It All Started With An Apple

Chapter 45

“He’s holding on, Bri.”  Kyla smiled reassuringly.  It didn’t reassure me, though.  It should have, but it didn’t.  “There’s still a chance.”

“I wish I could believe that.”  I sighed.  “I’ve tried to believe that.  But. . . . “

Kyla pursed her lips, her eyes shooting up to the sky.  “I’m not the most religious of people, we both know that,” she told me.  “But I have a feeling that if there is a God, He will save Dannon.  Dannon is too good.”

Too good.  That’s exactly what Dannon was.  He was too good to die.  It pained me to think that if shitty things like this could happen to someone like Dannon, what did it mean for the rest of us?  We were screwed, that’s exactly what it meant.  We were worse off than screwed.

“God’s deserted us.”

| It ♥ All ♥ Started ♥ With ♥ An ♥ Apple |

I let the front door fall shut behind me, sighing deeply.  Sighing had become a bad habit of mine.  My mom said it was a sign of depression, but who really needed the signs?  It was pretty damn obvious I was depressed.  I didn’t need signs or some damn doctor to tell me that.

“Brianne, how was your visit with Dannon?” my mom asked, appearing from the kitchen.  I eyed the spatula in her hand distastefully.  She still insisted on cooking despite everyone’s pleas for her to stop.  Even my dad asked her to let him handle the cooking from now on.  But no.  She still cooked.  Stubborn mother of mine.

I shrugged, collapsing onto the couch and closing my eyes.  What was I supposed to tell her?  That my visit had been fine?  That would be a lie.  No visit with Dannon was ever fine.  I bawled my eyes out every time, begging for him to open his eyes, to look at me.  But if Dannon could hear me, he didn’t act like he did.  And how could he?  He couldn’t move anything.

“We’re going to Aunt Jill’s this weekend,” she continued.  “Don’t worry, Maria’s been told to be on her best behavior.  She shouldn’t be any trouble.  Jill knows everything, Bri, so don’t worry about telling her anything.  I told her to tell Britain.”

I nodded, letting out a long sigh of relief.  At least now I wouldn’t have to tell Britain why I was so depressed.  Hopefully Vincent wouldn’t question it—or any of the others for that matter.  I wouldn’t be able to answer them.  You couldn’t just tell little kids that someone you cared about was in a coma.  They wouldn’t understand.  You would have to explain it further.  And I wouldn’t be able to bring myself to do that.

“Okay,” I said, massaging my temples with my fingers.  “Where’s Garrett?”

“Right here.”  I felt someone plop down beside me.  I forced my eyes open and they met Garrett’s.  He smiled at me.  I tried to smile back, but failed.  “What can I do for you, little sis?”

“Do you want to watch a movie?” I asked, leaning into his side.  Garrett pulled me close, allowing me to snuggle into his shoulder.  Out of everyone, Garrett had been the most comforting and the one that I was semi-normal around.  It made me appreciate my brother so much more.  That he would take the time to make me feel at least slightly better.

“Hm, what movie?” he asked, plucking the remote from the cushion next to him and turning on the TV. 

I shrugged.  “Something with a lot of blood and guts would be nice.”

That was our system.  No comedies or chick flicks would be welcome.  At first Garrett had tried to watch Disney movies, but they only reminded me of when Dannon and I watched Beauty and the Beast in the hospital before he’d fallen into a coma.  At least when I was scared I wasn’t really able to think about anything else.