GROWING PAINS

NINETEEN

I prepare myself for bed. Once I've freshend up, I climb into my bed.

Not to long, but then my mind drifts off into dreamland.

-

"Miss Brian, your father has just woken up." I smile and run inside his room.

"Dad!" I fling my arms around his neck. He hesitates but hugs me.

I pull away, "What's wrong?" He shakes his head, "Call Doctor Dan." Concern rushes through me but I nod.

"Doctor Dan." He rushes towards me. "Yes?" I glance at my father, "He needs your assistance." Doctor Dan nods and walks inside.

"How much morphine can I get?" Doctor Dan sighs and glances at me before focusing on my father.

"You do know what morphine can do?" My father nods, "Just bring it. I'm in pain." Doctor Dan nods and hands my father his dosage.

Doctor Dan walks out and I follow, "Any results on my mother?" He sighs, "She's not progressing as well as we'd hoped. If she even wakes up it'd be a miracle."

I sigh shakily. Doctor Dan places a hand on my shoulder, "We'll try our best Savannah." I nod.

-DAYS LATER-

I make my way back to my dad's hospital room. I stop dead in my tracks as I see Sabrina clutching his hand and holding him close to her.

It hurts. He looks happy around her, but painful and guilty around me.

Anger floods through me as I march toward the door. "Get out." I demand harshly. They jump at my presence and sudden urge of hostility.

My mother might tolerate this, but I will not.

My father barks back at me, "Savannah! Have you forgotten your manners?" I chuckle bitterly, "Me? Forgetting my manners? How about you father? Have you forgotten the decentsy to remain faithful to your wife? The poor woman feels to unworthy to admit the fact that you're having an affair with another woman."

He clenches and unclenches his jaw. Sabrina gets up and tries to make her way towards me.

I back away from her, "My poor mother, aches for your love. She is in so much pain." He shuts his eyes.

"Pass me the morphine-" I cut him off, "No." He stares at me in shock.

"Savannah!" Sabrina shouts. I shout back, "Get the hell out of here!" She starts crying.

My father says again more urgently, "Sabrina, please call doctor Dan." She dashes off.

I glance at my father, "You're killing yourself." He laughs bitterly, "Why else do I need to live?"

I clutch my hand to my mouth as I begin to sob. I shout, "Your just going to give up?" He shouts, "I need this pain to go away Savannah!"

Doctor Dan and Sabrina burst through the doors. My dad is screaming orders at them and doctor Dan pushes Sabrina and I out of the room as they try and operate on my father.

Sabrina is crying hysterically while I curl myself up into a ball and sob.

-Hours Later-

Doctor Dan walks out, "I'm sorry Savannah." I clutch my knees closer to my body as I sob louder.

I'm shaking. I'm screaming.

-

I'm screaming. I'm hyperventilating. I'm crying. I'm infuriated. I'm in a ball and I'm sobbing.

-Next Day-

I'm still sobbing in a ball. My alarm goes off. I sigh as I get up and glance at my reflection in the mirror.

I hop into a long, hot, steaming shower. I get dressed and head to work.

I look like death.

Mark glanced at me, speechlessly but remained silent.

I did the usual. Bust tables, clean floors and serve customers.

Today, I decided to work overtime. As I want to escape sleeping.

I keep pushing myself to work. It got to about 19:30. Mark walked outside his office and nearly jumped as she still saw me here.

He says gently, "Go home, Savannah. There's nothing more to do." I sigh but nod, before walking out.

As soon as I arrive at my house I see Brandon in his car. He jumps out as soon as he sees me.

I sigh as I walk inside. He opens the door and immediately pulls me into his embrace.

I remain still. He pulls away and stares at me. "Wanna talk about it." I shake my head.

He sighs, but nods. I walk away from him and I immediately jump into a shower.

He is still standing in the exact same spot as I left him before I freshened up.

I sigh, "Brandon, I just want to be alone." He nods, "Okay, well call me if you need anything." I nod.

With that said he gets into his car and drives away.

I sigh and curl up into a ball on the couch as I begin to sob again.

Feeling sorry for myself.

To top it all of, today is my father's birthday. He would have been fifty years old today.