The Lost Girl, Now Found

17) Slow, Deep Breaths

Narrator's POV

Emma sat there with a lifeless Graham in her arms, she knew the paramedics were on the way, but she also knew that they would be too late, he was already gone. Her chest was starting hurt, which she knew that means she was probably going to have a panic attack, so she called her mom.

Snow's POV

At around 6, David, Henry, and I decided on watching a movie, we thought it was a good idea because the movie should be over around the time that she gets home from work. About and hour into the movie, my phone started ringing, it was Emma, I pause the movie to answer it. 

"How'd it go?" I ask her, I've been dying to know about her new relationship. But when I ask she doesn't say anything, all I hear is her breathing. It sounds like she's hyperventilating. "What's wrong?"
"G-Graham" was all she was able to say before going back to hyperventilating.
"Slow deep breaths, slow deep breaths, I'm on my way, stay on the phone. Okay?" 

I pull the phone from my ear and talk to the boys. "You guys stay here, I have to go"

"Who was on the phone Grandma?" Henry asked me, I contemplated on whether or not I wanted to be honest. 

"Henry... It's your mom" that got David's attention rather quickly. 

"What's wrong?? Is she okay??" He asked me in a panic, they both shared a similar look, they were both worried sick, as was I. 

"I don't know, but I need you guys to stay here" I said, then I grabbed my keys and was out of the door before either of them could protest. Luckily the station is less than a 5 minute drive from the apartment. 

When I got to the station, an ambulance was a short distance behind me, so I ran into the building before I could be stopped and I saw my daughter clinging to Graham and hyperventilating still. I checked him for a pulse, but he was gone. 

"Emma! I'm here, you're okay!" I said trying to soothe her. "Remember what Dr. Whale said, slow deep breaths" all she could do was shake her head. Then the paramedics came in, and I figured that an O2  mask would help. 

I watched as they tried to revive Graham. "He's gone" one of the paramedics said, but Emma just got worse, so I helped her get up and took her to the back of the ambulance and went through all of their things until I found what I needed. "Hey!! What are you doing?" I heard from a distance, but I ignored it and went over to Emma. 

I placed the oxygen mask over her mouth and nose. "Okay Emma, this will help. Take long and slow deep breaths" eventually she nodded and calmed down a bit. Then I noticed that the paramedics were coming towards us. "I'm sorry, she was having a panic attack and she wouldn't take deep breathes, I didn't have the time to ask for permission" they both nodded in understanding. 

After a few minutes Emma recovered. "Miss Swan we have to ask you a few questions" one of the paramedics told her, and she nodded in response. "What did Mr. Humbert tell you about his condition?"

Emma's POV

After hearing what the doctor asked I was shocked. "Condition"

"Yes. We found this on him" he told me handing me a piece of paper from Graham's doctor. "What... What's cardiomyopathy?"

"It's an unpredictable condition, extremely rare in adults" this information gave me multiple mixed feelings, so I didn't react, I just put the piece of paper down and walked away.

I was about halfway down the street by the time my mom caught up with me. "Emma! Stop!"

"I'm going home! I want to see my son and dad!"

"Em, please. Tell me what your thinking" she told me, worriedly.

"I'm just... He told me that he had feelings for me, and he... He said he wanted a relationship... then he died a few hours later. Mom, I don't know how to feel! I don't know what to think!" I yelled, not even realizing the tears until my mom was wiping them off my face. "It's not fair mom, it's not"

"You're right Em, it's not. He should've been honest with you. But that doesn't mean you get to push down your feelings, you have to talk. You know talking about your feeling alleviates the stress, which lessens the amount of panic attacks you have. So please Em, just talk about your feelings"

"Okay mom, I'll try" 

"Okay, lets get home and tell David and Henry what happened" we both walked home and got to the apartment to see my worried dad and don. 

"Mom!" Henry yelled as we came inside.

"Emma are you okay??" My dad asked.

"Mom, you talk to dad and I'll talk to Henry" she nodded her head and they left the room leaving Henry and I to talk.

"What's going on?" Henry asked me. 

"Well Hen, I just found out that Graham has been very sick, but he didn't tell anyone"

"Oh... How sick?"

"Kid, he was really sick" I told him.

"Was? He's not... He's okay, right?" He asked, probably scared of my answer. 

"He's not Henry"

"B-but Graham was my first friend. He was always do nice to me! He's my best friend mom!" He told me now crying. 

"I know kid, he was my friend too" I told him pulling him into a hug. 

"But Grandma told me that you guys were starting to date today... Are you okay mom?"

"Yeah I'm okay kid, are you?" He nodded his head in response. "How about we sneak some of your Grandma's secret stash of ice cream?" He nodded his head enthusiastically. 

"Wait... But I thought Grandma didn't have any ice cream?" He asked me, confused. 

"Yeah, hence the term secret stash" I told him trying to lighten the mood, and I succeeded.

I went in the kitchen and quickly dished out a decent sized bowl of ice cream for us to share, there was only like half a bowl left in the container now, then I sat it on the counter, all before my parents got back downstairs. We both sat in the kitchen eating ice cream. 

"Hey, what are you guys eating?" I heard my mom ask from behind me, I stayed silent, so I guess Henry decided to speak up. 

"Mom said we can have some of your secret ice cream!" Henry yelled all too excitedly, I just gave him an 'are-you-serious' look and he responded with a really cute smile. 

"Don't worry mom, there's plenty left!" I told her, lying through my teeth.