Love is Blind

Chapter Seven: Open Eyes

Chapter Seven

Reece’s POV

            My dreams slowly fade away again and a pain doesn’t engulf my head, but I still do not wake instead I feel like I am in a very light sleep. I am asleep, but I can hear.

            “Juliet, I know you and Conner will just love her when you meet her. She is a truly amazing girl. She is mysterious and quiet, yet she is beautiful inside and out and so sweet. She is just so kind and nice,” my mom’s voice says and sparks my curiosity. Who is she talking about?

            “What’d you say her name is again, mom?” Juliet asks and I can just see my mom smiling.

            “Payton Jennings,” she says with a smile.

            Payton Jennings? I know that name. Wait I know her. She was cute, but a total loner. I never spoke to her before. She probably likes me, I just don’t know! Why is she here?

            “She is so nice and helps in every way she can, but I feel as if I am missing something about her,” my mom says softly trailing off into silence. She probably is thinking.

            Suddenly, a small ache begins in my head, but it’s not too bad. I feel a hand wrap in mine and squeeze it. I try my best to squeeze back.

            Come on stupid hand work, I yell to myself and finally squeeze back. I hear my mom squeal in joy.

            “Reece!” she yells in a happy tone. “Juliet go get a doctor!” my mother says. What? Why a doctor? Slowly I peel my eyes open, expecting to see the shining light or my mom’s beautiful smiling face. Instead I am met by a cruel darkness. I blink thinking maybe it’s just my eyes needing to adjust. I reopen them and nothing just plain nothingness.

            “Mom?” I ask my voice raspy from not talking for a while. How long though?

            “Yes sweetie? I am right here,” she says to my left and I can hear things so much clearer now.

            “W-why can’t I see?” I ask choking back a dry lump in my throat.

            “Sweetie, you were shot…” my mom pauses and I hear a few sets of feet enter the room. “The doctors were able to save you,” her voice cracks and I reach out searching for her face. My hand touches her nose and I slowly move it over to feel cool liquid on my fingers, tears. My mom is crying. That is never good. “But they could not save your sight.”

            At those words my world falls out from under me. You know the feeling when someone tells you something and your earth literally crashes. Everything about me falls apart. I have to be able to see! How am I supposed to run track? Play base-ball or football? Drive a car? I can never see anything again. If I have kids I with never get to see their smiling face… never get see my daughters grow into beautiful women, go to her prom or get married. I will never get to see my son play football or any sport for that matter. I will never get to see if he grows to look at me. Worst of all, on my wedding day as I stand at the end of the aisle I will never get to see my beautiful bride walk towards me in a white dress and breathe taking looks.

            I will never get to see my mom smiling at me and my dad frown creased head when he scolds me. I will never get to see the woman who finally tames Conner. I will not get see Juliet dress in her prom dress or wedding dress. Worst of all I will never get to see Rayne as anything other than her happy six year old self. I will not get to see the girl she becomes.

            Sure, I will be there, but I will not be able to see it. How will I support my family and myself? What kind of job can a blind man get? I know jobs are not supposed to discriminate on disabilities, but let’s face it they do! What kind of women wants to be with a blind man? What people want to be friends with one? I refuse to be a burden on anyone!

            How is this fair? I am nice to everyone, I never take girls virginities, I do not do drugs or get drunk, and I volunteer at homeless shelters and help others. Why did this have to be me?

            “Reece, I am Doctor Grey,” a rough male voice says, he sounds like he is in his thirties. “I am going a check on you and see if you’re ok,” he says and my anger boils to its top.

            “Of course I’m not ok! I cannot see!” I scream as loud as my dry, raspy voice allows then begin to cough. Each cough causes my head to ache more and more.

            “Conner hand me that water,” my father’s voice commands and I hear shuffling then a straw touches my lips. “It water son, drink,” my father says and I begin to slowly suck in. Cool water attacks my burning throat and I stop using my hands to try and push the cup away. After a few tries I find it and do.

            “I cannot do anything without my sight,” I mumble shutting my broken eyes trying to contain the tears.

            “Son, just likes everything else in life you can learn to adapt and exceed. Sweetie in no time you’ll be able to do things and take care of yourself,” my mom says and I feel her hand touch my arm and squeeze it. I know it’s her because of her motherly touch.

            “Mom, I don’t want to be blind. I don’t deserve this. Why?” I say softly my voice cracking.

            “I don’t know son. Things happen for crazy reasons. Sometimes to take us to something great, this is just a hill in your path and you can cross it. You have our support and we will always be by your side. Maybe this is your destiny and something great and beautiful will come from it,” my mom says. She is always the voice of reason, but just this once it doesn’t help. I just had my world torn from under my feet and honestly I feel like I am still falling and I just cannot help but be angry that this happened.