A Light in the Dark

A Man in the Hospital

4: Kaitlyn

I began to curse at my brother. “You know we need the money! What are you thinking?”

“Kaitlyn, shut up.” Ronnie’s voice was steady, but quiet.

“I don’t care if I’m embarrassing you in front of your ‘friends,’” I put quotation marks up with my fingers for effect. “You told me you were visiting Dad today after school! Is this visiting Dad?”

“Kaitlyn, stop.” I looked up to see the last person I expected to see. Mason was fighting his way through the crowd of kids. His eyes went to the cigarette I had taken out of Ronnie’s mouth and thrown on the ground. My anger subsided, if only a little when I saw Dani and Elise right behind him. “What’s going on?”

“My sister is just being a b-”

“I didn’t ask you!” Mason pointed a finger at my brother and I was too stunned to speak. All of the energy drained out of me. I could feel tears threatening behind my eyes.

“Look kid. You want to ruin you life with this crap? Fine. It’s your life. Just don’t bring your sister down with you. I know how this works, and it doesn’t end well for either of you if you keep this up.” I was grateful to Mason for taking over, and when the kids around us saw him, they began to disperse. I was suddenly too tired to even stay there anymore.

“Mason, just stop.” I turned to Ronald, “I’m going to visit Dad,” I told him as quietly as I could, hoping Mason couldn’t hear me. I walked away from the circle towards where my car was parked. Dani tried to follow me, but I waved her off. When I got in the car, the tears came freely. I had caught Ronnie selling drugs last year with a junior and Dad flipped out on him. I couldn’t believe he would start this up again.

“I’m trying Dad. I’m trying so hard. Michele is helping too. So is Aunt Grace. I just can’t do it anymore. I need you back Dad,” I held his hand as I sat by the side of his hospital bed. The familiar smells and noises of the hospital were all around me, but all I could hear was the sound of my breathing and crying. My tears had stopped for a while, but now that I was back in the hard plastic chair I had occupied so many times before, my tears came back.

“You have to wake up Dad. Please…” As usual, he didn’t respond. Unexpectedly, the door to his room opened, making me jump.

“Michele? What are you doing here?” I asked, wiping the tears from my cheeks.

“I come everyday at this time. I can never stay for longer than five minutes though.” She cracked a small smile, but it seemed forced. Michele was a family friend who was currently helping out with Ronald and I. My money wasn’t enough to pay bills for the house, so she started to help. Our Aunt Grace is rich and wanted to take us in the minute the accident happened, but Michele knew Dad wouldn’t have that. She knew that as well as I did. My dad always said taking charity from Aunt Grace was something he never wanted to do. Even when my mom left…

“Well, I have to get to work anyways,” I told her, getting up and grabbing my backpack. I always do my homework here, with my dad like I used to.

“Alright, you know you and your brother are always welcome for dinner.”

“Aunt Grace helps us most nights, but I’d love to come tomorrow.”

“What about Ronnie?” I shrugged and bid her goodbye, heading back out to my car.

My first job was at Dunkin’ Donuts. It’s not exactly the best job in the world, but it’s better than McDonald’s and it was also one of the only places that was flexible enough to fit with my other work shifts. My other job was at school where I helped the janitor, sometimes accompanied by the detention kids. The difference between them and me: I got paid. I tried to support my brother and I as much as I possibly can, but if my dad didn’t wake up soon the two of us would have to move in with our aunt. While I was handing out brown paper bags filled with food and white Styrofoam cups filled with liquid, I thought about Mason. Yes, I thought about Mason Heveret. I thought about what he said to me at lunch, and about what he said to Ronnie today. Do I really do that good of a job putting up a front? Do people really see the rich, spoiled girl that I let them see? I thought. I honestly hoped so because I did not want anyone finding out about my situation at home. Especially not Mason Heveret. I asked myself why I cared. Why did I try to keep my secret? Only Brandon and Dani knew about my dad, but now Mason knew about my problems with my brother.

“Hey! Watch where you’re going!” I winced as I spilled an entire cup of coffee down Dan’s uniform. We share a shift together and he is the second most horrid human being I’ve ever met. The first would be my ex-boyfriend, Rory.

“Sorry Dan. Wasn’t paying attention,” I learned a long time ago not to fight back. It just got me that much closer to getting fired.

“Obviously.” I clenched my hands into fists and just continued to work. I finally got rid of him at the end of my shift and went home. Today I was driving, usually I walk to save gas and money, but today I had the car. When I parked in my driveway behind my aunt’s car, the car that had been behind me slowed. I would recognize that car anywhere. It belonged to Rory Thens. I quickly ran to the front door of my house and locked the door behind me. When did he move back? Has he heard about my dad yet? Fear settled in my stomach like a led weight and I heard my aunt call my name. I walked into the kitchen to see Wendy’s bags spread over the table. My aunt sat across from my brother and I took a seat at the head of the table, grabbing a cheeseburger and a package of fries. I glowered at my brother, but didn’t say anything.

“Did you have a good day at school? How was your half day?”

“Yeah it was fine,” I said into my cheeseburger.

I finished my dinner in silence while my brother talked about some stupid project he had to do.

“I’m going to go to bed early tonight. See you in the morning, Ronald.” I nodded to him and kissed my aunt on the cheek. My bed welcomed me and I was asleep in minutes.