Hidden (Matt Espinosa)

twenty-one

I tiptoe through the front door and smile, remembering the night before. I set my keys on the front table and walk to my room.

I walk in and see Ana asleep in my bed. I smile and slip in next to her. I brush the hair out of her face and her eyes flutter open. She's smiles wide and throws her arms around me.
"Your home!!"
"Yes, yes I am. And you, are in my bed."
She smirks, "I missed you and I thought if I slept here you'd come home sooner."
I laugh and kiss her forehead, "Well I'm here now and I think we should go make pancakes and surprise everyone!"
She nods and we get out of bed.
"Want to go get Jonah?"
She stops and bites her lip.
"What?"
"Jonah is at the hospital. George and Mom left late into the night because Jonah was throwing up blood."
I feel my heart drop and I run back in my room and grab my coat.
"Get a jacket, we're going to the hospital."
She runs to her room then meets me downstairs.
I nod at her and grab my keys and we get in the car.

☆☆☆

We arrive at the hospital and we rush to the desk.
"Jonah Waters."
The lady types his name into the computer and looks up at me, "He's on level 4 room E235."
I nod and thank her. We go to the elevator and wait impatiently.

We get to his room and I ask her to stay outside for a few minutes. She nods and I walk in. Mom and George are sitting next to his bed as Jonah is laying in his bed, eyelids closed, with probably over 30 cords around him. I look to my mom with worry in my eyes and glare.
"I know this isn't the right time to be getting into this but, but how dare you not call me last night."
She smiles, "I figured you slept over a friends out from work, I didn't want to ruin your sleep."
I laugh. "You joking, right? The amount of nights I've gotten up to take care of him while you were out with a man and I had to drive him to the hospital which was totally illegal since I didn't even have a license. But it was okay right, as long as you were getting laid by a different man every week."
She stands up and smiles. "Your correct, Drew this isn't the time to bring that subject up, especially with your brother days away from death."
"W-what?"
"It's his time, Drew. You knew it was going to happen at some point. Maybe it's a good thing, he won't suffer."
"Are you serious. Your son is dying and you didn't even care. If you had stepped up to be a mom after dad left and stopped worrying about drugs and sex during the early stages of his cancer maybe it wouldn't have become terminal. Maybe he could've beat it. But no, he was neglected and lucky I let him live longer because I had to grow up a hell of a lot faster than any other kid. I had to raise two kids while raising myself. I'm still a kid, I'm not even 18 and I've raised two kids. And one has cancer. Cancer mom. It isn't a joke, though you think it is. And I promise you the second I turn 18 I'm going to court and getting full custody of Ana and Jonah, and you can go on with your pathetic life with your pathetic boyfriend who molests kids and rapes girls because he thinks he has all the power. And have fun with your stupid daughter because guess what. She'll have a shitty life and will probably being doing drugs by the age age of 6 and will be a teen mom because she won't even have someone to guide her, but luckily you were a mom for most of my life and helped shape me but now your nothing to me, and I really hope you know that. And now I hope you will leave the room and give me and Ana time with Jonah, it's the least we deserve."
Her face is blank and George looks like he wants to kill me. She nods and they walk out. When Ana comes back in Jonah says, "I'm proud of you." I smile and rush over to his bed, "Oh god, your awake. What happened? Are you okay?"
He shrugs. "I'm dying, Drew. And this time it's all too real. But I'm happy to know you'll fight for Ana."
"But Jonah, I'll be fighting for you too."
"For what, my ashes?"
I step back, "Jonah, how could to say that? Your going to live, I know you will."
"But I don't want to, Drew. I'm done fighting. It's tiring and I've tried for too long. I don't like just giving up but I really want to. I want to be healthy again. I want to live in heaven with the other children and play all day without worrying that if I ran too fast I may die. I want to eat all the junk food I can possibly consume. Yeah I'll miss a lot. I won't even kiss a girl, I'll never get married, or have kids, or graduate, or get a job and that's upsetting enough. But maybe in heaven I can go find a pretty dead girl to kiss." I laugh, wiping the tears. Ana squeezes my hand and I hear her sniffling. "I'm sorry, I'm really sorry. I feel like I'm letting you guys down."
"No no, it's okay Jonah. I want you to be happy, we want you to be happy."
He smiles and closes his eyes.
I rub my thumb in small circles on the top of his head. "It's okay to let go, Jonah. Be happy."
He smiles, his eyes closed. I hold his hand and he squeezes me. I smile and watch him as his breathing slows and he starts to fall asleep. I rest my head on the side of his bed, my hand sill intertwined with his.

A few hours later I wake up to doctors shaking me awake and asking me to stand up. "W-what's going on?" I look around and there's about four doctors setting up machines and attaching more wires to Jonah. The doctor looks at me, "Please. Go stand outside, it will be better." I hesitate then run out and see Ana then crying.
"Ana, Ana what happened?"
She wipes her tears but still continues to cry, "I-I was awake and h-he woke up but then couldn't breathe. Then he passed out and I yelled and doctors came in and his stats were freaking out."
I put my hand over my mouth and pull her into a hug. I stand there with my arms around her and listen to the noises from the room. The door opens and the doctor looks to me. I let go and walk to him. "Is he okay?"
"Can you direct me to Jonah Waters legal guardian."
"That's me, I've raised him."
"No honey, your mom."
"I don't know where she went okay, just tell me what the hell is going on."
He looks around behind me and sighs. He puts his hand on my shoulder and looks into his eyes. He starts to talk but it just sounds so far away. I could tell by the way he started to talk that he was dead. By the time I notice he has finished talking I shake my head. "This can't be real. He was supposed to live. He shouldn't have died."
"I'm very sorry, Ms. Waters."
I look to him and shake my head. I turn around and run into his room. I see doctors starting to get him ready to get transported. "No! Leave him alone!" They back away quickly, "Miss, you have to leave."
"No I don't, I want to see him."
They look at each other then step outside the door. I run over to his bed and pick his limp body up in my arms and hold him. I let my tears slip off my face and onto his pale one.
"Drew."
I turn around with him still in my arms and see Matt standing there. I put Jonah down gently and stand. "He's gone, Matt." Matt's eyes start to water and he pulls me into a hug. "I'm so sorry, Drew." I push away and walk into the hall and see my mom and George. I keep walking, while looking right at her. She stops and once I'm close enough to her I swing, and hit her, hard.

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I actually debated about doing this too soon, but I did. I'm sorry guys:( love you all <33333