Dumped!

Dumped (30)

30

Mrs. Carter’s P.O.V.  --- Part 1.

A myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack, is the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die. The resulting  restriction in blood supply and oxygen shortage, if left untreated for a sufficient period of time, can cause damage or death of heart muscle.

Simply put, heart attacks are awful.

The day I had mine, I was driving down to Deana’s house. I was racked with guilt over the things she’d said to me, and it was due to shame that I hadn’t tried to confront her right after her outburst. Every single thing she’d said was true, but I’d been too blinded by control to realize it beforehand.

I had never felt worse than at that moment when she’d said, “I hate you, mom. Like, literally, I despise you.” I remembered the tears running down her cheeks, which I was sure she was completely unaware of. No mother likes to see their child cry – no matter how horrible they – the mothers – are.

I felt my chest clench tightly, as I stepped on the accelerator. I knew I had to fix it, and fast. I was certain that I was running a number of traffic lights, but I kept picturing her weeping face and I stepped on it harder, like I couldn’t get there fast enough.

A few yards from the next traffic light, I felt a tighter uncontrollable clench in my chest, and I felt my breath shortening. I’d read about heart attacks all my life – I didn’t want my husband suffering from any, and he was at risk, since there was a history of heart disease in his family – but, nothing could have prepared me for the actual occurrence. I pulled at the neckline of my blouse trying to relieve any pressure, like I’d read.

I felt myself getting weaker and weaker, and was only half aware of the car swerving off the road and into the paper vendor’s stand. Most shops were closed, so I didn’t expect that anyone would be around for miles.

Before all went black, my only thought was, ‘I absolutely deserve this.’

*

I woke to the sound of a soft beeping noise by my ear. On my hands and legs were electrodes connected to an EKG monitor. I could see Rosie and Howard murmuring under their breaths to the doctor. I looked through the slightly open window blinds to see Jeremy Harrington standing with an older woman, whom I assumed was his mother – there was a slight resemblance.

His eyes widened in shock, and I saw the woman nudge him. I figured he was probably going to tell Deana; I wished he wouldn’t though. Deana’s defense mechanism was unbearable hostility, but I knew that if he told her this, it’d all dissipate, to be replaced by fear and guilt. Whereas, she had nothing to feel guilty about.

I tried to shake my head, signaling at him not to tell her, but there was no point. I could barely move my limbs, not to talk of expressing such a difficult expression.

“Mom?” Rosie said, in a soft whisper.

I could hear the fear in her voice, as she walked over slowly. Howard followed suit, and stood at the foot of my bed. I tried to smile, but I felt dizzy and weak.