Book Two: Adaptation

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a few days later

Just getting back from taking Thursday for a walk, we climb the stairs to head inside. Releasing Thursday from her leash, I pat her head before I head up to the room for my things so I can head back to the hospital.

On the way, my mom pops out of nowhere surprising me.

"Ready to eat now?" She asks in Aramaic.

"I was actually just gonna go to the hospital"

"You can go after you eat. You know she'd want you to so come on" she waves me to the kitchen and I roll my eyes with a sigh as I shove my hands in my pockets reluctantly following after her.

In the kitchen, she points to a chair and I take a seat as she walks over to a huge pot to take the lid off and stir it around.

"Would you like to talk about it?"

"Talk about what?" I cross my arms on the counter to lay my head down.

"You know what"

"Oh." I frown. "Not really."

Hearing her take a bowl down from the cabinet, she sits it in front of me a few moments later. "Are you going to tell her the same thing when she finally wakes up?"

"Of course not"

"Then how are you gonna talk about it with her if you can't talk to your mother?"

This is why I wasn't interested in a meal. I knew it was just her ploy to get me to open up and I'm just not ready for that yet. It hurts too much.

"I don't know... I'll figure it out" I finally sit up. "I mean there's no telling what her reaction will be. Maybe she won't wanna talk about it either"

"You can't block this out, Abel. It'll make you sick"

I don't see why I can't. It's how I dealt with my last loss.

"I know, Mom" I take and pull the bowl of soup closer. "I should eat so I can get out of here"

With a sad expression, she opens her mouth to say something but Gemma comes in then on one of her many calls.

Wrapping it up she rolls her eyes, disconnecting the line. "I swear insurance companies are the worst. Oh sorry, am I interrupting?"

"No, he wasn't going to talk anyway" I hear her disappointed tone and I look down as she walks away.

"You know, she's just trying to help. We're all sad and worried about you and Nava" Gemma comes to sit next to me. "I'm sure you can imagine how Nene feels seeing her only daughter in that bed"

"I know. I don't mean to be cold" I play with my soup.

"I can't tell you how to feel right now but don't shut your mother out, she's grieving too"

Knowing she's right, I sigh deeply. "I don't know how to put what I'm feeling into words right now"

"That's okay, I doubt she expects you to. I believe she just wants you to acknowledge it"

Looking at Gemma, I smirk, "I see you guys have been talking"

"What else is there to do when you can't sleep?" She shrugs.

Turning back to my bowl I take another bite. "I can't really think about it right now, there's only so much of reality I can deal with at a time and right now it's easier to pretend"

"I understand" she rests her hand on my shoulder. "Just don't get too comfortable in that fantasy, okay? Reality has a way of giving us rude wake-up calls"