Intoxicated

Care; more you'll have to lose

Chapter 21★

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Jacob

As I sat at my desk finishing off my last piece of work there was an abrupt knock of knuckles against the front door.

I was puzzled by the disturbance as my afternoons were usually quite peaceful, especially in the summer months. Unconsciously I sighed out of realisation that my work had become quite complex recently and any distraction was usually welcomed.

"Hello sir,  Mr J. Anthony Rose?" A blunt voice spoke at me as I opened the door.

I hesitated at first before I responded," Yes sir, that's me." I nodded my head in recognition.

"I'm Mr Johns, I'm afraid I have some bad news..." His forehead creased like a map of origami unsure what it would form. He didn't need to finish his sentence for me to guess where this was heading.

"It's concerning your mother, Mrs Stephanie Rose; I'm afraid she passed away last night in accident and emergency." He crushed his eyelids together in regret to admit this devastating news.

"What happened?" My voice broke slightly as I peered into his eyes.

"She overdosed, I'm so sorry to have to tell you, we couldn't bring her back this time." He sighed heavily, with tears pricking the corner of his eyes.

I just nodded my head gently in recognition of the situation. My palms were coated in a fresh layer of anxiety and my breathing became shallow as I absorbed the information that he had just provided me with.

The gentleman was her paramedic, last night his team fought to save her life and felt obliged to consult my family in person, when her body decided to switch off for the final time. I thanked him for consoling me in person. As her next of kin was my father, who worked in the same hospital that she departed this life, he knew that I would have to be the first to contact.

"I appreciate that you came to visit me in person, it takes real guts Mr Johns." I patted him on the back as I showed him to the door.

"Thank you, Mr Rose," he smiled with a genuine tinge of sadness," usually I would have telephoned for you to come into the hospital, but considering the circumstances I thought it would have been inappropriate." A pained expression was draped over his face; I hoped he wasn't reflecting mine.

"I appreciate it." I forced a grimace his way as he stepped out and I was left to digest the message he'd delivered.

I felt sad.

It was more than sad; I felt a little less like myself. Almost as if a piece has been stolen away by a bird with the same beautiful hair colour as my mother, ash blonde.

"Why this, why now?" I sobbed silently to myself.

I never expected to have to be the one to make the signal apparent to my most treasured people in the world, but apparently it was my job to do so.

With my deepest regrets, I knew that today was the day the white flag would have to be raised. The motherland was now a peace with herself.

I'm the eldest of my five siblings and yet I've never been so scared to tell them this news; that consequently my father will never allow himself to come to terms with.