Are You Happy?

17: New Sleeping Arrangements (Part 1)

*Random Fact: Shoutout to @Gnarlyanna for making me a sexy book cover! Thank you so much.

*Recap: Draya and Brian were on a date when she was called by the hospital and was told that her mother suffered a heart attack.

*Brian

I tried to read Draya's face expression as she answered her phone. Her face went blank, almost as if she had foreseen the call and already knew what was going to happen. Suddenly, her face dropped and her voice began to crack as she told who ever she was on the phone with that "she would be there soon".

She went into a state of shock: the phone dropped out her hand and screams came from her mouth. I looked around to see if anyone was watching, but it as if seemed as if the sea's wave crashing onto the shore were louder. Tears flew down her face like rain drops.

"Babe, calm down. Just explain to me what the problem is."

"My mom's in the hospital," she whispered, almost as if she was telling me a secret.

I got up immediately and threw everything in the basket. I didn't care about the food being squished or ruined. Draya was still seated, staring into the sky. I gently picked her up and grabbed the blanket along with the basket and pulled her towards the car. I threw everything in the back, picked Draya up and slipped in the car seat, along with buckling her seatbelt of course. I jogged to my side and put the keys into the ignition. The car sprang into life. I pulled out of the parking spot and merged onto the highway.

"I don't know how to feel," I barely her say. She says it so quietly that I'm not sure if she's actually talking to me.

I glanced at her- she was looking out the window. I reached over and placed my hands on her thigh. Still focusing on the road, I rubbed it gently.

"Before my father died, my mom was happy. We were basically a normal family; sometimes we went to the movies, Chuck E. Cheese, and had dinner every night together." Draya paused to collect herself.

"My dad was a Cardiologist and my mom was pre-school teacher. I was a daddy's girl and got whatever I wanted," weak smile spreaded across Draya's face.

"I'm sorry about your father, he seemed like a great man." I tried to console her.

"When April and Leo came along, it seemed as if the family was complete. Two years ago, my mom was diagnosed with really rare heart cancer. Ironic, huh? My dad being a heart docter and my mom developing heart cancer. After my mom was diagnosed, our family shattered right infornt of our eyes. My parents argued every night, and my mom was becoming weaker and weaker. The only people who knew about everything was Zaria and Raheem. I was basically taking care of Leo and April by myself."

I turned into the parking lot, payed for a parking ticket and parked a few feet away from the entrance. I took the key out of the ignition and turned to Draya.

"One night, Leo became sick. My mom called my dad and told him to pick up some medicine. Apparently while he was driving, two drunk teenagers drove into him. He died immediately, I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye. My mom just shutdown and forgot that she had three kids. I lost two parents in one fucking night," I unbuckled my seatbelt and leaned over to embrace her.

Her arms immediately went around my neck and she buried her head in the crook of my neck.

"It's okay baby," I rubbed my hands up and down her back.

"What do you mean 'it's going to be okay'? Everyone's always leaving me!" She shouted in anger. If weren't in this current situation, I would have kissed her, but right now she needed somebody to help her pull through. This was not the time for horny thoughts.