How Do I Say Goodbye? - Short Story

Part 1:

a/n: this is a threeshot based on the song "How Do I Say Goodbye?" The song is above. ⬆⬆⬆⬆⬆⬆⬆. I will try to update and finish this within this week. Warning: This is really sad and also contains swear words.

POV: Ross

I groan slightly before stretching. I grab my phone. Wow it's 5 a.m., our show isn't for more than 12 hours. The wallpaper on my phone makes me smile. It's from my 5th marriage anniversary a couple of months ago. I'm sitting on a chair covered in white satin. Laura's on my lap with our five year old daughter, Ally on her lap. My amazing wife is wearing a pale yellow sundress and Ally matches with her. I can't wait to see them. I have been on a world tour as one half of The Driver Era for the past three months. I wanted them to come but Laura and I agreed that they should stay in LA for Ally's school. She just started 1st grade at this new private school so, she needed to stay. I scroll down and see 25 missed calls from my mom. My smiling face grows serious. What happened? Is she alright? I unlock my phone and click one of her voicemails.

"Darling, please come home" My mom's voice is super shaky. My mind wanders. Something couldn't have happened to her otherwise she wouldn't be calling. If something happened to Ally then Laura would call me. Fuck. The realization hits me. Something happened to Laura. This can't be happening. Not her. Anyone but her and Ally. I jump out of bed and rush to Rocky's room not caring that I'm just in my boxers in the hallway. I start pounding on the door. An angry Rocky in a bathrobe answers.

"What the hell, man. I'm trying to get some sleep and you wake me at fucking 5 in the morning."

"It's Laura." I answer. My voice shakes.

"Oh no," Rocky says. His expression softens and he pulls me into a hug. "We gotta get home."

he disappears for five minutes and I hear him talking on the phone.

"he knocked at my door.....five in the morning.......something happened.......Laura........Great thanks."

Rocky comes back to the doorway.

"Pack. We're leaving in ten minutes."

Without giving any response, I run back to my room. I grab all my clothes and stuff them my suitcase.

Rocky comes in with talking into the phone.

"I'll tell him. We should be there in 7 hours. Love you Mom."

"Ross, it's Laura."

I drop everything with the confirmation. Rocky grabs me and sits me down in a chair.

" Laura was driving home from the studio when a truck crashed into the side of her car. It's not the driver's fault, the brakes weren't working. She's in a coma right now"

Just like that my whole world crashes. No, this can't be happening. Why now? We were so happy.

"What about Ally?" My voice comes out a barely recognizable growl.

"Ally is fine, she was at mom's."

I stand up and run to my suitcase. I try to zip it but end up zipping it super hard and the zip comes out. I try to put the zip back on but my hands start shaking. I can't stop.

"Ross, sit." Rocky pushes me back into the chair. "Calm down"

"Don't ask me to calm down." my voice starts as calm but slowly rises" Don't ask me to calm down when my wife is in the fucking ICU. Don't ask me to calm down when it's all my fault."

"Ross it's not your fau-"

"Don't tell me it's not my fault Rock. She's in a fucking coma right now. And instead of being a good husband and fulfilling my vows, I'm out here sitting in a hotel room a million miles away instead of sitting by her bedside."

One tear slips out. Then comes another one. Soon the gates open and every single tear slips out. Rocky just grabs me in a giant hug.

"She will be fine. You'll see her soon Ross."

(***)

We're 5 hours into the 6 hour plane flight. Every second feels like a century. I talked to Mom and she said she would update me. No update so far. I can't take this. I grab my phone and open photos. Rocky is right next to me snoring. We're both sitting in first class but, it feels so wrong without her. Why should I be sitting here in comfort when she's in LA fighting for her life. I type her name into the search bar and hit enter.I scroll down and start at the very beginning. I scroll through photos of us from A&A. Ever since that fateful day, she's been my closest friend. Even when we fell out of touch and didn't talk. I scroll past selfies and stop at a photo of her. I'm right next to her and she's in mid-laugh. Her face contorted but still perfectly perfect. Her wavy chestnut hair I spent hours playing with frames her face. I remember this moment we were both in her dressing room in a break while they were filming other scenes without us.

"Hey Laur, I have another one."

"No, Ross, stop. I can't take it." Laura says barely able to get the words out because she's still laughing at my previous joke. "My makeup artist will kill me if my makeup gets ruined."

"What did the horse say when it tripped and fell down?"

I pause for a second for dramatic effect, But just for a second.

"Help, I've fallen and can't giddyup."

Laura bursts out laughing and grabs onto my arm. Suddenly I knew, I knew that I wanted to hear that laugh for the rest of my life.

A tear rolls down my cheek. Then another. Soon the floodgates open again and I find myself crying. I let myself cry for 5 minutes, thankful for the privacy curtain. I hear the captain say that we will be landing in five minutes. Just 30 minutes until I see my Laura. I quickly swipe it away and turn off my phone. I just hope she's all right.