Seasons [h.s]

Summer - Part 6

Harry's POV

Everything within me felt dormant.

Dark and quiet.

In the distance, I heard a muffled voice. It seemed to be desperate to get my attention. Yet, my eyes refused to open. Even with stubborn eyelids, the voice continued to permeate. Begging me to answer.

Suddenly, the voice was accompanied by gentle tugging and shoving. Having had enough, my eyes finally lifted. Before me, I saw none other than a frazzled Gemma. She was standing above me with a petrified look on her face.

My eyes were alert before the rest of my body. They moved frantically around the room - scanning my surroundings. I was in a hospital bed, my arms resting at my sides. I looked down to see that I was in an unflattering blue-green hospital gown. The sound of an ECG machine rang in my ears.

"Oh, thank God..." Gemma said breathlessly. She wiped her forehead with her arm.

"Gem..." The croak in my voice startled me.

Gemma read my thoughts before I could muster any other words. She lowered a cup of water to my lips and I drank it desperately.

She stared at me for a moment. "You scared me half to death."

Before I could contemplate her words, my heart beat quickened. My eyes immediately scanned the room for Mom. Panicking when I didn't find her on the other side of me, I pushed myself onto my forearms - hoping to see her outside the room window.

"Harry, please relax. What's wrong?" Gemma asked, gently urging me back down.

"M-Mom... Where's mom?"

Gemma was completely puzzled now. "What?"

"Where is she? Where's mom?"

She slowly sat down and let out a deep breath. "Harry, Mom is dead. She has been for a while now."

I shook my head, angrily. "No, she isn't. I was just with her! Where is she?"

Gemma gave a small grin before rubbing my forehead with her hand. "I think you might've hit your head a lot harder than they're saying."

She took my confused appearance as a signal to keep going.

"Harry, a few nights ago you got very drunk and hit your head. Someone came to deliver something and you opened the door too fast. You were knocked out immediately. Antonia was so frantic that she called an ambulance and had them take you to the hospital. I got on a flight as soon as they called me."

My brain continued to replay the events. The last thing I remembered before seeing Mom was opening up the front door. Had I dreamt up the entire reunion with her? "So, I've been asleep this whole time?"

Gemma shook her head. "They said you have woken up a couple of times, just haven't stayed awake."

I huffed. "I saw Mom, Gem. She was real, I spoke with her about everything."

"I believe you saw her, Harry. But you're on some heavy pain meds to help your head..."

My eyes darted towards her. "What are you saying?"