Barging In

Smiling Demons

I was holding my sister’s body into my arms, feeling her shake and cry her heart out over her boyfriend who’s in the next room fighting for his life. Beasty, big and strong, is now lying in bed getting pushed by two defibrillators, while the doctors scurry around trying to get his heart beat again. I knew she was listening, I knew she’s not going to sleep at night. My little sister’s short breath are traveling to my heart, scratching it with its painful nails. What hurts the most is that I can’t do anything, I’m powerless and incapable of acting to help out. God help us.

“Let them bring him back, Fi. I can’t take this anymore! They’ve been in there for two hours. Fi, I beg you, let them bring him back!” she muffled in my shoulder, and gripped my shirt in her fist tearing the hem.

“Have faith in him, baby. He’ll be out in no time.” I whispered into her ear reassuringly, I knew I was making false promises, but I’d do anything to bring her back from sorrow land. God, her face is swollen and red, her gorgeous light hair is messy and down on her face, her body is trembling to no end. And here I am, staring at her helplessly.

I felt a strong hand on my shoulder, turning around I was met by the dark gaze of my man. He stood there looking at my sister with a look of sympathy, and then at me trying to ask me with his eyes what to do. I shook my head at him and grimaced. He sat down next to us, laid his hand on my sister head and patted it softly.

“He’ll be fine, doll. We’ll make sure of it.” She whimpered against my shoulder, minutes later I heard her soft breaths slow, informing me she’s sleeping. Finally! She’s knocked out!

“What should we do, Marc? I can’t take this anymore! He’s been in there forever, what should we do?” my lips trembled while I asked Marc, seeking for help.

“Baby, we need to wait. I’ll talk to the doctors, get your sister out and let her sleep. She’s exhausted, she drove him from the field to here, holding her heart in her hand. No wonder she’s sleeping. Get her out, calaín àlain.”

“Promise me. Promise you’ll call when you know something! Please baby!”

“Fiona! Go home.” He smoothed his hand through my hair, scolding me with his eyes. He needed me to be strong for Lisa, and here I am, weakening and crying.

“Come on, baby. Wake up, let’s get you home.” I shook my sister gently, trying to get her to wake up.

She batted my hand away, and woke up startled. As soon as she did, her eyes watered up and swelled.

“I want to stay in case he woke. Please, Fi.” She pleaded, her voice broken from her sore throat.

“Babe, Marc’s here. Elijah will be here too. Let’s go home, sleep a bit and get back. Alright? I promise you we’ll go back. Come on.” I helped her up, held my purse and hers and headed to the elevator.

“Hey.” I looked up to see Marc hold the door with his hand.  He leaned in and pecked my lips. I smiled sadly and bit my lip fighting my tears.

“He’ll be fine, I’m here. Everything’s going to be fine.” With that, the door closed, the elevator went down, taking us to the reception.

Arriving home, Lisa dragged her feet to the couch and slumped on it, raising them to the coffee table. She stared up to the ceiling asking it for her unanswered questions.

“Want some tea?”

“I want Beasty, Fi.” She shook her head, her face crunching indicating the beginning of another round of cries.

“Lisa, baby, Marc’s there. He’ll call us the minute the doctors walk out! Come on, baby. Be strong. For him.”

She sobbed silently in the pillow, cried her heart out for her beast, while him, and I was sure, was fighting for his. After minutes of deafening silence, she straightened up and looked at me, her eyes empty and vague.

“He was running, God, with all his glory. He sent me a kiss while the girls sent me envious stares. But that man was all mine, beating his chest like a Neanderthal and waving for his crowd. When he caught the ball and ran, I knew he’s going to score, I knew my man would make his coach proud. Until he crumbled and was knocked to his knees, catching his heart through his chest and cried out. His voice traveled through my guts, Fi. I held my throat in my grip and watched them take them away from the field, his friends sending me sympathy looks, indicating for me to come down from the seats. When I reached the ambulance, Coach Chavez whispered to me to keep my faith in him. With that, I felt I lost everything. My happy ending, my life, my future. Remy Sands was being snatched from me by fucking smiling demons!” she wailed and gripped her hair, snatching it with her knuckles.

I chocked on my sobs, and watched my sister’s world break apart in front of us. The strongest member of this family is in the hospital, trying to get to us, fighting with his strength and we were afraid of his failure. If there was something I’d offer for them to get their life back, I’d do it, in a fucking heartbeat.

“Lisa, baby. Look at me. “ I waited for her eyes to meet mine, and spoke again. “ I can’t promise you anything, if they asked for a new heart I’d go to the end of the world to get him one. Hell, I’ll give him mine! Just stay strong, baby. For him, for me? For us. Come on, baby.” I beckoned her to me, she stood up and hugged me fiercely, I rocked her body back and forth, soothing her soul. Looking up, I asked in my heart for whomever was looking down, to beat the fucking smiling demons. Because, hell. We were helpless.