Seven Years

The Long Goodbye

'Lola? Lola? Lola sweetie we are here. Do you want me to come in with you?' I looked up to see Harrys' Mum looking at me in the backseat of her car. I nodded at her I couldn't walk in there by myself. 'Okay, sweetie.' She said with a kind smile. 'Steve can you find us a space. Come Harry get out the car.' All three of us shuffled out the car towards the hospital, the big grey building looked more depressing because I know what was inside. As we entered the hospital my Grandma greeted us (well maybe more Mrs Baxter).

'Oh thank goodness you have arrived, they have taken him down to the ward. He is stable but he's not doing so well.' Grandma said holding back the tears. 'Come on we can see him.'

'You go on ahead with your Gran sweetie. Me and Harry will just be down here if you need us.' Mrs Baxter said to me with a calming smile. I followed my Grandma down the hall turning around to see Harry staring back at me and Mrs Baxter slumping herself in a chair head in her hands. It had been nice of them to drive me here, ever since I can remember the Baxter family has always been there for me and my Dad. I was so lost in thought I missed all of the rules she had made up when I was to see my dad.

'....... And finale you are not to excite him or jump on the bed. You got that Lola!' She demanded probably knowing full well I had not heard anything she had just said.

'Yes, Gran.' I timidly said knowing not to anger her at a time like this.

'Give me strength this child will be the death of me.' She mumbled under her breathe but just loud enough for me to hear it. I chose to ignore her it wasn't worth the argument.

As we turned the corner to the ward my dad was staying on I took a deep breath as we entered the room, there he was just lying there wires, monitors, needles and drips all hooked up to him but there he was smiling as soon as I walked through the door the kind of smile you would see on a naughty schoolboy who had just been caught pulling a prank on the teacher.

'There's my little Lo.' He shouted. 'Where have you been?'

'TONY!' my Grandma scolded. 'You are in a hospital! There are people who are sick here! See I knew this was a bad idea bringing the child here!'

'Oh shut up Mother! I know where I am, but my is Lola here. Come here Lo, come see your old dad.' He beckoned me arms open wide. I looked at my Gran who had her normal disapproving look on her face, but my dad's begging look won. I ran over to him and hugged him maybe a little too tight but he never complained, I could feel the tears rolling down my face. 'Oh Lo........ No......... Please don't cry........ I'm fine, see still here.' But that made it worse because he wasn't getting better, he was getting worse and there was nothing I could do to help him.

Suddenly the doctor came in the door and asked for everyone to leave so he could perform some tests. I said my goodbyes to my dad hoping it wouldn't be the last time I would be saying that to him. I left him waving goodbye, he waved back with the same big smile as before then I saw it the biggest needle I had ever seen in my life in the doctors' hand, yeah definitely my time to leave.

*Buzz* *Buzz* *Buzz* For Godsake what now? Who is it? It's the middle of the night! I need my sleep. 'What do you want Harry?' I grunted.

'HAPPY BIRTHDAY YOU GRUMPY GIT! HOPE YOU APPRECIATE YOUR BIRTHDAY CALL!' And he hung up. Arsehole didn't even say goodbye. I rolled over in bed trying to get back to sleep, it had been four days since my dad had been taken into hospital, luckily yesterday he had been allowed to come home.

I finally gave up on sleep and went to go to the bathroom, as I walked past each room I heard the distinctive sounds of my Grans snoring, but what I found strange when I walked past my dads' room I heard nothing. I opened the door slightly and peeked my head in thinking he might be still awake.

'Dad?' I questioned I saw him lay in the bed like every other night but this time it was different. He was still.

'Dad? I questioned again but this time a bit louder. 'Are you awake? I could really use someone to.....' That's when I noticed as I touched his hand how cold he was. 'DAD?' I panicked. 'Please wake up....... DAD....... PLEASE........ I NEED YOU TO WAKE UP.' My cries must have woke my Gran up.

'What is going on?' She screamed.

Ignored her tears streaming down my face. 'DAD PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME!.........I NEED YOU.' I flopped on the bed face buried into his chest. I could hear my Gran on the phone to the ambulance, but it was too late he was gone. 'Please, Dad don't go. I can't do this without you.' I said muffled into to his chest.

The next week flew by without me knowing the next thing I knew I was sat in the local pub with an orange juice in hand and queues of people telling me how sorry they were and how amazing my dad was.

'How you doing Sweetie?' I looked up to see the familiar smile of Mrs Baxter.

'I'm fine.' I whispered, knowing if I spoke any louder my voice would give away the truth.

'Do you want anything to eat?' she was trying to encourage me to speak like everyone had been trying to do even my Grandma which was a surprise.

'I'm fine thank you.' I whispered back half wanting her to go away, half wanting her to pick me up and hug me and tell me this was all some sick joke and my Dad was still alive and hiding behind the bar. But it wasn't he was gone forever and now I had to leave my house, school and friends behind because I was moving miles away with my Gran. She wasn't even waiting until the end of term or even better the school year, I was leaving with her after the wake.

'Lo? Do you want to get some air?' There was the familiar voice I had been wanting to hear, Harry, my Harry. I nodded at him wanting more than anything to leave this hell. We walked outside and sat on the picnic benches.

'How you doing?' He asked nudging me trying to playfully get me to open up.

'Oh you know....... Living the life over here........ Couldn't be better.....' I stuttered trying to be playful back, but I couldn't do it 'Why did he have to leave? I mean he was meant to get better? Right? Harry? I'm right, aren't I? Harry!' He didn't have an answer no one did, but he decided to pull me into a big hug as I cried all the tears I had been holding back since the funeral.

'Shhhh Lo........Shhhhh these things happen, no one can predict them.' He soothed.

'Maybe I'm cursed.' I whimpered back.

'Don't be silly Lo there is no such thing as curses.......' He tried to argue back.

'It's true my Mum, my Grandad and now my Dad all lost their lives on my birthday. I mean how much more of a coincidence do you wan......' I never got to finish because my Gran come barging out.

'Lola! Come on say your goodbyes we are going!' She screamed at me as she headed towards her car.

'Goodbyes?' Harry questioned breaking away from the embrace we had. 'What goodbyes?'

'I'm moving away today Harry. I can't stay in the house by myself, but my Gran won't stay here too many bad memories.' I explained.

'So this is it? This is goodbye?' He stuttered over the words, tears rolling down his face.

'I'm sorry Harry I wish I could stay, but I can't. Please don't be ma.......' Then I was interrupted by Harry's lips crushing against mine. The bittersweet moment only last a few seconds and then he pulled away.

'Don't be sorry Lo, just remember I'm always here.' he whispered. 'Goodbye, my sweet sweet Lola.'

'Goodbye, my Harry.' I whispered back through tears. I got up off the bench and walked to the car. I got into the car not listening to my Gran's rants and ramble, I looked out of the rearview mirror and all I could see was My Harry stood in the middle of the road looking back at me. This had been one of the toughest weeks of my life and now I would have neither my Dad or Harry to help me through the rest of this.

Goodbye My Love Until We Meet Again.