I woke up thinking of my mum and sister. I also thought about my dad. I hated him but I still cared for him. Walking to the bathroom I was stopped by my phone vibrating. I walked to the night stand to pick it. Unknown number. I received the call anyway.
"Hello, Dr. Stanley calling from St.Georgia mission hospital." I was scared for a while thinking something may have happened to Suzzie and I wasn't aware. This was before he mentioned that my dad was taken to the hospital and was doing fine now.
The doctor said that someone had to visit him in hospital. Was that supposed to be me because there's no way I was letting mum or Suzzie go there.
I had to tell mum and Suzzie about the call. We didn't keep secrets from each other. Suzzie was not in her room so I figured she would be downstairs.
"Hey ladies" The three of them gave me wide smiles as I walked towards them. I was glad Deiy was still around.
Why were they behaving like nothing happened last night?
I sat next to Deiy on the stool next to the kitchen counter as I grabbed a cup of coffee. I still hadn't told them about the call from the hospital.
"I'm wondering how dad is" Suzzie shocked me.
"I got a call from St.Georgia saying he was fine but someone had to visit him" The three of them let out heavy breaths I didn't know they were holding.
"I'll go" my mum said earning a death glare from me. "What?"
"I'll go mum, period. Please don't try to argue." I stormed out of the kitchen without another word. I'm sure they all were staring as I left.
*******
"Hey I'm Kelly Rosewood, Jeff Rosewood's son." The lady at the reception looked through her computer and gave me a card that showed the room he was in. She also showed me the Dr.Stanley's office.
I had to know why they needed someone to go there.
This time my manners were up high. After a slight knock on the doctor's door, he let me in. I wonder why these old doctors like their spectacles hanging under their noses.
He explained everything to me including the fact that his head was not badly hurt. Thanks to me.
" However, your dad has a condition that should really be attended to immediately." Was this supposed to scare me? I mean I cared for the man but not that much.
"Which condition doc?"
"We examined him and he has liver cirrhosis."
See what your damn drinking habit has led to dad.
"..and he needs to be on with his treatment that why we needed a family member"
Yeah and his nineteen year old son is here. As if I could even help right now.
"You know this can cause his death."
With that I went to the ward he was in. Did I really have to go?
"Door 342" read on the door. I opened it to find him snoring like a drunkard that he is. At that time I thought of the way he treated us almost our entire lives. I thought of the things he said to my sister especially the previous night and how he beat up my mum. At this moment there were a thousand ways to kill him so he could stay away from us forever.
With the pillow held in my hands I could end it all right now. I decided against it. I had his blood flowing in me but I was different from him. Well apart from being friendless.
With that I slid down the wall next to his bed. Breaking down with my legs pulled close to my chest. This was the first time I broke down to this extent. All for my dad. For the pain he caused all of us. For how my sister was struggling with XP. And now liver cirrhosis. This the pain I was trying to let out but nothing was getting better even with the sobs. NOTHING.
"I didn't know you would come here asshole" he's awake and instead of appreciating my presence this what he says.
"Well I didn't know I would come either"
"Then why did you?" I swallowed a lump before answering him.
"Well, you have liver cirrhosis and you need immediate treatment."
I was leaving when he muttered something but I heard it. I heard him say he didn't care.
******
*How was it? Is everything okay?"
My mum asked.
"Mum you need to calm " I said pushing my way through her and took a sit next to Suzzie whose eyes were stuck on a reality show she watched daily.
"Hey there big sis"
"Hey... How is he?"
Now I had to tell them how that hell of a father is really sick and he didn't care.
"Well...."my mum wouldn't allow me plan how to tell them the whole thing. I was nervous.
"Mum, Suzzie dad is doing fine b..but"
"But" they said in unison with worry drawn on their face.
".. there's something else mum." They were all staring at me, their eyes watery.
" He has liver cirrhosis"
"How bad?" Suzzie asked almost calmly.
"I don't know"
"How did he take it?" Sometimes I want to ask my mum why she cared so much about him yet he mistreated her.
" When I told him he said he didn't care and I think he meant it"
With that the room was in an awkward silence until Suzzie jumped up from where she was sitting shouting that the next day would be her birthday.
Was she losing it?
My mum joined her. I was trying to process what was happening when they pulled me to join them.
This was really new. I mean it.
Suzzie never gets excited about birthdays. She always said they shortened her life. My mum would get worried over nothing each time and they are all jumping. This was crazy.
I thank God when they finally began preparing for Suzzie's big day.
