Chapter 4

Crying…I hear crying. What’s going on? Softly I hear a voice saying, “I’m sorry…no please don’t leave me!” “Wha…what?” “Don’t…” Friend’s faces came clear for a moment all sad. “Don’t be sad!” “Michael! Michael wake up!” “Huh?” I was sleeping, it was all a dream. I wake up looking into Alyssa’s eyes. I don’t think I could ever get used to it. “Alyssa! Hey good morning! But today is Saturday. Why are you here?” “What did you forget what today is?” I frowned, did I forget something? “What do you mean?” “It’s your birthday today, isn’t it?” “Oh yeah it is I’m fifteen now!” I jump out of bed and grab my pants off the floor and pull them on. Alyssa looks at me in amusement a slight color to her face. I realized that I totally got dressed in front of her. I felt the blood rise onto my face. “Oh uh yeah sorry about that, you probably didn’t want to see my fat ass get dressed huh.” I let out a nervous laughter. She frowns at my remark turns around and grabs the knob of my door. “I did think that it was funny but never gross.” She opens the door and leaves slowly shutting the door after her.

Sometimes he just makes me mad! Alyssa thinks as she walks down the stairs. I wish he wouldn’t say those kinda things about himself. I sigh; my hands slid down on my sides ruffling my pink dress. He didn’t even say anything about how I looked. I got dressed up too. I turned my head towards the kitchen when it came into view. There was Dan laughing and playfully pushing Mandy in her chair. Mandy wearing a cute green tank top showing off her neck and v line. Then there was shy; breathtaking Jessica her long curly red hair, dark green eyes, her dark blue dress complimenting her eyes and figure. Jealousy bloomed in me. Why am I jealous for, this is ridiculous, we are friends? Jessica notices me and smiles, I smile back. “He is coming, he actually forgot about his birthday. Can you believe that?” “What he did, that’s funny!” Dan chortles out. Michael laughs from behind me I turn around he was smiling “Yeah yeah I forgot it was my birthday but I was sleeping and Alyssa over there woke me up and so I wasn’t thinking straight.” “Yeah, I bet you couldn’t think straight!” Dan declares. Mandy pushes him; Dan fell off his chair. I just started laughing at him and everyone else joined me.

“So, what is the plan for my birthday?” Michael asks everyone gathered around in the kitchen. Alyssa looks at me and gives me a peculiar look. With laughter in her distinctive beautiful eyes “hmmm wouldn’t you like to know!” My mother laughs hearing this while walking into the kitchen. “Alright what are you guys up too today? No good I bet.” My mother turns towards me “Happy birthday Michael! I love you and I hope today is a wonderful day!” “Hey what’s with all the commotion I’m hearing on a Saturday?” My dad’s voice booming with a hint of humor, he walks into view and puts an arm around my mother and kisses her check. My dad looks at me and smiles “are you trying to grow up on me son?” I smile and nod my head. He laughs “Happy birthday son!” “Thanks Dad!” Jessica grabs my arm “yeah happy birthday Michael!” Mandy stands up and walk over to me “hmm he looks the same from yesterday, hmm nope never mind you did grow a quarter of an inch!” She grabs my chin and pulls my face up towards her, she smiles “ahh so cute birthday boy!” She lets go of my chin and grabs my cheeks and squeezes and pulls them. “Oww Mandy that hurts!” She puts on a mock face of shock then leans down towards me and before I realize it, she kisses both of my cheeks! “There all better now? Did it stop hurting?” I nodded dumbly, not able to speak, I was so embarrassed. “Well, I think you totally shocked him into a stupor!” Dan says what feels like the background. I blink trying to get my bearing of what happened. I smile and shake my head brushing it off like it never happened. “Well Michael unfortunately I gotta run into work but I will be back to help with your cake; I promise.” My father says smiling. He kissing my mother goes to me and ruffles my hair; I look up at him smiling “Michael you’re getting big now almost a man, I remember you being very little.” “Yeah, maybe one day I will be taller than you!” “Ha! You probably will!” He turns to the door and leaves.

Dan watches the exchange between father and son; a faint smile showing on his face. I wish I had a father like that. I would give anything not to have a drunk as a father. I sigh and put back on my happy face. “Ok Michael First thing we gonna do to celebrate is hmmm mom what is our first plan?” Michael’s mom laughs “Thanks Dan, well Michael we are going to go to family fun center!” “Ah sweat!!” Michael yells out. I smile at his enjoyment of the knowledge of our plan.

A few hours later the pizza showed up and Alyssa’s stomach growled. She patiently waits till everyone has seated and digging into the pizza before she takes a single slice. I gotta watch my figure, eat slowly and little. She watches as Michael and Dan just start chewing down on the pizza. Boys, what are you to do with them. Mandy elbows me I turn my head towards her; “Them boys know how to eat don’t they?” I laugh “Oh yeah! How long have we known them? Years, right?” “Yeah, I know remember how we used to follow them around everywhere?” “Is it any different now?” Mandy smiles fondly “no it isn’t. We just can’t help it, can we? Something about those two.” I nodded my head, agreeing wholeheartedly. Jessica turns towards us “I’m jealous of you two; I mean you girls know them so well. They are so comfortable around you two. Even…” Jessica blushes “even when you kissed him on the cheek Mandy.” I also blush because I was a little…well I don’t know what I was feeling. Mandy laughs, “who Michael, no don’t worry, me and him are like brother and sister. I just like to tease him a little.” Jessica visibly relaxes, “You really like Michael huh?” I asked her, totally shocked I even asked. She looks at me and blushes “um well I think I might like Michael. Do…do you think he likes me? I mean you seem to know him best.” I blush at that comment. I think about my response and find myself thinking about telling her that he didn’t which would have been a big lie, but I couldn’t do something like that. “Yeah, I think he does, I mean you are beautiful girl.” She blushes again “Thanks I think though that you’re prettier!” I blush “No I’m not.” “You’re both pretty so quit huh.” Mandy says laughter in her voice. We both turn towards her and laugh.

The birthday cake was to be brought out soon; Michael is talking to Jessica and also wondering what was taking his father so long to show up. “Um Michael?” “Yeah?” Wow Jessica is so pretty. “Um do…do you by any chance like me?” Wha…What do you mean as a friend or something?” “Well yes but also maybe a little more than like friends?” “Are you serious?” Suddenly before Jessica had a chance to answer me my mom grabs me from behind and turns me towards her. “We gotta go now to the hospital Michael!” “W…why?” Tears start to build up in her eyes “Your father was in an accident Michael, and it sounds very bad.”

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Everything suddenly stopped for me right then and there. My heart even stopped. My father is hurt…bad. Oh God, oh God!! My mother pulled me along with the others following. No one said a word all the way to the hospital. I had grabbed Alyssa’s and Mandy’s hand holding them tightly afraid to let them go, afraid if I had then this nightmare may come true, and I couldn’t handle that right now. We arrived at the emergency room. I looked at the hospital and felt as if the hospital was hanging over me, threatening me and my whole life. Fear rushed me, I didn’t want to go in there. The last thing I wanted to do. I started to resist “No I, I can’t go in there!” Mom looks back at me tears in her eyes “Please Michael, be strong help me be strong too.” My mom holds out her hand towards me. I looked up at the hospital and breath in deeply and walked up to my mother and take her hand, both of which were shaking. We walk into the emergency room and go to the reception desk “I’m Jaime Druin, where is my husband, John Druin? How is he can I see him who is his doctor what happened?!” “Mrs. Druin please calm down; I will notify the doctor right now and he is in the operation room. Please sit down a doctor will see you momentarily.”

A couple of minutes later a doctor came out to talk to us. “Mr. Druin was in a car accident about forty-five minutes ago. Three cars were involved but your husband was the only one that survived the impact. My mother gasps tears running down her face holding my hand. I look dumbly up at the doctor hating him for being so emotionless about all of this. “A semi truck was involved; your husband is in surgery for the next four hours we don’t know if he will make it. He lost a lot of blood and had internal damaging.” Tears started running down my face. “Mom w…will dad is ok please tell me he will be!” “Thank you doctor please tell me anything when it happens.” “I will” My mom turns towards me and kneels till we are even height. “Michael I…I don’t know if your father will be alright.” I felt my heart break and panic rushed through me followed by hopelessness. “There’s nothing we can do right now but pray for him and hope for the best Michael.” “Mom, I don’t want Dad to die please say he won’t die he…he can’t die!” Alyssa and Mandy came suddenly by my side tears in their eyes they grab my hands “Come on Michael let’s sit down, ok?” “Thank you, girls.” I heard my mother say though it felt like it was far away. Dan was suddenly there and he hugs me wet tears from his face touch my tears and I hug him back Alyssa, Mandy join us. After a couple of minutes we calm down and start hoping that my father makes it through. Jessica came over to me after I had calmed down. “Michael? Is there anything I can do for you?” I look at her and put on a meek smile “No Jessica I’m ok I’m afraid that you will have to call your parents to pick you up. I kinda doubt we will be leaving anytime soon. I’m sorry you had to see this, Jessica.” “N…no don’t be I already called they’re on their way here now. I wish I could stay though but I can’t.” “No, I wouldn’t ask that of you!” Jessica smiles, gives me a hug and looks into my eyes “be strong Michael I care for you.” She then kisses me softly on the lips, turns around and walks out the door. I touched my mouth, the shadow of her lips on mine stun me for a second and then reality set in again. “How about you guys? You all should go home too.” Mandy looks at me red brimmed eyes “I’m not leaving you and your mother, that is if that’s ok?” I look over at my mom and she smiles a tear running down her cheek. “I’m not either Michael no way he is like a father to me you know that.” I look at Dan and nod my head understanding he means I and loving him even more for it. “I also can’t leave Michael, us four and your parents are family.” “Thank you all I love you guys.” “You guys are more than welcome here I know John would be touched and honored to have so many children.” My mom says tears running freely down her face but a smile showing. There we sat hoping for news and yet dreading it. The next three hours were probably some of the worst hours I have ever experienced.

I was laying down my head resting on my mother’s lap, a total drain of energy falling in and out of sleep. My mother stirred suddenly, I opened my eyes and looked up to see the doctor. I was fully awake right away and adrenaline rushed through my body. I sat up, my mother stood up grabbing my hand instantaneously, and I then stood. The doctor hands in his pocket look first at my mother then glances at me. Dread filled me, he looks back at my mother “Your husband Mr. Druin has sustained severe internal trauma Mrs. Druin.” “W…what does that mean can you help him is he gonna be ok?” “Mrs. Druin, he has internal bleeding; we were not able to stop it in time.” “No! No! Oh God oh no please, oh John.” My mother started to sob; tears started to run down my face. “Mrs. Druin he is wake right now…he doesn’t have long though. But he is asking for you and your son.” “He can speak, and he is awake, I have him on some pain medications, so he is a little groggy. Mrs. Druin, he doesn’t have long.” My mom took one last shuddering breath straightened her back looked at the doctor “bring me to him please doctor.” The doctor turns around and starts to walk, my mom grabs my hand, and we start to follow him. “Michael, I will see him first alone then I will come get you so you can see him, ok?” “Ok mom.” I didn’t want to tell her I was scared to see him. I sat down against the cool wall across from the door to intensive care where my father was dying. Tears once again threatened to run down my face, but I fought them off. A few minutes later my mother opened the door. “Michael, your father wants to see you.” I get up my legs shaking. My mom grabs me lightly on my face. “Michael, be strong he wouldn’t want you crying in front of him it would make him sad and worried about you, ok?” “O…ok mom I will try.” She smiles sadly at me “I know you will son.”

I walk into the room and hear the beep of the heart monitor. I see my father with an oxygen mask on his face pale like as if his blood didn’t want to rush to his face. My hand starts trembling; I notice it and clench both my hands together. “John your son is here to talk to you.” My father opens his eyes. He looks at me and I can see his smile through the mask. He reaches for his mask and takes it off. “Hello son how was your birthday? I’m sorry I couldn’t make it.” Tears threatened to betray me, “It was alright I wish you were there though.” “Son, I don’t seem to have much time.” “Don’t say that you don’t know that for sure!” “Michael its true I don’t but its ok. Now just listen to what I have to say its important ok.” I nodded my head afraid that my voice would not come forward. “I’m very proud of you! I love you with all my heart. You and your mother are the most important people in the world to me. Son your gonna be the man of the house now take care of your mother for me. You are going to be a great person when you grow up, I always felt it about you. Your heart is huge, and your friends are like family all because of how you are. Never change that about yourself son.” Tears started to run down my face, I couldn’t hold them anymore. My father smiles sadly at the sight of my tears. He reaches out hands shaking and wipes away my tears. “Don’t you be worrying about me I will always be with you! I will live through you son, you and your mom; live for me, promise me you will son and that you will smile so I can smile.” “Father…I I will!” “Good Michael good…live well my son!” My father starts to cough. “Almost time get your mother for me son.” I turn around and walk towards my mother on the other side of the room. “Mom, he wants to see you.” Mom stands up and walks with me towards my father. “Michael get my other kids will you?” “Ok.” I walk out of the room and see my friends sitting and waiting. “Hey you guys, my father wishes to see you.” They get up everyone with tears in their eyes. We walk into the room together. My mother is holding my father’s hand he looks weaker than before. “Ah here are all my kids together. Dan, Alyssa, Mandy take care of my son and his mother. Making sure they smile I have know your three since you were babies and through the years you have been like family. You being here now proves that.” Dan and Alyssa nod not able to speak, Mandy “Yes Mr. Druin you have been like a second father and Michael we all love him very much. We will never turn our backs to them, and they will smile I will make sure of it!” My father smiles a smile like no other “good I know you kids will. Jaime my love I will miss you and always love you; goodbye my love.” With that I watched as my father closes his eyes and lets out his last breath. Tears ran down my face as the heart monitor flat lined. My father has left me but his words I will never forget them. His last wish I will always remember.