Reality

Chapter 14

"Lily!!!" I exclaim.

Tears are still streaming down my face as I run to her bed.

"Catherine," she whispers. "What happened?"

"That's not important, right now. What matters is that you're okay." I tell her.

"Where's dad?" She croaks.

I look as my mother's face contorts into an angry expression, and I think mine does too.

"We haven't heard of him in months," I say.

Lily looks at me with confusion clear on her face. "Months?"

I nod, another tear falling. "Dad was drunk, and as a result, we crashed. Lily, you've been in this hospital for over 3 months."

Lily starts to cry. "But it was only a few minutes, a few hours at most."

My mother holds her hand. "No, sweetie. I know it's hard to take in, but it's not important anymore. You're okay. That's all that matter now, alright."

Lily continues to cry.

"I want to leave," she says.

My mother nods. "Doctor, when can we take her home?"

The doctor checks his clipboard and writes something down. "Tomorrow, most likely. She needs to rest."

"I've had enough rest," Lily sniffles.

"It's better if you listen to the doctor, okay? It's what's best right now," I say.

Lily looks from me, to my mom, then nods.

"Are you leaving me?" She asks sadly.

"I'm not going anywhere," I promised, kissing her forehead.
*** A week later***
"She's okay," I tell Ethan over the phone.

"Do you need me to help you with anything?" He asks.

"No, we're fine, thanks." I say.

He's silent for a minute, then finally speaks up.

"Are you busy tonight?" He asks.

I put the phone down for a minute and squeal into my pillow.

Stay cool, Catherine. Stay cool.

"Uh, let me see." I say.

I count to five.

"Nope. Looks like I'm not doing anything tonight," I say calmly.

"Cool. How would you like to accompany me to dinner then?"

I put the phone down again and scream into my pillow.

He has no idea what he can do to me.

"I would love to."

"Alright, I'll be at your house at 6pm."

"Sounds good," I say.

"Alright then, bye," he says.

I hang up the phone.

"Who were you talking to?" Asks Lily, walking into my room.

"My friend Ethan," I say.

"Oh." she says.

"You were listening to my conversation huh?" I ask with a smile.

"I just thought it was Will, and your squealing was heard from Asia," she says.

Will is our cousin. He's about 18 and has a sister who's 7 named Eleanor.

"Nah," I say.

"Mom invited them, for Christmas break," she says.