The Life He Planned

Graduation

That call was one of the worst possible things that could ever come from a phone. The trembling voice that I thought was light and joking, was soon serious and cold. As I stand alone in the middle of the hospital lobby, a million things flash through my mind. Memories, stories, promises, laughter. I’ve never asked for much from my parents, but the one thing I thought would go without saying was that they wouldn’t leave me so soon.
   
It’s the night of my graduation. I should be celebrating with my family and friends and toasting to finally finishing the hell hole that people call high school. Instead I’m curled up on a chair in one of the most coldest, cruel rooms i’ve ever been in. I’m not exactly sure how long i’ve been here, but I guess it’s been a couple of hours.
   
The call:
       
“It’s your parents,” they cried on the other side of the phone.
       
My parents? They went to go get the cake. “They should be back in a couple of minutes,” I laughed at their exaggerated reaction.

I would soon find out that it wasn’t exaggerated. They weren’t worried about the cake. They were worried about them. My parents.

“Your uncle will bring you. I texted him the hospital address,” my aunt said quickly and hung up the phone.

Hospital? Why would he take me to a hospital? Realization flooded my mind. My parents. Crying. Hospital. Parents. Crying. Hospital. I repeated the words over and over again in my head until my mind was numb.

I felt something cold grab my shoulder. I looked down at the strong hands. The hands that helped raise me. “Let’s go,” his calm voice whispered into my ear. He dragged me out of the house and into his car. I sat there wondering when the world got so quiet.

***

“Ma’am visiting hours are over. The lobby will be closing soon,” a curly haired women came up to me and touched my arm. Her hands were cold. Why is everything in hospitals so cold?

“I can’t leave,” the words barely escaped my lips. At first I wasn’t sure if she heard them. They sounded more like a whimper coming from an abandoned puppy on the side of the road.  

“Ma’am please, you can’t be here,” she said placing her hand on me again. I pulled away fast and sunk further into the chair. My skin stung at the feel of the chairs metal armrest.
   
“I can’t leave. I can’t leave!” I stood up to face her. She was shorter than I was, but her presence was intimidating. But I didn’t care. “They’re not gone! They’ll be okay, I know they will. They promised me they would be there. For graduation. For college move in day. For late night phone calls as I rant about classes. They promised me!” I yelled once again.

I heard heavy footsteps behind me.  “I’ll take it from here,” the voice said. I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I sank to the floor and sobbed. Tears stained the front of my light blue dress. Even the hospital floor was cold. I cried and cried until I couldn't hear the frustrating yells escaping me anymore. “It’ll be okay. You’ll be okay.” My uncle said as he wrapped his arms around me, lifting me up effortlessly.
   
I don’t remember what happened after that. I only remember waking up in a room that was not my own.