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TATE
in the middle of the night i awoke to my bed shaking. i turned over to see adele reaching for me. she was gasping for breath but her tubes were still connected and she still had oxygen left in her tank. "no!" i screamed and sat her up like i did the other night. "no." i tried to do all i could to help her breathe but nothing would work. "adele!" she just laid there, struggling to breathe and tightly holding onto my shirt. i watched her take her last inhale and her last exhale.
"please," i cried and pulled her limp body close to mine, whispering to her even though i knew she was already dead. i laid there with her for a couple minutes just holding her body in my arms, my tears never stopping.
"tate," constance opened the door after hearing my endless screams and shook her head when she saw me. "what have you done!" she rushed over to the bed and ripped me away from adele. "tell me it isn't true. it can't be." my mom placed her hands on the side of my face and held me there so she could look me in the eyes.
"what?" my voice was shallow and i still cried out for the love of my life to suddenly wake up and act like it was all a dream.
"that you killed her... tell me it isn't true." i shook my head as best as i could and looked over at adele. "oh," she looked to the floor as her voice broke.
"it's not true. i wouldn't." she backed away from me and dropped her hands to her sides. "i loved her, i wouldn't hurt her." she looked to me with tears in her eyes. her hands beat against my skin as she cried from anger.
"what is wrong with you! don't you realize what you've done?" i tried to block her and scurried into the wall behind me.
"mama," i cried and looked up to her. i was suffering and she didn't understand. her hand covered over her mouth as she tried to conceal her disappointment and sorrow. my arms were crossed over my chest and my hair blocked my eyes. "she can't be gone..." i crawled over to my bed and gazed at her lifeless body. i moved her orange hair out of her face and looked deeply into her dead eyes. "mama," i cried for my mother and fell to the ground. she held me in her arms for the first time and showed me some form of motherly affection.
i had to be the one to tell her parents about what happened. adeline roads valkit died of complications due to her illness. the doctors told us we still had at least a month left with her. lying son of a bitch. the way mrs. valkit responded was by pouring herself a glass of bourbon and zoning out. father theo wept for his daughters death and prayed.
currently, i sat at the dinner table with my family and stared at the wooden table with no emotion. adelaide sat across from me and larry to my left. "ladies and gentlemen, the ham." my mother walks into the dining room with a smile on her face. how could she be so... normal in a time like this. first beau and now adeline... i don't understand.
"ah," larry chuckled and clapped as she walked into the kitchen.
"wow. it looks lovely." i faked a smile and watched as she set it down onto the table with care. a smile reached my lips when i saw my mother. she neglected me growing up but somehow still treated me better than any one of her other children. last night after adeline died, my mom held me for the first time in years.
