A Lesson Taught In The Worst Kind Of Way (Peterick)

Ch. 24

Pete came around six to pick my mom and I up.

I sat in the back with my mom while she scolded Pete on how he needs to get a hair cut, or stop wearing such tight clothing, or even that he needs to turn around and take us back home.

"Mom, we're trying to help you... so I would appreciate if you would stop judging my boyfriend about his hair or his choice in fashion."

"I'm sorry, Pete... I just don't want to go to the doctors..." my mom admitted.

"You're sounding like such a little kid. You're fine."

"Its okay, really..." Pete said, smiling at us in the rearview mirror.

"So think of this as kind of payback..." I said. "For all those times you forced me to go to the doctors..." I smirked at my mom, who rolled her eyes.

"Of course I did... I wanted to make sure you were okay. You're my first priority, Patrick..."

"That time I had a cold?" I rolled my eyes.

"You wouldn't stop coughing... you could've had lung cancer!"

"Ear infection?"

"You could've had damage to your ear drum..."

I sighed. "And there can be something seriously wrong with you, mom..." I kissed her forehead.

"Awww, sweetie..." I laid my head on her shoulder and she laid her head on top of mine. "I'll be just fine... I could've been done cleaning the kitchen and I would've been feeling better, really."

I thought back to the time I broke my arm in second grade. My mom took me to the doctors, and to stop my crying, She sang to me while we were in the waiting room.

When I got my first bike, I rode down a hill and the brake wouldn't catch, so I fell into a rose bush.

My mom spent hours pulling the thorns from my face, legs, arms, and even hands.

But the time where she helped me through my year of bullying was by far, the most heroic to me. I was in fourth grade, and very suicidal. I was done with everything. My mother sat next to me every night and she'd tell me things would get better. She'd sing to me, read me stories, listen to my favorite CDs with me, and help me with my homework. She took days upon days off of work to make sure that I wasn't going to try anything. That cut her paycheck a lot, and we were barley able to pay our bills.

"I love you, mom..." I mumbled.

"I love you, too, Patrick."

I glanced up and saw Pete watching us through the rearview mirror, smiling sadly.

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My mom was emitted to the hospital for appendicitis.

Joe and Andy came to check on me, but Pete drove them home because he knew I just wanted to be alone.

They had called an ambulance to transfer my mom. Her heart beat was slowing, and her breathing was getting heavier. The doctors said had we brought her in any later, it would've been too late.

I sat out in the hall of the hospital, watching nurses and doctors walk in or out of my mother's room.

Finally, at around one in the morning, a doctor came out and told me I could go see my mom.

I walked in quietly, lightly knocking on the door.

My mother smiled when she saw me. "Hey, sweetie."

"Hey, mom... how are you feeling?" I asked.

"Like I need to get back home and finish cleaning the house." She joked.

I rolled my eyes. "You're not going to be cleaning the house any time soon... you still need to heal..." I said.

"Patrick, I'm fine..."

I sat down next to her and sighed. After a moment of silence, I looked at her. "How do you do it?" I asked.

"Do what?" She asked.

"You always get up early to make breakfast before leaving for work, you work at least eight hours at some on your feet job, you come home late, and yet you still have enough energy to clean the house and raise a shitty son like me." I said.

My mother shrugged. "Its all a mother's job. Patrick, what makes you think you're a shitty son? If anything you're the best son ever. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you..."

I looked down and shrugged, mumbling, "Well I guess we're even, then..."

"Oh, sweetheart... come here..." she patted the space beside her and I obeyed, sitting next to her. "I'm going to tell you a story..." she said.

I groaned.

She laughed. "Just listen... there once was a princess," She paused. "That's you... I can kinda imagine you being the girl in your relationship with-..."

"Moooommmm!" I groaned again, laughing.

"Sorry..." she laughed. She laid back and I followed, laying my head on her chest.

She stroked my hair as she told me stories. I listened to her heart beat and her voice, and smiled, drifting off to sleep.

Double update, y'all!!! Sorry that took a while... GIVE ME FEEDBACK, GUYS! Ily!

~PSILY! <3