Brick Girl [Completed]

Not going anywhere

Zeke

Tar yawned and leaned against me. I wrapped my arm around her. We had spent the rest of the day at the beach and the sun was starting to set. A cool wind blew through the trees.

"Shall we get out of here?" I asked.

She nodded sleepily.

I gathered up our things and we walked back to the car. I started the car and we headed home.

Tar rested her arm against the door and soon she was asleep. I hated the idea of her staying in the flat by herself so I drove to my house. Mum wasn't in, she must have been at the hospital.

I parked and leaned over to Tar.

"Tar?"

I kissed her cheek and she mumbled then rubbed her eyes.

"Hi," she smiled sweetly.

"We're home," I kissed her again.

She looked up and turned to me with a confused look on her face.

"I hoped you'd stay here tonight?"

She nodded.

We got out and were walking up the drive when Tar's phone rang.

"Hello?"
"Yes, I'm her daughter."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm on my way."

Tar ended the call and looked at me,

"Can you take me to the hospital? My mum isn't well and the doctors need to see me immediately."

We walked back quickly and headed to the hospital.

——————————————

Tara

I walked down the corridor to the ward with Zeke by my side. My stomach churned with worry. The nurse had sounded so serious on the phone.

It was dark in the ward, I saw a nurse at the desk and walked up to her.

"Hi, I'm Tara Phillips. Someone called me about my mum, Gail?"

The nurse looked at me sadly, "I'm sorry, your mum became quite unwell so we've had to take her to theatre. The surgeon will be able to speak to you shortly. Follow me, I have a place you can wait."

I trailed after her and into a white room with a sofa and a coffee machine. I heard the nurse murmur something to Zeke then she closed the door behind her.

I stared at the floor. I didn't know how to feel. She was my mum but it had been as if I was living with a stranger. She hated me and she showed me how much regularly.

Zeke sat next to me and took my hand. He didn't say anything. He didn't need to.

A couple of hours passed and I could feel my anxiety rise. It was building up in my throat like a scream.

The door opened and someone wearing scrubs walked in.

"Mum?" Zeke said, startled.

"Zeke? Tara?" I heard Rose sounding shocked.

A nurse followed in behind Rose and they stood in front of me.

"Uh Tara," I heard Rose take a deep breath. "I'm the surgeon that was called to see your mum. She became unwell during one of the investigations and started to bleed from an unknown source. We took her to theatre to try to stop the bleeding but due to your Mum's poor health it proved to be too difficult. I'm so sorry, Tara, your Mum passed away."

I said nothing. Zeke's hand gripped mine tightly. The room was silent.

She was gone? I thought of her, the way she looked at me full of hate and how much she couldn't bear me.

I stood up and looked at Rose. Her green eyes full of sadness and her eyebrows furrowed. She opened her mouth to say something then closed it.

I stepped forward and felt the room move. My vision became blurry and darkened at the edges. The last thing I saw before I hit the ground was my Mum's face, full of hatred because in the end, I had managed to kill both my parents.

————————————-

Zeke

Tar lay on the hospital bed, she looked so pale. After she'd passed out, Mum and the nurse had moved quickly, putting her into the recovery position. The nurse had wheeled a bed through and I'd lifted her onto it. Apart from today, I wondered when she'd last eaten, it had barely taken any effort lifting her.

The nurse had pushed the bed away and I followed. Mum was in 'doctor mode'. She turned and saw me.

"Zeke, wait here. I'll come and get you in a moment."

"I'm not leaving her," I barked.

Mum looked at me,shocked.

"Zeke, you're not leaving her. Give us a minute to see to her and I'll come get you. Ok?"

I nodded and sat down. I put my head in my hands. Every time I closed my eyes I saw Tar standing up then collapsing. Her head making a loud thump as it hit the hard floor. I felt tears prick my eyelids. I didn't know what I'd do if something happened to her.

"Zeke?" Mum said, gently. She sat next to me and wrapped her arm around my shoulder.

"Is she ok?" I choked out.

"She will be. I think it was just the stress of it all. She looked very pale so I've taken some bloods to check everything is ok."

"Thanks Mum," I whispered. Mum gave my shoulder a squeeze.

"Come on," Mum said.

I followed her into a room and saw Tar. I sat next to the bed and didn't move.

The nurse mumbled something into my Mum's ear and they left the room.

Tar was connected to an IV drip. There was a blood pressure machine tightening and releasing regularly. I listened to her steady heartbeat on the monitor. The nurse had changed her into a hospital gown.

Tar looked different without her usual hoodie and jeans on and it was then I saw how frail she was. Her collarbone was prominent against her skin and her arms were so small. I took her hand and held it in mine, it was so cold.

"Tar?"

She didn't move.

"Tar, I'll be here when you wake up. I'm not going anywhere." I reached out and moved her hair. The bruises on her neck had faded.

"Zeke, can I talk to you outside?" Mum's voice was hard.

I stood up and nodded. I kissed Tar gently on her forehead then followed Mum out the room.

"Zeke, when the nurse was changing Tara into her gown she noticed a lot of bruises on her stomach and ribs. She is also very thin. What's going on?"

"Someone has been hurting her Mum, that's why we weren't talking. She wouldn't tell me who it was. When I went to her flat yesterday there was no food there at all. She's eaten today though." I explained.

Mum looked concerned, " Zeke, Tara's blood results show that she is severely malnourished. This has been going on for weeks, possible months. Did she talk to you about things with her Mum?"

"She told me that she was an alcoholic but that's about it."

Mum frowned, "Tara is going to have to stay here for now. I have to get some of my colleagues to see her and we will go from there. She'll need some tests too."

"Ok," I turned and walked back into the room. I sat back down in the chair.

"Zeke go home," Mum said. "She needs to rest, she could be out for hours."

"No." The finality in my voice made Mum sigh. She knew not to argue with me when I made my mind up.

I shrugged off my coat and held Tar's hand.

I promised her. I'm not going anywhere.