Intellectual and Quirky Mess

Chapter 1 : An Accident

"Alice Reese.." The receptionist muttered as she scanned her eyes on the computer screen. "Ah yes! She is in the ICU Unit so you'll have to go with a nurse. She turned around, motioned to one of the nurses to come over, and  murmured something to her rapidly.

ICU? April thought to herself as she followed the nurse to the elevator. It came to a halt and they stepped outside. They were walking through a hallway with doors on each sides and finally the nurse paused outside a door, "They allow only family in. She is waiting for you." She turned around and walked away.

April touched the door and hesitated. Her sixth sense was not giving off pleasant vibes. Deep down, April knew a traumatic news was awaiting her as she pushed open the door. In the first sight, all she could see were large machines and scanners, beeping loudly. Then she spotted the small white bed, in which her mother lay silently. April walked up to the bed with tears in her eyes.

"Oh, mom!" She whispered as she saw her mother's condition. She had plasters on both her hands and her face was just a little bit recognisable due to swollen up purple bruises and large red scars. One long scar ran down from her left eye to her chin, her lips were swollen and she had stitches on her entire forehead.

Alice opened her eyes when she heard her daughter's sweet familiar voice. She took a deep breath and managed to smile, she didn't want April to see her in this condition but she had no other choice. "Honey, how are you? How was your quiz" She weakly whispered and couldn't control the tear that rolled down her cheek and got absorbed into the bandages wrapped around her neck.

"Mom.." April whispered back and tears started pouring down her eyes. "No sshh, honey! Listen to me, we don't have much time." Alice croaked out, barely audible.

"No please don't say that mom!" April whimpered and she kissed her mother's fingers, which was the only part of her hand that wasn't covered in plaster. Alice gripped her daughter's hand tightly, "If something happens to me April, I don't want you to cry about it. I will always be there there you, in every step of your life. You have to happily graduate,  find a perfect son in law for me and give me some chubby grandchildren. Please, this is my only wish!" Alice whispered to her daughter. April nodded vigorously, tears streaming down her face uncontrollablly.

"You know I will always be beside you, I will stay with you in every special moment in your life. I will be there on your graduation, I will be beside you when you walk down the aisle and I will see my grandchildren." Alice kept saying, her voice barely keeping up with her.

"Yes mom. I love you!!" April kept murmuring as she hugged her mother tightly. "I will mom, I promise.."

Alice smile and said, "Don't let anyone make you feel that you have lost your mother."

April felt her mother's grip loosen on her hand, "No noo.. No!" She whispered as Alice's hand dropped on the bed. She looked up at her mother's face but her eyes were staring back at her, hollow and distant. The machines started beeping rapidly and suddenly, the door banged open. Doctors and nurses rushed in, shouting out commands. One of them kept trying to find her mother's pulse but in a few moments, right in front of her eyes, the doctor gently closed her mother's eyes.

And then April cried like she had never cried before. She cried like she had lost everything. She cried as if she didn't have any other purpose to live.