The Fighter

Chapter 21

My father died about 10 minutes after Greg and I had gotten to the hospital.

Gavin was a mess. He was sobbing uncontrollably and Julie's heart was breaking the more that she held him. I was okay, for the most part. I was crying a little but, not even close to as much as my brother was. Greg held me close and kept talking to me. I think that he was holding me together. The nurses had us go in to the waiting room so they could clean him up. "I'm going to get a drink, do you want anything?" Julie came over to us. "I'm fine, thank you." I smiled to her. "Mickie, I think that you should talk to Gavin for a second. He needs you and he actually wasn't sure that you were going to come." She hugged me and whispered. "I will." I nodded and hugged her back. "Mick, I'm going to go with Julie. I'll get you something, because you say that you don't need a drink now, but you will." Greg smiled to me. "Okay, thank you." "I'll be right back." He put his hands on my face and kissed me. He and Julie went down the cafeteria. I sat next to Gavin on the waiting room bench that we had sadly come to know.

I waited for a second and then I hugged him. He cried a little harder. He need to calm down, at least a little bit, or he was going to either hyperventilate or make himself sick. "Gavin, breathe. Just breathe. In for five, hold, out for five." I instructed and had him do that until he calmed down. "I had to do this SCBA, mask confidence class with Jet, John, and Kyle. We had to leave how to breathe and calm down." I spoke to him as he did it. "Mickie, I'm glad that were here, that you are here." He spoke after he calmed down. "Me too, Gavin. I wouldn't have missed this." "I've had a lot of time to think while I've been here the past three days. And, I'm so glad that you told me to finally do what I had to, to be happy. If you didn't, I wouldn't have been here for any of this. And I'm glad that you went to the accident, you gave me a little more time with Dad." "I told you it's what I do. I save people, I help people, and I make things better." "You really do." He hugged me. "You guys can go in, take as much time as you need." The nurse came out and smiled to us. We went back into his room. "I'm glad that you have Greg, he makes you happy." "And I'm glad that you have Julie. She's a sweet girl and she's good for you. I really like her and I hope she stays around." "Me too." He smiled.

I called Grandma and Avery on the way home with Greg. I'm guessing that Papa was driving, because Grandma answered her own phone. I told her about Dad and then had her give Avery the phone. "Hi!" she sounded so happy when she got on the phone. "Hi Avvy, how was your trip?" I asked. "So much fun! I had a tea party and everything!" "Good! I'm glad you had fun! Are you on your way home?" "Yeah! I've miss you so much! I can't wait to see you!" "I can't wait to see you either. I'm pretty sure that I've missed you more!" "No, I did cause I love you more!" "That's what you think! Listen, I'm in Clarksville so I'll lose service soon, but I love you and I can't wait to see you when you get home." I sighed. "Okay, I'll see you soon! I love you more!" "I love you most! See you soon!" "See you soon!" she hung up first. "Are you going to tell her?" Greg asked. "Yeah, I'm going to have to. I just don't know how." "It'll be okay." He grabbed my hand. "I thank God that she wasn't here for this. I thank God that my mom was gone first, because she couldn't have handled this. She was always such a fragile person." "Everything happens for a reason." "I know." "I'm going to be there through all of this. I'm going to be there when you tell her, when you and Gavin plan the funeral, and every moment in-between and after. I'm serious about us."

Greg was there when Avery, Grandma, and Papa came home. We did our introductions, all except papa because he was chief and obviously knew Greg. Then the moment I was dreading came, telling Avery. Greg and Papa were talking about the fire the other night and Grandma was unpacking and doing laundry. "Avvy, I have to talk to you. Come in the living room with me." I sighed and she and I went in to the living room alone. I sat down and had her sit on my lap. "What's wrong?" she asked so quiet and innocently. "Avery, do you remember Daddy?" I asked. "Yeah." She looked concerned. I figured she would remember him, it's been a little under s year since she last saw him and we moved out when she had just turned three. I was sixteen.

"Daddy was in a very serious accident a few days ago....." "Were you there?" She asked knowing that's what I do. "Yes, I was. I got him out. He went to the hospital and they did everything they could, but God decided that it was time for him and mommy to be together again. He passed away this morning." I tried to explain the best I could. "Okay. Are you okay?" She asked. "Yes, I'm fine. I wish there was more I could have done. Are you okay?" "Yeah, I'm okay." She smiled a sad little smile. "It's okay to cry. He was your daddy and you loved him." "No, he wasn't really my daddy." "What do you mean by that?" I couldn't help but laugh. "Well, you're my sister, but you're my mommy and my daddy. At school, they say that a mommy and a daddy are the ones who love you and take care of you. They aren't always your real mommy and daddy, they can be your grandma, grandpa, aunt, uncle, brother, sister, or even a friend. You're the one who loves me the most and takes care of me. You're my mommy and my daddy. And my sister." She explained and I cried a little bit. "That was really smart and sweet." I hugged her tight.

"Is Greg your boyfriend?" she asked while I was in mid hug. "Yes, he is." "I knew it!" she laughed. "Mickie with a boyfriend is a very shocking thing isn't it Avvy?" Gavin walked in the living room with Julie and Greg. "Hi Gavin!" she ran and hugged him. "Hi Julie!" she hugged her too and then she hugged Greg. "Hi Mickie's boyfriend. I'm Avery." She smiled and he hugged her back. "Hi Mickie's sister." He laughed.