Lighter

Chapter 4

I was waiting in the waiting room waiting for the doctor to come out of the ICU. My dad held my hand from the left side of me and I couldn't help the tear from falling down my face realizing that  Jacki may not be okay. 

"Please he's basically our brother, we need in there" I heard a familiar voice say from the nurses desk. I turned and the whole Chiefs football team, dirty and sweaty was standing there. I got up so fast I knocked over my chair, making a loud bang. Patrick and the team all looked over at me. My hands were clamped together as I stared at Patrick with tears in my eyes. He stood there with sweat dripping down his face and I could tell he was trying not to cry. 

I ran out of the room and towards the nurses desk and jumped in his arms. I clutched onto him like I would lose him if I let go. I cried into his jersey and he hugged me tightly. I could feel his tears on the back of my shirt. I felt some hands on Patricks back and my arms. I looked up behind him and the whole football teams heads were bowed in silence as they put their hands on each others backs and shoulders, silently praying for Jacki to be ok. 

"Mr. Handler" the doctor said from the other room "can we talk in private"

I got off of Patrick and turned around to look at the doctor taking my dad back to a different room. I shook everyones hands off of me and followed them. The doctor as well as my dad turned around. My dad grabbed my hand and I turned around and waved at my football boys. We walked through some hallways and towards the ICU. She turned around and looked at us before we walked in the room. 

"I am so sorry" she said with tears in her eyes "we tried everything we could but in the end your sons heart failed and we couldn't save him"

Those words broke my heart. Those simple little words. Your brother is dead. It's like seeing mama being all over again. Her lying on the hospital bed telling Jacki and I how proud she was of us. But this wasn't like mama's death. She at least got to tell us how much she loved us and she said her last words she gave us each a kiss on the forehead and finally after a couple minutes she died.

The doctor led us into a room where my brother lay in his jersey. His face was so pale and he looked at peace finally. The cuts on his face and arms had been cleaned and he looked better than when he had first appeared in the hospital. I walked up to him and gently kissed his cheek gently as mama had done when she died. I turned to my dad and the tears didn't stop coming from either of our eyes. 

I walked out of the room and ran down the long corridor we had just come from and suddenly I was in the waiting room I had just been in a couple of minutes ago. Most of the football players had taken a seat on the floor or chairs. Some still stood, there helmets in their hands. I looked around as they looked at me with worried faces. Patrick saw my face and instantly knew. He started to cry and put his head in his hands so no one would see. 

Most of the football players hung their heads and most cried. Cried for a teammate and cried for a brother. I didn't hesitate I ran out of the hospital, it was pouring rain as I ran right into the street. Not looking where I was going I made my way to my dads car, reaching in I pulled out the picture of my brother and I when we were kids. I ran out into the rain again and didn't even look where I was going, I just ran. 

I finally ran so much I couldn't run anymore and I finally stopped by some trees, sliding down one of the trees, I let out a breath. I could see the air coming from out of my mouth as I looked at the picture of my brother holding me on his shoulders. He was about 15 and I was 10 at the time. He was my protector, my brother and most importantly my best friend. 

I cried some more and curled up in a ball on the cold dirt ground. I sat there for about twenty minutes before I realized I forgot my jacket back at the hospital. I tried to hold my body close to me. I started to shiver and fall into a deep sleep as I began to get cold and numb. My eyes sight went black and I could not feel my fingers. It didn't compare to the pain I was feeling in my heart from losing my brother. 

"I found her" I heard someone  familiar yell "Galaxy baby you gotta stay with us come on we're going to get you somewhere warm. Watkins tell Coach Reid I need his jacket and tell the damn bus driver we need the bus over here now"

That was the last thing I heard before sleep took over me.