Stranger

• 3

"I'm back Rob" I enter his cold hospital room giving me goosebumps, with an assortment of get well soon balloons.

To my surprise and the shock of everyone else, It only took me a long 2 weeks to sober up of sadness. It was hard trying to cope, and I still am, but at least I can make the trip to the hospital; without crying the whole way. That's a lot of tears and a huge headache.

Robs Footlocker location was robbed, the night he was working late. We don't know much about what happened or who did it, but they left Rob in pretty bad shape. He was beaten badly and has been put in an induced coma. The doctors can't tell if he's paralyzed or if he will survive the damage, so we're hoping he can get through this.

Call me selfish, but instead of just being happy he's still alive; I'm mad. Mad I can't call him up whenever I need to talk, mad that I spend extra hours here, and not out somewhere with him and our friends, I'm mad; my soul is closing up due to the fact that I haven't heard his voice since that beach day. I call his phone constantly, to hear his machine, but it's not the real thing.

I sat the balloons on the nightstand next to his bed, and crawled in beside him, being careful of the wires and tubes. "Remember the times I had to fight off girls for you because you didn't want to hurt their feelings by telling them you weren't interested? I hated being the bad guy. I had no other female friends other than Man and Rene" I turn to look at him, lying there still as a board. "I would break a thousand more hearts for you, just to know you were out and about catching eyes".

"I can't promise and preach that I or even the police will find who did this to you, but my eyes and ears are wide open. Shakai has a gang full of people talking to see what the word on the street is, and Man and her crazy ass, she's been grilling just about everyone she sees with a pair of kicks on from the store".

The main thing here is that Robin gets better. But if we find who did this, may they get whats to come.

I curled up in his arms, eventually falling asleep listening to his faint heartbeat; accompanied by the beeping of the machines he's hooked to.

.

The light tapping on my shoulder was becoming a nuisance. "Baby girl, c'mon wake up. Your father's here ".

"Mom?" I peek through one eye. The rasp in my voice indicates I've been crying, making Mel's eyes sadden.

"Yea. Jackson's gonna take you home".

I shut my eyes back up, cuddling Robin, "I'm staying".

Melissa stroked my hair, pulling some behind my ear. "Chas, you need to eat something. I'll call you if anything changes".

Quickly deciding, I start to get out of the bed. I know she needs her time with him. Fixing the cardigan over my shoulders I bend to kiss Rob's head, "I love you".

Melissa hugged me tightly "he's gonna be fine, baby girl" she kissed my cheek.

.

Dad escorts me to his BM parked out front, going around to the driver's side and opening his door, "Let's go, Elle's waiting for us".

I cross my arms "I know she's waiting for me, but why would she be waiting for you?".

In all my years, he has only shown up unannounced. If you wanted to see him, it was never when you called. Its bad when, something as tragic as this has to happen, in order for my father to show up on his own.

He let my attitude slid for the moment, "Chas, get in the car".

He got in the car, expecting me to do the same.