The G(r)ay Area

Part Twenty-Seven

I'm sorry it took me so long to update. I hope you all like this chapter! I'll update again this weekend as well

Part Twenty-Seven

"Aiden... Aiden, are you okay?"

Dad.

"Dad?"

"Aiden, talk to me."

I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out.

"Take it easy, Aiden. You're okay."

"Dad, I need you. I need you."

"I'm here, Aiden. I'm here."

Suddenly, it felt like cold water was being dumped all over my body. My eyes opened quickly and I gasped.

Dad was leaning over me, his face exactly as I remembered it. His beard was trimmed close to his face and his white shirt had finger marks from wiping grease on his shirt in the garage. There was a large scar on his forehead, part of it trailing down his eye.

"Dad?"

His hand brushed my hair back and when he wiped his hand on his shirt, red appeared. "You're okay, Aiden."

"Dad, what... what happened?"

"The car... you're alright. That's all that matters."

"I-I'm sorry."

His eyebrows scrunched together. "You're sorry? Why... why are you sorry?"

"I yelled at you. I said that you didn't care about me."

"You were telling me how you were feeling. There's nothing wrong with that."

I closed my eyes for a second. "I'm sorry, dad."

Dad hugged me for a quick second before he brushed my hair back again. "Go be with your mom. She needs you."

"Can I?"

"You're alive, Aiden." He said calmly.

I tried to sit up but, again, dad pushed me back down.

"Dad, don't leave us." I said softly.

"I'm always here if you need to talk."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"Aiden?"

"Dad?"

"Aiden?"

I blinked and everything was white. My head hurt and opening my eyes was a lot more effort than it usually was.

"Aiden, honey. You're okay."

Slowly, I turned my head towards my mom's voice. She was sitting beside a hospital bed that I was laying in. Her forehead was scrunched up and she had dark circles under her eyes.

"Mom, where am I?"

"You're in the hospital, sweetie."

"What happened?" I tried to sit up but my chest hurt. Mom pushed me back gently, just as dad had.

"There was an accident..."

I held her gaze and knew it was serious. Mom was almost always worrying about something but it was heightened now. She was shaking her leg, which she hardly ever did.

"I-I'm sorry, mom."

"Sweetheart, no. Don't be sorry."

I shook my head.

"Honey, it could have happened to anyone. I'm just glad you're alright."

"Me too."

I looked over at my other side and saw Lucas sitting by the bed. I immediately got mad.

"What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I don't want you here."

"Aiden-"

"I don't want you here."

"Aiden, honey-" Mom started, her voice cautious. Warning me.

"Get out. I don't want to see you." I said, getting madder. I wanted to make him aware that I didn't want him around.

Lucas didn't have to speak. His eyes spoke volumes. He looked at my mom before he looked at me again. Then he got up and left the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

"Aiden-" Mom started, her voice soft.

I shook my head and squeezed my eyes shut. "I can't keep doing this, mom."

She rubbed my arm for a few seconds before she took my hand. "I'll talk to him."