What Should I Do?

Chapter 3

Tears welled up in my eyes and I can't see. I probably just heard him wrong. My brother is fine. He's always fine. He told me I'd never have to be alone again. Sonny would never do anything that would put himself in danger because it could hurt me and leave me all alone.

My voice breaks as I yell at him, "Sonny promised that I'd never have to be alone. He'd always be there. Sonny would never do anything that could hurt either of us. You're lying!"

Andre tosses the phone up towards me.

When I catch it, he gruffly tells me, "Look at the pictures. Sonny told me you wouldn't believe me and instructed me to take a few pictures of him. After you're done looking at the pictures, delete them. They can't get out."

I open the phone and see a picture of him and I set as the background and the knot in my stomache just clenches and turns over and over as I try not to cry.

Then I see the pictures of my beaten up brother and I can no longer keep myself from crying.

Sonny's in a neck brace, has a broken arm, his face is brutually bruised and he has stitches on his nose. My brother has a black eye and swollen lip and has some sort of cast around his ribs.

Finally, I can't look at the pictures and longer and I delete them. I can't help but break down in tears.

Andre lets me cry for what seems like hours before telling me that I need to see Sonny.

I numbly nod, let down the ladder and start descending.

On my way down, I can't help but wonder what was so good and important that Sonny couldn't have called to tell me and all the things he did for me. I can't help but think of all the things he did for me that I didn't pay him back for. I can't help but think about how I'll do anything to help him.

I just need him to be okay.

I'll do anything for him to be okay.

My foot hits the ground and I walk towards Andre's car, open the passenger door, get in, and put on my seatbelt.

Andre gets in, starts the car, and pulls out onto the street towards the hospital.

On the way to Sonny, Andre sits stiffly then asks me, "Are you and Sonny close?"

When I just burst out sobbing after trying to say "Yes", his posture softens.

"He talks about you everyday. Sonny always tells me about how he'd be willing to die for you if need be."

"Really?"

"Yeah. He never does anything important without thinking about you." Andre looks away and drives a little faster as if he's afraid of tears.

I don't know what to say in return so I think about what could possibly be so important that Sonny had an accident over.

Andre and I were silent for a while. His face still and serious as a statue.

We sit in the car for twenty minutes in an uncomfortable silence.

Suddenly, voice breaking, Andre says, "Sonny is a brother to me. He's closer to me than my own flesh and blood."

I look over at Andre and for the first time, I see that he's trying his best to keep his emotions from spilling over. He's trying so hard not to cry.

I don't know how to comfort him so we just sit in silence for the rest of the way to the hospital.

When we get to the hospital, Andre and I sign in to see Sonny.

Every step I take to becoming closer to Sonny's hospital bed, the more anxious I become.

Finally, I'm standing outside of Sonny's room and I'm not sure if I want to go in.

Andre notices my hesitation, puts his hand on my back and quietly tells me, "It's all right. He'll be fine."

Hesitantly, I walk into the room. When I see Sonny, I just become overwhelmed with grief.

I stumble to his bedside and I can't stop myself from crying as I brush his hair away from his eyes.

He's in an unconscience state for the moment but I'm going to wait right by his side until he wakes up.

It's been about five and a half hours since I've walked in and Sonny is opening his eyes.

As soon as he sees me, he whispers my name and asks me to do him a favor.

"Sure, Sonny. Anything. You just tell me what to do and I'll do it." I say as my voice breaks.

He looks at me with the straightest face and simply says, "Sonya, I just need you to be me until I can fully recover."