The Flaw in your Heart

58. An Unforgettable Moment

A few weeks later
Tessa's POV
Guilt. It's a horrible thing to feel. Probably one of the worst emotions to experience. I'm guilty of putting my brother into a coma. He's not just my brother but my best friend. And it's all my fault he's in this coma.
"You should be ashamed of yourself", I heard my dad's devilish voice chant eerily around me.
"I am", I cried miserably. "I am, I really am"
"You're to blame", he continued. "You're the one at fault. You should hate yourself. Everyone else hates you. They always have; your life has been a lie if you ever believed anybody liked you"
Tears, darkness, depression.
It's like I'm a murderer.
My own stupid problems have caused my brother to be balancing so precariously on the edge of death for weeks on end. No progression, no deterioration. Just long, painful hours of him being in a permanent state of unconsciousness. Possibly brain damaged. Imagine that - Dan brain damaged because of me. Me. It's all my fault.
My dad's right. Despite his being in prison, he was still proving to me he was right. That I'm a failure; my existence is a waste.
"I don't deserve to live", I cried, feeling myself falling further into this abyss. "I'd be better off dead"
"No you wouldn't", an unmistakeable voice said firmly. "You'd never be better off dead."
I suddenly felt myself encased in a realm of reassurance. Protection. Opening my eyes, I saw Dan stood before me. Healed, completely fine.
"Everything's okay Tessa. You're going to be okay. So am I. You just need to wake up", he said softly.
"What do you mean?" I asked, confused. Am I not awake? Where am I?
He stepped forward, taking my hand in his. He smiled at me. "You've always been my true little sister. I love you Tess"
He squeezed my hand and suddenly everything began to fade. The walls began to melt away and I could only feel a movement on my hand.
I opened my eyes to see my hand holding Dan's. It suddenly twitched and I jolted up, all traces of drowsiness suddenly gone. It twitched again, and I gasped.
"KYLE! KYLE!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, suddenly realising he must have left the room. "NURSE! ANYBODY, PLEASE!" I shouted.
All of a sudden Kyle burst into the room followed by Nurse Katharine, and I desperately pointed to Dan with my free hand.
"His hand twitched!" I cried, feeling it suddenly move in my hand again. "He did it again oh my god!"
Katharine began checking his vitals and immediately called a doctor in, declaring there was indeed brain wave movement.
As Dan's room suddenly began filling up with medical staff, I stayed by his side holding his hand, willing his eyes to open.
"You can do it Dan. You've come all this way. Please wake up. Please Dan", I whispered, feeling my heart beat faster with anticipation.
As if on cue, Dan's eyes began blinking open and for the first time in those many long weeks, I saw my brother's blue eyes.
"Dan!" I cried. "Oh my lord, Dan"
He was unable to speak, and could barely move at all, but he locked his eyes on mine and I could see the smile within them. I let the tears spill over with relief, and for a few long moments it was just me and my brother in that blessed room - the medical staff bustling about seemed to have disappeared temporarily as I took in that unforgettable moment.
Reality began to return as the monitors connected to Dan began to beep loudly, indicating his sudden awakening. A doctor prised my hand away from Dan's and gently guided me to Kyle who was stood at the back of the room, wiping his face with his sleeve.
"He's awake Kyle", I said croakily, my throat rough from crying. "Dan's awake"
He nodded, afraid to burst into tears if he spoke. He just shook his head in disbelief and hugged me tightly as we watched helplessly from the rear end of the room as Dan became surrounded by doctors and nurses.
I couldn't believe it. Dan had woken up.