Catch Me

Chapter 17

The days passed by and Fiona and I met almost every day. Either in the hospital, at my place or at hers, where she lives with her grandfather. Some nights she climbs in to my room through the window, which I always keep open now, not minding the cold at night.
We are talking, joking and growing closer to each other and I soon got annoyed by all the hiding. But everytime I wanted to talk to my parents, they were working or tiered so I delayed telling them for a few days.

Isabella was getting better and the docters were positive to wake her up in a couple of days. I still visited her almost everyday and by now some of her friends and even some of mine were allowed to see her.

Doing my homework and studying in her room after school and going to the cafeteria to meet Fiona afterwards, soon became a pattern.

By now, it is the 14th of December and Isabella had been in a coma for nearly two months.

Right now I am coming to see her after school and when I enter her room, I am surprised to see my father sitting there.

"Dad? I didn't know you would come earlier today. Usually you and Mom aren't here until five."
He smiles at me and tells me to sit down.

"I had a meeting today and it was over sooner than I thought it would be. Good for me, I guess. So I came here to keep Isabella some company." He says and when I grab my homework, he continues reading the book laying on his lap.

"Dad?"
"Yeah honey?"
I look at him.

"Can I tell you something?"
He closes the book and turns to sit so he can face me being on the other side of the bed.

"Of course. You know, you can always talk to me right?" I nod my head and stare at Isabellas face. Her eyes are closed and you can see thin vaines on her eyelids. I concentrate on them while speaking.

"Some time ago, I met someone. Someone I think I am about fall in love with. And... it scares me. I don't know what to do. I feel guilt being so incredible happy while my sister is here in the hospital being very sick."

I look at him and he has a soft expression on his face.

"Liv, Bella would want you to be happy. To embrace yourself and not to worry about her." He laughs a little.

"And love wouldn't be love if it wouldn't scare you. It simply showes you, what you could loose. So you being scared about it isn't weird. It's perfectly normal." I nod again.

"So, would you like to tell me about them? I guess it's not Ryan?" I laugh and shake my head. I hesitate for a few seconds.

"Her name is Fiona."

I follow the vaines with my eyes and hold my breath.
"How did the two of you meet?" I look at him in shock.
"You... you aren't surprised or... I don't know... mad?" Dad laughs.

"Liv, why should I be mad about it. I don't care who you are with. The only thing that counts for me is that you are happy. And for the past weeks, you seemed pretty happy, so of course I am good with it."

"You know I was dating a girl because I looked happy?!"

"No. I knew you were dating a girl because I saw you kissing a girl." He tries to surpress his laugh and I blush hard.

"Where did you see us? We had been so careful."

"One night, I came home early and saw you two through the window in the kitchen. I went around our block six times before her car was gone and I was able to go inside." He giggles.

"Oh my God, Dad. That's why your clothes were all still soaked the next day. Why didn't you come in. I mean it would have been weird but you wouldn't have catched a cold." Dad shakes his head.