Hammered

Chapter 38

   Everyday I visited my sister. I talked to her and stayed with her as long as I could. Demi would visit as well. She brought in flowers and whispered prayers in her ear. My mother visited Jessica bringing a flourishing amount of flowers and scented candles. Her tears would flow from her eyes and tap the arm of my resting sister. My father was nowhere to be found. We called and called but his phone would go straight to voicemail. The person I supposedly looked up to had vanished. His behavior was out of the ordinary. He was upset that he had to pay so much money to keep Jessica on Life Support. My other sister, Jordyn on the other hand, had no problem with trying to save Jessica. She was willing to spend every dime she had on her and I was willing to do the same.

    Two weeks pass and the same results came back from the doctor. There seemed to be no way that Jessica would wake up from her coma.

   "I was thinking about some names for the baby." Demi smiled and lightly rubbed her stomach. She wasn't showing at all but I knew that would change in a few weeks. I was thinking about how I would break the news to my mother, I didn't know how to tell her or what I would say.

"Oh yeah? What names came to your mind?"

"I thought of Brandon or Nicholas if it's a boy."

"And if it's a girl?"

"Jade or Gem." I picked up the soft black box and smoothed it with my fingers. My heart pumped fast and I had all these mixed feelings; anxiety, happiness, nausea.

"I think those are beautiful names." I wasn't sure how I wanted to tell her. I hear my phone's notification ringtone. I ignore it trying to figure out my speech. Suddenly, I hear Demi call my name. I walk into the living room and find her on my phone.

"What happened?" I asked.

"What the hell is this?" She pointed to a picture I haven't seen in a while. It was the picture I sent Blanche; the picture that showed her husband having intercourse with a prostitute.

"Demi, I can explain." She looked scared and furious at the same time.

"Please. I want to hear this."

"I--I took the picture because Blanche wanted to know if her husband was doing anything sneaky behind her back. She begged me not to tell you and I--I felt sorry for her."

"I don't want secrets between us. You should have told me. This doesn't look good! Why did you keep it on your phone? Is this some type of excitement for you?" She was furious and I had no clue what to do. Then I snapped.

"Of course it's not fucking exciting for me Demi! I forgot to delete it okay? There was a lot running through my mind that time. It's not like I wanted to just go without telling you! I wanted to!"

"You can't hide things from me, Ryan. It can't work that way! If you want this to work you have to put in the effort and be a man!" I took a look at her and her hand was gripping the edge of the table.

"I just wanted to help Blanche. Stop your whining!" She sat up and looked at her hands. They were red from clutching the table so rough. She walked passed me and I felt her shoulder brush pass mine. I watched her go upstairs and heard the door slam. I sat at the table and rubbed my face. I felt Momo's bushy tail hit against my leg.

"Why am I such a screw-up Momo?" After a long sit, I go outside and take a walk.