Look Away, Ignore the Pain

Chapter 31: I'm Not Scared

~Niall’s Point of View~

“Are you two going to see her?” Mam asked in disbelief and disappointment.

“Your daughter is in the hospital!” Greg shouted at her angrily. “I would expect you, too, to give one slight damn about her!” and with that he left the house, leaving the door open for me. Well, as my habit of living out of cases, at least I didn’t unpack. I quickly went to my old room and fetched my suitcase and quickly followed Greg’s steps.

“Niall, you of all people know she couldn’t possibly change!” Mam tried to reason with me, practically begging at the door. I stopped cold and stared at her in shock.

“She was 15 the last time you saw her, the last time you talked to her. And Mam, you of all people should know it was my entire damn fault for all that’s happened! Never once have you thought about scolding me for that?” she opened her mouth to answer, but never said a word, so I just huffed and left.

“You know we have to tell Dad, right? I mean, I can sign the papers and pull out the insurance, but he has to know.” Greg said sadly once I got in the car send strapped the safety belt on.

“I know.” I said simply.

“Do you want me to ring him?” he asked.

“No, it was my responsibility. She lives with me. It was my fault.” I said softly and pulled out my mobile.

“You can’t blame yourself for something like this. You didn’t know. You weren’t even there.” He tried to calm me down.

“God, I told everyone to watch her. Hell, I made them promise me!” my eyes started to well up with embarrassing tears that I didn’t want to shed in front of my big brother, but I figured there’s no way of hiding them much longer, so I let them out and broke down crying in front of Greg.

“Listen, it wasn’t anyone’s fault, okay? Whatever happened, happened and there’s nothing anyone can do right now except go see Kaitlynn.” I nodded slightly and wiped away the tears from my face, focusing on the changing scenery of the midlands to the city as we neared Dublin. “Ring Dad. Ask him if he wants to come with us right now. We can pick him up along the way.” I nodded and dialled away at my mobile.

“Niall, hey!” Dad answered the mobile in surprise from the late hour. “Everything okay?”

“No, it’s Kaitlynn. She’s uh… she’s in a…” I couldn’t tell him anything, no matter how calmly I recited the news in my head.

“Dad, can you hear me?” Greg spoke loudly so that Dad could hear him without a speaker. Still, I put the call on speaker and placed it closer to Greg’s mouth.

“What’s going on? Where are you?” he asked worriedly.

“Dad, we’re on our way to Broadgreen Hospital in Liverpool. Lynn’s been in an accident.” Greg delivered the news as calmly as possible.