𝐇𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐬 [ 𝟏𝟖+]

Chapter 4.

Taylor King

Bright lights shine above my head illuminating the long white hallways, the sound of shoes squeak across the tiles getting louder and louder as I walk.

My heart pounds violently in my chest as I walk closer and closer to the ward, a small private room at the end of the long hallway. I take a deep breath and reach out for the handle.

Pushing it down, I step inside and there he is. A once powerful solicitor is now laying helplessly in a hospital bed, wires and machines connected to every inch of his skin.

"Mom, what happened?" I cry as I step closer to the bed, watching as his chest slowly rises with the assisstance of machines. "He had a heart attack." She mutters quietly her hand reaches out and grabs mine, pulling me towards her. "They don't think he'll make it." Her bottom lip quivers as her eyes fill with water, her body shakes uncontrollably convulsing with sobs.

Those 4 words. Those 4 words shatter my world into a million pieces. "He can't go." I sob, my eyes blurry with tears cascading down my cheeks like a waterfall. I stumble over to the bed and grab his hand. It feels cold like nothing I had felt before. "Dad please, you can't leave me." I squeeze his hand hoping for a response but nothing happens.

An alarm sounds with a big red flashing light, multiple doctors come piling in swarming the bed. Mom grabs my hand and pulls me towards her shielding me from whats going on. But I already know that i've lost him.

༻﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡༺

The church floods with a sea of black, an occasional sniff but most of all silence. My grandparents, Ken and Frances flew in from Vegas. The first time I've seen them since last Christmas. But still no sign of my uncle Travis.

Our hands all joined together, occasionally squeezing for support. I look around, familiar faces all looking at me with a deep sympathetic stare. Bryce and his family sit behind, even he has a few tears in his eyes.

A coffin sits at the front of the church, flowers and pictures sitting on top. It feels weird almost like a dream, I know he's gone but a part of me still thinks he'll walk through the door and it'll all be one big joke.

That I'd go home open the door and he'd be there. Sat at the kitchen table with a coffee mug in hand smiling brightly. But I know that I'll never get to see that smile ever again.

"And now some words from William's wife, Louise." Quietly Mom steps up to the podium clutching a few pieces of papers in her hands. Gently wiping away her tears, she speaks. "I met William in Law School, then he was a young student eager to make it as a solicitor. I never knew how much I'd fall for him until now."

Her voice starts to wobble as I watch the tears build up her eyes, grandma reaches over squeezing my hand tightly. "Not long after graduation we got married and moved to Evergreen County, eventually I gave birth to our beautiful daughter Taylor. The missing piece to our puzzle. I've never seen him look so happy until he laid eyes on you, T." Tears trickle down my cheeks, pooling under my chin as I remember fondly.

Using a tissue Grandpa leans over wiping my tears, pressing a gently kiss to my temple. "William Robert King, I love you with all of my heart. And I'd give the world just to hold you in my arms again. You are the love of my life and I'll never forget you. Until we meet again my love, goodbye."

More and more tears fall from my eyes as my body shakes as I quietly sob. Mom joins me in the pew squeezing my body tightly, "it's okay, baby. Just let it out." She whispers rubbing circles on my back. "I just want him to come back." I mutter into her shoulder. "Me too." She sniffs.

After composing myself I take a deep breath and walk up to the podium, "We shouldn't be here today." I start staring blankly at the crowd of people. Friends and family all looking back at me, Justin barely keeping himself together.

"My dad should still be alive. Watching me graduate, giving me away at my wedding and being a grandfather. But he'll never get that chance and I'll never get to share it with him." I feel my eyes burn as tears start to build up, a few trickling down my cheeks.

"If you knew my dad you know what kind of person he was. One of the kindest and warm-hearted people I have ever met. He spent his life doing what he could to give back to the community, wether that would be through his job or coaching our old softball team." I chuckle softly.

"I remember when I was small we had this massive thunderstorm hit Evergreen County. This specific night, dad crawled into bed with me hugged me tightly and sung to me 'Here comes the sun' until I fell asleep." I pause for a second, picturing the two of us together as he sung gently into my ear.

"William Robert King, my father. My rock. My bestfriend. I miss you more than anything in the world and I probably always will. Forever and always, I love you."

༻﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡༺

The wake is a dismal affair, music plays softly in the background with people chatting quietly. Leaning against a wall I stand with a mug of coffee in my hand, trying to avoid any form of social interaction.

Thoughts swirl around my head still not completely coming to terms with the entire situation. My eyes watch the door still waiting for my dad to come walking back through.

Placing my mug on the table, I pick up my cigarettes and lighter weaving through all the people. "Taylor, are you okay?" Mom asks watching as I fly past. "I just need to take a breather." I mutter biting the inside of my cheek.

My grandparents stand talking to the Walkers, sharing stories of my father and what kind of man he was. Bryce's eyes follow me as I escape through the back doors.

Perched on a sun lounger I take out a cigarette and light it up. Inhaling a deep breath, I close my eyes trying to calm myself down. Out of nowhere I feel something drop over my shoulders, peeling an eye open notice Justin sitting down next to me.

"You looked cold." Justin mutters softly. The two of us sit in silence for a while until I decide to speak, "Do you remember when dad took us to Santa Monica when we was like 5 or 6 because you'd never seen the ocean before?" I ask flicking the ash to the side.

"Yeah, I ate so much cotton candy and almost threw up off the Ferris wheel." He chuckles slightly. "You did throw up and then dad had to wash you off with the garden hose." I giggle remembering Justin squealing with the cold water.

Dropping the cigarette I put it out with my foot, gently I lay my head on Justin's shoulder as we both watch the sun start to set. "You know he loved you right? Genuinely like you was his son." I mutter glancing up at him.

My dad was the father figure that Justin always craved. The kind who would love him unconditionally, teaching him how to do math and tie his shoes. I think Dad saw the potential in Justin that he could be an amazing man if he really wanted to be.

"And I loved him too, your dad means the world to me and I'll never forget what he done for me."

༻﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡༺

As the night drew to a close, my friends and I all gathered in the garden. "We thought that maybe you'd like to say a few words." Tony smiles handing me a cup.

"I don't really know what to say, uhhh...." I start biting the inside of my cheek. "My dad was the best person I've ever known, he always knew how to make me laugh or cheer me up after a shitty day. He was the main reason I made it through years of gymnastics or whatever sport Mom signed me up for. He was my motivation. All I ever wanted was to make him proud and see his smile....but I'll never see that anymore."

An aggressive lump forms in my throat as I choke back some tears, "To William Robert King, my father who I'll miss so fucking much. I love you dad and I'll see you soon."

"To Will."