When Love Arrives (H.S.)

Chapter 37

"Mel, can you hear me?" Gabe choked into the phone. "Say something."

I had suddenly lost the ability to speak, or form a coherent thought. My friends, however, did not share the same condition.

"Mel, what happened?"

"Leave her alone, Harry. Melissa, talk to me."

"Melissa... Do you want me to leave?"

"Mel?"

"Mel!"

"Mel."

It was all too much.

"Shut up! Shut up!" I screamed at my friends, running into my bedroom with tears running down my face.

They knocked after I shut it behind me, as if they had no idea what a closed door could possibly signify.

"Gabriel? Gabriel. Gabe?"

"Yes, I'm here," he sounded just as broken as I felt.

"Tell me you're unsure," my voice was pretty steady for someone whose heart was breaking.

"I... I'm sorry, I'm sure... He was pronounced dead fifteen minutes ago."

Dead air.

"You were the first person I called... Of course you were, my sister-" he broke down sobbing then, unable to get the sentence out.

My breathing increased just a little bit, as I found myself in a state of disbelief. "Why... Why didn't you call me when you went to the hospital?"

"I'm not at the hospital. I'm still at the house with everyone... I'm... I'm in hi room. Mom and Dad just left some aunts."

I nodded, even though he couldn't possibly know I was nodding. I just nodded and tried to take it as confirmation of what was happening. What had happened. I didn't believe it.

"Did he have a shot? Did he have any chance at all?" I asked, my voice faltering now.

"I don't know... I... I guess it was his time, Mel. He passed while they were trying to hook him up to a machine. It was like... Dad said it was like he didn't want to go on."

My lip was quivering now, because no I knew that could not be true. "I don't think that... I think he wanted to say goodbye to everyone."

"Yeah," Gabe was sniffling a little less now. "I think that's why he had everyone over. It was a good last day at least. That's what Dad said."

I didn't get to say goodbye to him, though.

My chest was closing in when I realized that he would never know how sorry I was for my anger, or how much I really loved him. He couldn't know. He'd never know. I'd never see him again.

"I gotta go," was all I said to my brother. I didn't want to break down in front of him, even if it was just on the phone.

"Okay, Mel. I'm sorry. Don't worry about telling everyone, I got it. I'll call you when all the details are sorted out. And, uh... I love you?" he asked it like it was a fucking question, if he could possibly love his reject little sister. I hung up the phone, pretending not to hear that.

I laid down onto my bed, cuddling up to the stuffed pug that Harry had given me for Valentine's Day, and sobbed. Sobbed, like, breathy, loud, blood curdling, demolishing sobs. The kind of crying when you're not even thinking about why you're crying, you're just letting it happened.

The knocking on my door grew louder, and soon Harry busted in without permission.

"Get out!" I screamed, crying.