Careful Where You Stand (Sequel to Stand Behind The Music)

Chapter 4

Not a second later he started chocking. My hand flew to his back, rubbing circles to help him along, but that didn't help much. His skin started growing red and blotchy and his tiny little hands flew to his throat, almost as if he couldn't breathe. He started taking shallow loud breaths trying to get any air into his lung but I could tell he couldn't. Apparently we were awfully loud because Liz and Vic rushed in kneeling at Gabe's feet. 

"Sweetie, what happened? Harry what did he eat?" She asked me desperately, but before I could reply she noticed the bag of peanut m&m's. "Harry, he's allergic to peanuts!" 

Vic rushed to the dresser where an epi-pen was placed and brought it over. I was kicked out of the room before I could see the next parts. 

Fuck! So much for making Gabe like me! I practically tried to kill him! I really hope he's okay because I didn't mean for that to happen. I didn’t know. I was trying to do my best to appeal to him and I ruined it. But I honestly do wish that he is okay. 

After a couple minutes, the door burst open stopping my worried pacing. They pushed past me with a hurried apology and right into Gabe's room. In less than 10 seconds they had him strapped up to the gurney and wheeling out of the house, straight into ambulance. 

I caught a small glimpse of the toddler in the hustle bustle. He looked so weak, his eyes half open. He was covered in red blotches and bumps, hives breaking out all over his skin. Parts of his body swollen from the reaction. I had caused that to happen to the little boy. I couldn't just let him have time to warm up to me, no I had to go and ruin things selfishly. 

Liz left in the ambulance, a worried look still evident on her face, no matter how much she tried to hide it. It was absolute torture to see her like that, and worst to know that I had caused it. 

Vic and I followed the ambulance as fast as we could although the traffic only gives way to the paramedics, not us. Once we arrive at the hospital, we were sent to where Gabe would be in the Emergency Room. His door was closed; the doctors still with him, and Liz sat outside, her head in her hands. I went to sit beside her, rubbing her back and whispering comforting words to her but she pushed me off. Like mother like son. 

"Look I'm sorry, I didn't know" I pleaded, trying to earn her forgiveness, but she just ignored me. I repeated it a couple more times but by then she just completely blocked me out. "Lizzy, he'll be okay" I said holding her hand. And I think that triggered her, pushed her off the edge. 

"Okay? How do you know? Harry I've lost such an important person in my life and because of this I might lose another. And then you won't be able to keep me here. Until now, I'm only here for Gabe. If something happens to him, I won't be able to survive" She cried. She bawled for over half an hour, the thought of losing Gabe killing her, I could tell.

Then the doctor from the emergency room came out to talk to us. After our bombarding questions he finally spoke directly to Liz. "He's not critical anymore, but he is very weak. You'll be able to see him in a couple hours, once he's awake" He said, leaving.  

That gave me some hope. Actually a lot of hope. We waited in the waiting room, me constantly looking over to the girl that sat a couple seats down from me. Liz had a smile constantly playing at her lips, but it seemed as if she purposely pushed it away. But time and time again, and maybe it was from knowing Gabe would be okay, that her smile kept returning. But as soon as she seemed to notice, she turned it back into a straight line. It seemed like she didn't want to be happy, but why would that be, her son was just said to be okay. The son that she was so paranoid about will be okay and yet she doesn't want to be happy about it?

A lady came out of Gabe's room, signaling Liz to go in first. She ran into the room, and closed it behind her. For over 10 minutes Liz and Gabe sat in the room talking about who knows what, I was just hoping it wasn’t about how I screwed up so terribly. Liz came back opening the door ever so slightly, her hand slipping out from the gap just to wave Vic and I in. 

Vic walked in slightly ahead of me, and right as he entered I heard Gabe scream in excitement which stopped half way through, and I assumed that Liz covered his mouth right away. He needed rest and that's probably what she intended by quieting him. I walked in to the room, slowly, and right away Gabe's eyes averted to mine. The little boy's eyes looking so cold, hollow and hostile and it hurt to know that I had hurt a small boy like him. 

"Go away. I don't like you. I don't want you" 

"Harry, it's best that you leave"

My heart was crushed. Gabe didn't want me and his words, although immature, actually hurt. Vic's words that followed didn't help either. I almost killed him, and this was my punishment. This little boy literally broke my heart. All because I made a mistake. It was my fault. 

(A/N dramatic? Let me know what you think! VOTE COMMENT FOLLOW)