I'll Never Say Goodbye

Chapter 5

Natalie's POV (Sqaishey's mum)

I stare in shock as Mark walks out of Beth's room with a furious expression on his face. I know what he just did to her, and I don't agree with it; not one bit. I agree that Beth is better off away from that man, but this isn't how I planned on doing it!

*~.~*

25 Years ago...

I smile in happiness at Andrew, my new son. After nine months, he's finally here, and I couldn't be happier. Mark smiles at me.

"Well done, Nat." I smile at him, too happy to speak. He'll make a great father, I know he will.

20 years later...

I smile as I watch my two children laughing, sitting on a wall with a laptop. They're not really children anymore. Andrew is heading off to University soon at 20, and Beth is nearing her 15th birthday. I'm glad they've found this 'YouTube' thing. It makes them happy. Beth has even been talking about making her own videos on it.

Andrew puts his arm around Beth. He loves his sister so much, despite the five year age difference. He'll do anything for her, and I know that.

The sound of laughter increases as they get to a particularly funny part of the video. Doubling over with laughter, Beth leans forward, desperately trying to catch her breath. I almost laugh myself, watching her like that.

She leans forward even more, tears streaming from her face. I stiffen. I watch as her face hardens, all traces of laughter gone, as she realises what's happening.

As if in slow motion, I see her tumble forward off the wall, Andrew clutching desperately at her dress. It tears, and she falls. A strangled cry leaves my mouth as she hits the cement ground, head first. Andrew jumps off the wall and runs to her side, just as I leap up and do the same.

"Mark!" I yell desperately, knowing that he'll come as soon as he hears me. I kneel down beside Beth, curdling her head in my arms. Blood pools on the ground under her, dying her hazel hair a dark red colour. Her eyes are closed, but she's breathing. Just.

*~.~*

I sit in the hospital with Andrew and Mark, hoping desprately that Beth is OK. As soon as Mark had seen what had happened, he called the ambulance. I can only hope that they weren't too late.

A nuse comes out of Beth's room looking solemn. My heart sinks. I stand up quickly.

"Beth..." I manage.

"You're daughter is alive and awake, but..." The nurse hesitates. "There is a chance that she'll develop a case of amnesia. I'm sorry." She turns and dissappears back into the ward, as if she can't be around us much longer.

I sit back down. Amnesia. Beth has amnesia.

Four days later...

"Andrew... Don't go." I stare at my son in dismay.

"Mum, you know I should. If Beth is going to die, I have to find him. He's the only thing that she remembers. He's her idol." I nod dumbly. I know it's the right thing to do, and I can't stop him from going.

He comes over and hugs me tight. I hold onto him, as if it's the last time I'll see him again. It will be, or at least for a very long time. I wipe a tear from my eye.

"Goodbye, mum. I love you." Andrew wipes a tear from his own eye. "See you soon, OK?"

"Goodbye, And. I love you too."

Who know's how long he'll take? How long Beth will wait for Stampylongnose, the only thing she remembers about her past life?

*~.~*

I flinch as Mark yells at me.

"HOW DARE YOU LET HIM GO AND LOOK FOR THAT MAN? HE'S THE REASON MY DAUHTER IS LYING IN A HOSPITAL BED WITH NO MEMORY! YOU STUPID COW!" He slaps me hard acros the face. Black spots of pain shoot across my vision.

"Mark, don't be like this. You have to be here for Beth, and you know that."

He glares at me before dissappearing into our bedroom. I clutch my face. I'm sure I can already feel my eye swelling up.

Mark returns about five minutes later, holding a large suitcase. He moves towards me.

I take a step backwards as he raises his hand again, but he thinks better of it. Fixing me with a long, hard stare, he walks out the front door, slamming it behind him.

I crumple in a heap on the floor. My family has been torn apart, and according to Mark, it's all because of Stampylongnose. Only because Beth was watching one of his videos when he fell off the wall.

All my son knows about him is that he lives somewhere in England, and his real name is Joseph Garret. All of England to search, and who knows how long Beth has left?

I wake from my dream with a start, and am schooled to find tears in my eyes. It had been so real, as if it was happening right in front of my eyes again! I slouch back on my bed in defeat.

I still remember that day that Mark left. He went in to hiding, trying to track down Andrew, but to no avail. He had returned about four years later, expecting me to welcome him back with open arms. I refused, but he saw to that quickly. I shudder.

I haven't loved Mark for years now; ever since he left that day. He left me to raise a daughter who hardly remembered her own family. Sqaish doesn't even know about Andrew yet. I don't want to raise her hopes.

And now look what's happened! I'm imprisoning my own daughter! I wish we could just be the happy family we once were, before the accident.

I promise to let nothing bad happen to Bethany ever again.

______________________

The chapter where you finally know everything...