Pushing Forward (Sequel to An Unlikely Duo)

Chapter 13: Shock

I could almost picture Mrs. Mitchells sitting there praying for the doctors to do what they do best and save her husband, the love of her life. There was no way she could be prepared for the tsunami about to drown her in grief.

I got there right as Dr. Jones finished breaking the news. Right as Mrs. Mitchells sank down into the chair as she choked back a scream. Right as Jake grabbed his hair and a look of complete despair crossed his face.

The tears came and I couldn't hold them back.

I pulled Mrs. Mitchells into a hug and let her sob into my shoulder. I just held her there for a while. When I brushed some of the tears out of my eyes and looked up, Jake was gone.

I don't know how long I stood there holding my ex's mother, who was now a widow, as her whole body shook with sobs. Eventually the wails stopped and she just shook. That soundless crying was even worse than the wailing.

Jake didn't come back. His mother had the opportunity to go see her dead husband one last time, but she refused to go without Jake.

"I'll wait for Jake. He'll be back. I'll wait" she kept muttering over and over as she sat in a chair staring at the bed where her husband lay, alive, just hours before.

"You should go see him. I don't think Jake will want to come back here any time soon" I put my arm around her, helping her out of the chair before handing her off to a nurse.

"I have to go find him" she was fumbling with her cell phone, calling and recalling Jake.

"I'll go find him for you. Go see your husband and make the necessary arrangements. I'll find Jake and have him meet you back at your house" I assured her before starting my search for Dr. Jones.

I finally found him scrubbing in for another surgery.

"Dr. Jones I know I'm not supposed to leave for another three hours, but your patient's son has disappeared and his mother is frantic. I think I know where he is. I'm sorry to bring personal matters into-"

"Kayla. It's fine. I understand completely. You have the rest of the day off. Go find your friend" Dr. Jones nodded understandingly before heading into his next surgery.

Hospitals were a place where lives were saved and lives were lost every day. It was when a life you knew was suddenly gone that you realized how permanent death was.

I wanted to be a surgeon to save lives, but in that moment I wasn't sure if I could handle the deaths. The reactions of the families. The sense of failure. It was too much, too hard.

I tried to pull myself together as I drove to Jake. I didn't even realize where I was going until I was already there. It was operating on instinct.

I wiped my eyes one more time before climbing out of the car.

I looked up at my old high school, but couldn't find any sense of comfort in all the memories I made there.

The football stadium where I spent some of my favorite Friday nights would now mean two things. Community and grief. I knew Jake would experience the same thing. That's why he was here.

He lost his father and came here. To the football field where he and his father found a shared love of football that brought them closer, yet drove them apart.

He was sitting there on the bench that he practically never sat on during all of his high school career. There was Ridgemont High School's star running back with his head in his hands, shoulders shaking.

"Your mother is frantic trying to find you. I told her you'd meet her at home" I sat down beside him. I knew he didn't want to be hugged or consoled. He just needed time to think.

"I should have fixed things with him. We've always had a horrible relationship. I had 21 years to fix it and I didn't. Now I won't ever have the chance" Jake didn't lift his head.

"It wasn't a horrible relationship. When it comes down to it he knew you loved him, and you know he loved you. That's what matters" I desperately wanted him to believe me.

"I still should've said it. Fixed things. There were a few times that I thought we had gotten past it all. Senior year things were better, then I picked Duke and all hell broke loose. Why didn't I just go to BC? We could've been happy" Jake was blaming himself and that alone broke my heart.

"And what? Been unhappy for four years? You think he really would've wanted that? I know he yelled and constantly badgered you about BC even after you committed to Duke, but in the end you were happy and that's what matters to a father. He wanted you to be happy and he would still want you to be happy" I insisted.

He didn't answer, so I just hoped he heard me and believed me. We sat there for a bit longer, not saying anything until I finally convinced him to let me take him home.

Dropping him off, I knew his mother's grief would make this process even harder for him, but he wouldn't leave her alone. She needed him, and Jake wouldn't abandon her. He ran from the hospital and took an hour to pull himself together because he knew that would be the only time for him to worry about himself. Now he would worry about his mother until she got through this, if it was even possible to really ever get through something like that.

If I knew Jake at all, that I knew for sure he would worry about everyone else before he worried about himself.

This chapter definitely wasn't easy to write. Let me know what you think! Don't forget to vote and comment!