Against The Odds

Forgive and Forget

I ran into the hospital and it wasn't hard to find my family. They were all in the waiting room. Eliot was having an argument with my mother who was hooked up to an IV because she was probably wasted and hysterical.

The poor twins were sitting silently in a corner. There eyes red rimmed from crying.

"Sam, Jack." I say, running over to them and giving them a tight hug. They hugged me back and cried on each of my shoulders.

"Is Dad going to be okay?" Sam asked.

"I don't know... Have they been at it all this time?" I say, looking back at Eliot and Mom.

"Yeah, since we got here." Jack replied.

I got up after kissing their cheeks and wiping away their tears. I stood between Eliot and Mom to catch their attention.

"Hey! Stop it!" I say loudly and they snapped out of their argument to look at me. "What happened?"

Eliot pointed a finger at Mom."This woman just about scared Dad half to death. He was at work and she appeared asking for money and scared him while he was under a car."

I looked at him skeptically, "I doubt that's what happened. It takes a lot to scare Dad."

"Alice is right." Mom says and I gave her a glare.

"Then enlighten me. What actually happened?" I asked her, with hands on my hips.

"My car broke down and I went to him so that he could fix it--"

Eliot cut in, "Out of all the mechanics in town you had to choose Dad. I think you did it on purpose--"

"Let her finish!" I shouted, shoving Eliot.

Mom continued, "So he was working on it and it suddenly happened! I called the ambulance as soon as I could. If I'd wanted your father dead I wouldn't have called anybody."

"Just saying it proves you actually poisoned him--" Eliot shouted and they began to argue again.

"Shut up, Eliot! Stop saying things that aren't true." I growled, slapping him across the face. "I don't want to hear a word out of any of you! Mom, go somewhere far."

They knew I was dead serious so they glared at each other before walking away from each other.

The doctor came over to me and Eliot ten minutes later. We stood up from our chairs and waited expectantly.

"How's my Dad?" Eliot asked.

The doctor had a sad look on his face, "I'm sorry. We tried everything we could."

"What?" I breathed in disbelief. "My father is healthier than a horse!"

"Well, he had a heart condition. He must've kept it from you. Once again, I'm sorry for your loss."

Eliot covered his mouth and shook his head while I stood frozen as the doctor left without another word.

"Eliot... What are we going to do?" I say hoarsely, tears threatening to come out.

"Keep moving forward," Eliot sighed, looking back at the twins who stared at us anxiously. "I'll tell them."

"No, let me." I say.

"Trust me. I'll tell them." Eliot motioned with his chin behind me and I turned around to see Stacy and Leo walk in through the entrance.

"Alice!" They both say in unison, quickly coming towards me.

"We came as soon as I got your text. How is he?" Stacy says.

I shook my head.

"Oh, no." Leo says and pulled me into a tight hug. Stacy squeezed me also.