It comes and goes

twenty-three

Shawn's POV

I thought someone was going to come ask us to leave when it was past the visiting hours and Camila and I still were in my dad's room, but that never happened. I was glad they hadn't, but I was also worried about the reason behind that. A nurse came to check on his vitals and just gave me a smile when she left.

Camila had fallen asleep on the armchair and I had asked for a blanket to cover her, which I had gotten. It was past midnight and all I could do was to stare at Camila and my dad sleeping or unconscious. I liked to think my dad was just asleep and that he was going to wake up in the morning.

I moved a chair next to his bed and sat on it, too tired to do anything else but too worried to fall asleep. I lost track of time, just staring at the wall and occasionally listening to people out in the corridor. I did nothing till I heard Camila calling my name.

"Shawn... baby", she said. "Go sleep on the armchair".

I didn't notice I when I fell asleep but my back wasn't happy. It was 3 am and my dad hadn't showed any signs.

"I'll stay awake and wake you up if anything happens", she said caressing my jaw with her fingers.

"Please do it", I said with a husky voice and fell on the armchair.

I slept for about 3 hours and that felt enough. When I opened my eyes, Camila was on the chair next to the bed looking at her phone.

"Good morning", I said putting the blanket away.

"Did you get some rest?", she asked with a smile.

"Mhm", I nodded and stood up. "Any news?"

"No", she whispered.

"You can go home", I said standing by her side and rubbing her shoulders.

"I actually will, but to change clothes and bring you breakfast on my way back".

"No, go to sleep. It's ok".

"Nonsense, you better wait for me... and he better be awake by then", she said looking in my dad's direction.

I was glad she was by our side. Camila kissed me and went out of the room.

I held my dad's hand. It was warm and I decided that was a good sign. He looked pale, but he had looked like that for a few weeks already. I had always been good at being alone with my thoughts, but I didn't want to feel that way when my dad was right in front of me. I wanted him awake, telling me stories, making jokes, commenting on politics, books, sports, everything. I needed him back.

A new nurse came in and checked on him again when the new rounds started around 7 am.

"How is he?", I asked her this time.

"Vitals are stable, that's good for now".

"C'mon dad, wake up...", I said when we were left alone again. "We've come a long way already, and this is the last part, we're almost there... don't give up now".

There was no response, but I never let go of his hand. I spent several minutes, maybe an hour, in silence, but I remembered how some people talked to their loved ones when they were unconscious to bring them back, so I tried that.

"Remember when you took me to my first official hockey game when I was 9? I was terrified to play in front of so many people, but you told me to have fun and forget about the rest, because they didn't matter... Or when you taught me how to drive and you were more nervous than me when I took the test..."

I didn't know if he was actually listening, but I kept going. Looking for stories and memories in my head that made me appreciate him more and more.

"Or when I invited a girl to the homecoming and you said 'be a gentleman, have fun and make her feel special'. That was great advice", I chuckled softly. "I've lived by that, dad".

"He taught you well", I heard a sweet voice behind me.

"That was fast", I said looking at Camila holding two cups of coffee standing at the door.

"Yeah, I want to be here", she said and gave me a cup.

"Sometimes I forget he's not only my dad but also your teacher", I admitted with a smirk.

"Who would've thought", she laughed.

"I know...", I said.

"I remember..." she started to say after drinking our coffee in silence for a while. "when I was just a student in his class, one classmate brought her little baby to class one day. She had no one to take care of her daughter that day but she didn't want to miss class. Manny didn't have any problem with that and just carried out with the class, but 20 minutes later the baby started crying. The mom got nervous and didn't know what to do, but your dad just walked to them, took the baby in his arms and continued the class".

"Wow...", I said and I felt tears threatening with falling down.

"He's gonna be ok", she said tenderly.

I wasn't a religious guy, I didn't know if I believed in anything but I prayed in silence that he would recover, that he would wake up.

I felt a squeeze in my hand and took me a while to notice that I was still holding my dad's hand and therefore... it was him.

"Dad?", I called him and stood up. "Dad!"

Another squeeze told me he was awake and in images that passed both too quickly and too slow, I saw Camila call the doctors while my dad opened his eyes little by little. I felt tears burning in my skin, but they were happy tears. I saw the doctor come running and smiled when he saw my dad with his eyes opened. I felt Camila by my side while the doctor ran a physical exam and then noticed Gina joining us.

"Son...", my dad said when everything calmed down.

I threw myself at him and hugged him while I cried like I hadn't before.

"I'm here", he whispered holding me.

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a/n: he's fine everybody. vote and comment and maybe I'll post another update in a fee hours