.

"Nothing." I look at my mom and she is giggling herself.

"And you, my boy, tell me everything. Every boy you meet." My mom says winking at me. I chuckle and Reese starts pouting.

"Mommy, can you tell Ryan to get a girlfriend? I want a sister." She pouts. I laugh setting down the cookies by my and Jack's bags and pick her up, eyeing Ryan.

"I agree." I say with her. We all burst out laughing as Ryan starts to become a blushing mess.

"Okay, can we please stop about this? It is making me uncomfortable." He said looking down. I chuckle and pat his shoulder.

"You know we were just messing with you. You can't rush love." I said. He looked up at me and smiled, shaking his head.

"What about you? Who have you been texting most of the week?" He asks winking terribly. I shake my head with a little laugh and a small blush.

"Just some guy." I say shaking my head. He rolled his eyes and gave me a smirk and the little sarcastic sure look.

"Anyways." I say changing the conversation. "We should probably get going." I kissed Reese on the forehead and set her down, going to hug Reese and then my mom.

She waves by to us and just like that, we are gone from my family for another few months until we decide it is time to go home.

—

It is weird. How something bad happens, and a few minutes later it feels like a dream. It feels as if it was a sad dream that would never come true. But it was. And you can only understand that after the aftermath. After what has happened and you see the pain the others go through and the pain also effects you. Only then do you realize.

——
^^^
How I feel right now.

IMPORTANT AUTHOR NOTE ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND HER PROBLEMS

It is 11-13-17, and yesterday my step brother got into a crash. That feeling that Zach though above is how I feel about the matter. It doesn't feel real until I see him with his messed up foot and neck brace. I had this feeling for my cousin and uncle when they passed a few years ago. So, do you guys feel that sometimes?

Word Count: 1183