Invisible String

Chapter 21 - Peace

Alex held me outside of my Grandpa's room when my mother, father, and older sister showed up. It was around ten at night, and they were all in pajamas of some sort. My mother was a complete mess.

"He was fine when we left!" She yelled at no one in particular. She was just upset. "How could this happen?" She reached his doorway and looked in. It was quiet, the TV was off, and he was there on the bed, in the most permanent sleep there is. She turned around and began sobbing. My father reached out for her and held her tightly, looking around to my brother and me. He gestured with his head for us to come hug our mother. We all complied. My sister from behind wrapped her arms around Dad, and George and I both joined from the side and joined the solemn group hug.

We stood like this for a few minutes, crying with my mom. Alex, Julie, and my sister's husband, Oliver, who'd come in a few minutes after them, were all sitting awkwardly a little ways away from us, attempting to give us a little space.

When my mom needed to breathe, we all let go and stood close by. After a few minutes of standing upright, leaning against the wall, she decided to go in and see him, say whatever goodbyes she hadn't already said.

We stayed outside to give her some privacy and shut the door. My dad embraced me for a moment, then stood back and said, "I'm glad you made it here in time, Hannah."

"Yeah, Little Bug." My brother put his hand on my shoulder. "I think he held on just so he could say goodbye to you."

"Did he know I was coming?"

My dad shook his head. "I couldn't tell him. I didn't want him to be disappointed if you couldn't make it."

"Of course I could make it, Dad! I wouldn't have skipped this for Christ's sake."

"Hannah, you've been missing for over half the last year, how was I supposed to know you'd actually come?"

"Because I said I would."

My dad tilted his head sideways. "Your word has never been that good before, Hannah. Need I remind you?"

Without thinking, I smacked him across the face, and I gasped as it happened. My sister, who was right next to me, pulled me away while my brother grabbed my dad's shoulder to pull him back. My dad's face was bright red and nearly steaming.

"Get out!" He yelled at me loud enough that I'm sure the hospital shook.

Alex ran over to us and took me away from my sister, holding his arms around my shoulders.

"Are you okay?"

He turned my face to look at him, but I wasn't the one who'd been hit.

My dad pointed to the exit and repeated, less loud this time, "Get out. And take your boyfriend with you."

Without saying anything, I took Alex's hand and walked past them, shoving my shoulder into my dad's side as I walked away. When we reached the car, Alex hesitated before starting it.

"Hannah, what happened?"

He was already holding tightly onto my hand, but he squeezed it once, trying to catch my attention. My mind drifted somewhere in outer space, thinking about my Grandpa. And what it must be like to be dead. Would he be mad at me for slapping my dad? Probably not. I always got the feeling he hadn't much liked his daughter's choice of man.

"I slapped my dad," I said plainly, in a matter-of-fact fashion, like I'd done it a million times. But I hadn't. Not ever. Not at my angriest had I ever hit someone before. But this... it was different. It was like I was someone else at that moment. Like I was someone else now. I didn't feel like me.