True North

Chapter 12

I was staring up at a bright light. I blinked a few times and then everything came into focus. An annoying beeping sound came from a tall machine next to me. My leg was elevated and wrapped up. My arms had tubes attached to them and there was a mask over my nose and mouth. I looked over to my dad. He was sitting on a chair with a coffee in his hand he looked tired.

"Dad." I groaned. His eyes shot wide open. He stood up and walked over to me. He grabbed me hand careful not to move the tube in it.

"Where am i?" I asked.

"Your at the hospital." he said.

"What happened?" I asked. My memory was a blur after I sat on the couch.

"You passed out from blood loss and I couldn't tend to you because I had to work on Wren so I sent Faunsy to take you to the hospital but something happened and you had a seizure during the operation and I came here as quick as possible. Anyways how are you feeling now?" He said with a couple sighs.

"Well I can sort of feel my leg." i shrugged.

"North, I am so sorry you had to be out there in the cold for so long. I couldn't find you guys anywhere. I'm sorry i failed you." my dad said.

My dad was a little teary.

"Today, tomorrow, a century from now you'll still be the best father I could ever ask for. You didn't fail me. You didn't fail anyone. People wouldn't talk so highly about you if you were a failure. I love you." I told him sternly.

But I decided to change the subject.

"Is Wren ok?" I asked. I bit my lip but my dad didn't question it.

"Yeah, he's undergoing treatment a floor above you. He'll be fine. His dad is up there with him now." dad said.

"Ok, do you think it'd be possible for me to talk to Wrens dad?" i asked.

"Yeah well he's pretty upset. He blames Faunsy for all of this. They hadn't talked since Wren got to the hospital." he shrugged.

"Don't worry. I'd just like to explain what really happened." i said.

"Well I'd like to know too." my dad pushed.

"Well get whoever wants to know because I'm only explaining it once." i told him. So the doctor and two nurses, Faunsy and his brother came in.

"Wren and I were at the coffee shop just getting something to eat. And we had recently got over a fight but when I saw a girl he'd been hanging with for a while I got jealous so I stormed out. I was cloudy minded and wasn't focusing and when I snapped out of it i was in the middle of nowhere. I had gotten lost and little did i know Wren had followed me. We went through cold nights out in the open during the storm. We walked hundreds of miles to find some form of life. An Eskimo let us stay the night at his house."

"An Eskimo?" Wrens dad questioned.

"Yes sir. You are in Alaska." I stated. "Anyways the Eskimo helped Wren and I get to my dads old cabin from when he was little. So Wren and I stayed there until the storm cleared up but when it did neither of us were in any shape to go anywhere. If my hasn't of been there we would have died. I'm sure of it."

"But how'd you hurt your leg so badly and your hand?" one of the nurses asked. I looked at all the people surrounding me and I was a little embarrassed to answer because I was so clumsy.

"The hand i had accidentally done while cooking. When Wren started to get really sick I climbed to the roof of the cabin to get better reception to try and call someone. But the call was scratchy and then I fell off." My dad winced as I said fell.

The nurses and doctors began writing this down. As the mood slowly changed the doctors walked out.

"Delfonso, I'm sorry for getting mad at you." Wrens dad said with no emotions at all.

"Apology accepted Mitchell." Faunsy said hugging his brother.

As they walked out my dad looked upset. He just stared straight ahead.

"Dad? Why'd you hesitate to go in and get Wren?" i asked. My head begun to throb.

"North I haven't been there since i was 18." He answered.

"So?"

"So I just felt uncomfortable." he said.

"You moved out of that house when you were 18. People don't just do that without a very good reason. There was a picture of your wedding framed highly there." i said. I had a feeling I was pushing into a sensitive topic.

"I had my reasons. I would never make you worry about those reasons because i made sure they would never happen to you." me dad said kindly. I guess I'll take that as an answer.

"Dad do you think I can see Wren?" i asked.

"It doesn't seem likely now." he said. He was definitely holding something back but I was too tired.

"Ok." I sighed. My dad kissed my forehead and then walked out.

Now I had two options sleep or stare at the ceiling so I did both. I stared at the ceiling until I couldn't take it anymore and I passed out.

~

"North! Oh my god your alive!" Wendy yelled as soon as I opened my eyes.

"Wendy. Shhhh. You don't need to yell." i groaned. My head ached.

"What happened to you?" she asked.

"I fell." I said pointing to my leg.

"Not that, you disappeared for almost a week. People thought you and Wren ran off together." Wendy informed.

"What people?" i asked.

"Well, just me. But seriously you were gone and everyone was freaking." She said.

"Are our parents dating still?" i asked her.

"Yeah." she shrugged.

"Do you think we'll be sisters?" I asked. I knew i might be getting her hopes up but she always told me i was like a sister to her.

"I hope." she said. The room looked touched. It looked like quite a few people had been in and out and my machines had been tampered with.

"When do you get out?" Wendy asked.

"I don't know. Hopefully soon." I bit my lip.

"Ill come back tomorrow if you want? I can bring cards."

"Yeah, that's good."

Wendy smiled then left the room. I sighed then someone knocked on the door. I eagerly looked up for Wren but it wasn't him.

"Hey." Connor said walking in the room.

"Hi." I said awkwardly. I looked so bad I can't believe it! I blushed bright red in embarrassment.

"How are you feeling? I heard you and Wren got caught in the storm." he said.

"Well, yeah." I said.

"That time we were at my place. Sorry I got too drunk. Won't happen again." he shrugged.

"Yeah, I uh Wren and I are kind of a thing now. I mean I think. I really like him. Im sorry Connor. Ill call you though." I promised.

"Yea sure. If you ever want to hang out."