The Broken Soundtrack

Track 40: Anywhere But Here

"Come on, love. This is your favorite chicken dish from Asher's nan," Zander's words registered in my mind, but I wasn't really paying attention.

The white walls surrounding me were starting to play tricks with my eyes. Sitting inside an enclosed space for hours felt like being sandwiched alive. The only time I would ever go out of the waiting room was when I would use the bathroom or if Aunt Claire would drop by to give me something to eat.

I didn't know that surgeries could take this long. Even so, I wouldn't dare go home. I had to be here when Lake would come out of the operating room. I wanted to be here, even though he wouldn't see me.

"Just take a bite, Jannah." Fiona lifted a spoonful of the dish in front of my face, trying to distract my thoughts. Her dark-tinted eye line and mascara stared back at me in deadpan.

"You have to eat. Otherwise, we'd be sending you down at the emergency room," Zander spoke, his tone turning serious than ever. "You don't want that, do you?"

Partially opening my mouth, I leaned over to the spoon Fiona was holding and munched on the chicken casserole. Its texture blended in my mouth, but it tasted strange, almost as if I was chewing on paper. Maybe I do need to be rushed to the ER.

"Have some more." Fiona continued to feed me as I struggled to swallow the mixture in my mouth.

Zander brought out his phone from his pocket and fiddled on it. "After that, we're going to drive you home so you can have a rest."

"I can sleep here," I answered, looking at the couch he was sitting on across me.

"You've been sleeping here for days," Fiona pointed out.

She was right. Ever since Lake was admitted here, I just couldn't let my mind go to rest. I missed my classes and skipped meals. It was worse than anything I had experienced before in my life. At this point, I just wanted for him to live.

A knock on the door broke me off from trance. Turning to the side, Mr. Thompson came in with a stoic face as he directed his gaze at me. "Jannah, do you mind if I talk to you for a bit?"

I rose from my seat at once, nodding at the middle-aged man. "Of course, sir."

"We'll be right here, Jannah," Zander assured me as I turned to him and Fiona with a thin smile.

Stepping out of the door, I tried to think of what Mr. Thompson was going to say to me. He would probably tell me to leave, that it was best if I wasn't here. After all, I wasn't doing anything to help Lake. I was just there... waiting until he'd wake up.

The whole time I was following Mr. Thompson, I could only hold on to the silence that was comforting me. I had a chance to run, but the moment the elevator doors opened, I knew I was going straight to my doom.

"You're Jack's daughter, is that right?" The man started to speak, his voice bouncing against the corners of the silver walls.

"Y-Yes, sir."

The elevator stopped on the first level, my heartbeat accelerating as I trailed Mr. Thompson's back. He led the way towards the cafeteria at the lobby of the hospital. Gesturing me to sit on the vacant chair in the corner, I prepared myself for his next words.

"Your dad is my older brother."

The way he said it so casually made me question his credibility, but now that I was seeing his face this close, I could tell his resemblance with the photo of my dad... the one on my lost locket.

Mr. Thompson looked away for the first time, allowing the background noise to fill his thoughts. "Jack passed away years ago from a heart attack. He had always wanted to see you, Jannah. He just didn't have enough time to do so. I knew he loved you and your mom so much."