The silent beeping was swaying through the air as Debbie slowly fluttered her eyes to open. Her eyes felt heavy and her body felt lifeless as she looked around. White-creamed walls, machines inside the very still room that she was in, and she, in a bluish hospital gown. She groaned silently as the realization gradually sunk in. Oh, how she hated hospitals. She despised the smell of its environment and as well as the taste of the hospital food, but most of all, she hated the crying of affected families and she hated to see people dying. It reminded her when she was eight, with a teddy bear on her chest, she sauntered a local hospital full of blood; at that very young age, she had lost her innocence. It brought her back to that scary night. She was sleeping when Danny, her fifteen year old brother back then scooped her up from bed and ushered her inside the back of their car that was parked outside. Debbie didn't know what was happening, but she could hear the gunshots happening just inside their own kitchen. Her mother, the screams of her mother calling her and Danny had set her eyes on tears and then she saw men, plenty of men beating their father down 'til purple. She cried and tried to yell, but Danny's hand on her mouth kept her still.
"Sssh. Shhh. Don't cry. Debbie, listen to me. We will be okay."
"What is happening inside the house? Why are there men in there with guns?"
"Listen, kid. This is our reality. We are the Oceans and we differ from any other family. Just remember, as long as I am here, you will never be hurt. You have me, always."
On that same night, after what felt like eternity for the little Debbie, they went back to the house when the men went out riding a black limo. Their father barely alive with cuts and gunshots. Their living room, their kitchen, their stairs, and the furniture inside the house were ruined. Blood was everywhere and on the corner, her mother sat down bathing in her own blood. No pulse, dead. Debbie remembered having her nightgown stained with her mother's blood as she hugged her mother and cried. They rushed her to the hospital, but her mother could no longer be revived. She was gone, and along with that - Debbie, the sweet little girl who sung lullabies each day, who picked daisies and vanillas each morning - that sweet innocent child was gone too.
Debbie winced as she shook the memories away. She silently cussed as she felt a pang of pain on the back of her palm. The dextrose attached to her felt stingy and all she wanted to do was to pull it out of her hand, but as she was about to do so, she felt icey blue eyes piercing her individuality. She stopped. Lou was sitting on the chair just two meters away from her bed, eyes cold and her face was emotionless.
"If you had planned on committing suicide, hypothermia was an option by losers. You chose to freeze to death outside my car? That is so lame." Lou spoke, her husky voice was emotionless, "I can suggest another option though." She stood from her seat and walked towards Debbie, she then sat on Debbie's side, "If you want to die, stab yourself with a knife just to be sure you'll be really dead, and one thing, don't commit suicide in my place or near my place. I don't want your ghost to linger around near me, Debbie."
She was mum. Debbie didn't know how to respond, but she knew her tears were already falling out of her. The opening of the door and the sound of skateblades blazing around made her wipe her tears right away. Constance was skating towards her and Tammy was behind, arms full of basket-fruit. Lou rolled her eyes secretly as she stood up.
"Gotta go. Have a great night, Tim-Tam and Constance." Lou spoke as she went out, never bothering to look back again.
"Mom yow! What the fuck did you do to yourself? You are not Elsa what the hell, you almost die!" Constance spoke as she sat on a chair near Debbie's bed.
"Nice to meet you too, Constance." She smiled weakly.
"Hey, how are you? How are you feeling?" Tammy asked, placing a kiss on her head, "We are sorry if we just got here since last week. I was so busy with the kids and the gang was out of the country."
"Yeah mom, we just got back this morning. Actually, jetlag is fucking me still."
"Wait, last week? I was here since last week?" She asked, trying to sit so Tammy helped her while Constance placed a pillow to support her back.
Tammy sighed and sat on the side of the bed, "Yes, Deb. You've been here for eight days now. Thank God Lou found you as early as possible. God, you were unconscious while covered in snow. What the hell were you thinking when you went out in a lingerie while snowstorm was happening? Lou was here with you and she even closed her bar just to take care of you. She cried calling me about what happened to you, Deb. You made her almost crazy." Tammy spoke, so fast as if she was in a hurry; her mommy mode was indeed on.
"Mom, you are so blessed to have mommy Lou. So when's the wedding? Can I skate through the aisle?" Constance asked excitedly before blowing her gum.
"Wait, Lou was here? With me? All week?"
"Yes.'" Tammy replied, "Now tell us why did you go out there and decided to be unconscious outside the heavy falling of snow?"
And with that, Debbie stopped. Lou was with her and was taking good care of her all week. That event gave Debbie a small flick of hope that maybe they could still fix what was ruined between the two of them. She then looked at the two women waiting for her response. What should she say? Should she tell the truth about her fight with Lou? Should they ought to know their real story? Debbit bit her lip and stopped for a moment.
"Tam, can I have your phone? I wanna borrow it."
"And why?"
"I want to see Lou."
Tammy smiled hearing Debbie's response, she then took her hand and held it tightly. Tammy knew how much Debbie and Lou loved each other, and in the course of their two-decade friendship, she knew both were secretly in love to each other.
"Debs, I know you miss her, but for now, let her sleep. She'll come back when she's done resting, okay?"
"But what if she won't?" Debbie's voice cracked and the women around her startled, "you don't understand. You understand." She sobbed and buried her face on her knees as she kept on repeating those words.
"Deb, what do you mean?"
"Mom, hey! Don't be a crybaby."
"Lou..." she bit her lip feeling all the tears draining out of her, "She gave up on me, on us. We had a huge fight and... she... Tam, she gave up on me."
"Shhhh, come here." Tammy hushed her down and threw her arms around her to somehow pacify Debbie.
Debbie sobbed in the arms of Tammy. For Constance who had known Debbie in such a short period of time, it was a rare event to see. Debbie was known to be fierce and brave, and she didn't expect to see her sobbing like a baby. Debbie's vulnerability sprawled out in front of the two. Unsuspended, raw and pure.
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Ocean Waves | Loubbie Short Stories
Fanfiction« short stories of Lou Miller and Debbie Ocean
