A Bet Gone Wrong

Cameron:

As soon as I pulled into a parking space at the hospital, my cell phone went off again. If I never felt popular before I sure do today, texting everyone and getting calls from everyone. Shame most of them don't mean a thing to me and the ones that do have their own issues to deal with.

"Hey," I said to whoever was on the other line.

"Cameron what are you up to?" Pat asked out of breath. There are only a few select things he could be occupied with that would make him that breathless.

"I have a feeling I should be asking you that," I chuckled. "I'm at the hospital to visit my dad."

"Oh, is everything alright?" The amount of concern in his voice helped comfort my nerves that were freaking out with each step I took closer to the hospital doors. People passed by me, some in tears while others with smiles on their faces. I couldn't help but wonder which way I'd be coming out.

"Yeah everything’s great," I replied with a little too much enthusiasm, more than I would ever believe.

"Cameron you know better than to play tough guy with me. I'm your brother remember?" He replied compassionately.

"Yeah, I knew that. I just want to believe that things are going to be good. You know?"

"If you ever need someone to lean on you know I'm here for you, no matter how gay that sounds," he chuckled. "I'll let the guys know you won't be joining us later."

"No don't, I might need the night out of the house after all this."

"Alright, text me if you can."

"Sure thing," I smiled before I ended the call. Once I got inside, everything that went on today fled from my mind. I was here focused on one thing in particular.

"How may I help you sir?" The lady asked. She wasn't young like most the girls here were so I didn't have to flirt my way into getting up to the room. Inside, my dad was asleep on the bed with needles covering the majority of his body. My mom looked close to tears, the only thing holding her back was Lucas.

"Hey guys, how's he doing?" I asked with the enthusiasm back in my voice. My mom glanced up at me and smiled as she stood up. I didn't expect her to hug me like she did, squeezing all the air possible out of my lungs.

"He's doing better than he was earlier," she sighed. "Can you take Lucas downstairs to get something to snack on while I have a moment alone with your father?" She asked.

"No problem. Come on butt head," I joked as I ruffed up his hair.

I expected him to laugh and punch me in the gut like he usually would, but instead he shoved my arm away from him and stormed out of the room without a word. Luckily mom didn't notice because she had returned to my dad's side. So I went out into the hall and caught up with Lucas.

"Hey what's wrong?" I asked him.

"Leave me alone," he yelled when I tried to hold his arm to slow him down.

"Lucas I'm just trying to talk to you."

"I don't want to talk to you!" He shouted. Some nurses we were walking by looked over at us, but I ignored them. Even after Lucas and I were seated at a table eating ice cream, he still refused to talk. The silence eventually got to me though and I decided to try again.

"Was he awake when you first got here?" I asked him casually.

He glanced up at me for a moment and I was able to keep his eye contact for a couple seconds, but then he just looked away again. "Why weren't you here?" He growled, as he slammed his hands on the table.

"Because I was with some friends. I didn't know mom was going to stop by today to visit him," I explained.

"He died right in front of me, and even though mom was there to hold me I didn't want her, I wanted you."

His eyes filled with tears that he tried to wipe away but the more he tried the more the flooded from his eyes.

"Luke," I sighed. He got up from his chair and buried his face in my shirt. I had to take a deep breath to hold back my own tears that threatened to come out. "Stop crying Luke its okay, I'm here now and dad's fine."

"No he's not Cameron and you know it. He's going to die and there's nothing we can do about it,'' he sobbed. Guess I'm going to be driving home shirtless once we're done here.

"Yes there is something," I told him as I pried him from my shirt. "All we can do for him is be strong. As long as he knows we are strong and can take care of each other then he will die in peace. He's only wanted for us to be happy ever since we were born and that's what we are going to be."