A Resilient Heart Continues To Beat

Why Life Is Too Short To Not Resolve Family Feuds

Chapter 21

While I was trying to sleep later on that night around a quarter of eleven my phone was ringing like crazy. Now I think my mom is home and in bed by now, but she was not. "Hello," I mumbled into my phone. "Oh Laura I'm so sorry to wake you but you've got to get to the hospital right away, it's your mother." Aunt Shelia had said. "What happened?" I asked sitting up in my bed. "She was shot." "I'm on my way," I said getting out of bed, I changed out of my pajamas and dressed in sweats, and a matching colored sweatshirt slipped my shoes on and was out the door.

"Aunt Shelia," I screamed as I ran into the emergency room. "Where's mom? What the hell happened?" I'm screaming, with tears streaming down my face. "Everything's going to be ok honey I will explain everything, but you need to take a deep breath and calm down first. Why don't we go the café and get a cup of coffee and we will talk." My Aunt Shelia had said.

"My mother's been shot, and you're telling me to calm down, where is she?" I asked as I took a deep breath and tried to lower my voice. So we walked to the café and got coffee and sat down aunt Shelia explained everything that happened. She was on her way home from the shop when a drive-by the shooter was aiming for the wrong car of people, and a bullet went through the car window and hit my mom just right in the stomach. There was a lot of blood loss, so aunt Shelia said to prepare for the worse, mom was currently in surgery. She was just simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. "Did they get the shooter?" I asked now a little bit more calmed down. "Yes, they did he is currently in police custody." My Aunt Shelia had said. "We should get back and see if there's any word yet on her condition." "Ok," I said taking a sip of my decaf coffee. About a half hour later, a doctor in scrubs came out to talk to us. "We got the bullet out just in time, there was a bit of hemorrhaging, and she did lose a lot of blood, but we are giving her a blood transfusion so that she does not become anemic. Other than that she is awake and doing just fine." "Can I see her please?" I asked. "Yes you can but don't stay too long she needs her rest." The doctor had said. "Thank you, doctor, we appreciate it."

"Mom I'm so happy you're ok," I said hugging her as I was bawling. "I am so sorry for getting mad at you today, " I had said, "its ok honey don't worry about it, but that is why I always say don't walk away angry, because you never know when something is going to happen." "I'm just glad you're ok," I said. "I am too honey." My mom had said. "You better get home and get some sleep you got to open the shop for me, this morning." "You still want the shop opened after what happened?" I had asked. "It was accident honey, and yes, life still goes on with or without me." "It was an accident that could have killed you." "But it didn't and right now honey that is all that matters, but until I'm back on my feet, I need you to take care of things at the shop." "I will open the shop this morning, let her get some sleep and come in later in the day." My aunt Shelia had said. "But what are you going to do about Timmy and Claudia?" My mom had asked. "They spend the night at their father's today; they can stay there until I can get them later. Don't worry about a thing ok worry about getting better." Aunt Shelia had said.

So we said our goodbyes to mom, then as we were walking out of the hospital to go to our cars, I asked: "What time is it now?" "It's three fifteen." Aunt Shelia had said while looking down at her watch. "Ok I will plan on sleeping until nine-thirty or ten o'clock, and I will come in the shop by noontime." "Take your time honey there's no rush for you to come in that early, go the gym, get some studying done, don't come in until 230 or three, I can handle things there." Aunt Shelia had said. "But what about Timmy and Claudia what are you going to do about them?" I asked. "Don't worry about the kids there father as I said is very flexible and can keep them until I can get them, stop worrying and just do as I say, ok." Aunt Shelia had said. "Ok, then I'll plan on working from three to eight," I said. "Ok sounds good honey I will see you then." My Aunt Shelia had said. "Ok bye," I said hugging her. Then I climb into my car and drive the twenty minutes back to the apartment.