It's Only the Beginning

Chapter 20: A Heart Without a Beat

Jake's POV

I drove faster than I ever had in my life before and I reached the hospital in less than ten minutes, the whole time my heart was pounding in my head and I could feel the tears burning in my eyes, threatening to pour out at any minute! I couldn't cry right now, my sister needed me to be strong for her.

I rushed through the doors, forgetting about Kylie who was right on my heels for the whole time. I instantly spotted Amanda, my sister.

“Amanda!" She turned and instantly ran into my arms, sobbing into my shoulder.

“Jake!"

“What happened Amanda?" I asked as she kept crying, harder and harder every second.

“Mom got in an . . . accident and she . . . sh-she . . ." I could tell she couldn't talk about it anymore, her sobbing cut her off almost every second.

“Mr. Beck?" A soft voice asked. I turned to see a nurse standing with a clipboard in her arms and her face pale. “If we could talk alone for a while,"

I nodded and turned back towards Amanda, brushing her hair out of her face as it stuck to her round cheeks from crying so much.

“I need you to stay with Kylie for a little bit, I'll be back as soon as I can," And I stood up and followed the nurse to a secluded room.

The nurse fiddled with her stupid clipboard before finally looking up and meeting my hard gaze. Come on . . . Get on with it already! Tell me what happened to my mom!

“Your mom was in a terrible accident . . . She was pinned between a tree and the other driver's car. Luckily your sister was sitting in the back seat, if she had been sitting in the passengers seat you would have lost them both," She said calmly, I could see the tears searing her eyes, wanting to fall down her cheeks.

“Lost them both? What do you mean both? Is my mom dead?!" I asked resting my head against the wall and trying to stay in control and calm. I couldn't freak out on the nurse, her job was stressful enough and it wasn't even her fault.

“I'm sorry to tell you this but . . . your mom is brain dead, her body is still alive but its because she's hooked up to so many machines," The nurse started and looked at the ground. “We've contacted your dad and he's coming to get you and your sister and then you all can decide what to do with your mom together,"

“You called that bastard?!" I yelled at her punching the wall now. “That asshole hasn't been in my life since I was 8 and since Amanda was little, why the hell would you call him? He doesn't even care about us!"

She took a deep breath. “He is your biological father, I had to, he has custody of your sister,"

“The hell he does! My sister is my responsibility, I don't want him anywhere near my sister!"

“That's for the court to decide, I have to get back to my work now," She reached for the door and looked back. “I'm so sorry for your loss,"

I staggered back into the room where Kylie and Amanda were sitting. When they saw me they both jumped up and ran to me, Amanda clinging to my legs while still crying.

“What did they say?" Kylie pushed.

I looked at her with a hurt expression and mouthed the words “Not now" because my little sister didn't need to hear that our mom was a vegetable only living from machines. Damn this is a cruel world. I felt myself breaking down.

We couldn't keep the house. I needed to get a job. Hockey is gone now, no college. I was going to try my best to make Amanda's life better than mine. I had a perfect life but when certain things happen, say your mom dying who brought in all the money and your dad walking out on you, your life just doesn't seem so perfect anymore.