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The car shook as my nails dug into the leather of the front passenger seat, my legs bouncing harshly against my abdomen as my father drove us to the nearest hospital. A part of his face reflected in the rearview mirror, and there were visible tear stains on his pallid cheek.

I could feel my throat closing up from the tension that wrapped around us, but what made it bearable was the song playing softly from the radio, its rhythm oddly giving me a sense of comfort. The feeling was faint, but it made all the difference.

When the ambulance left with my mother, I braced myself for the worst; screaming, crying, pointing fingers, and slamming doors. But there was neither rage nor recklessness.

Only silence. Thick, daunting silence that crept on the shadows and little by little submerged us into a void of nothingness. My shock didn't let me speak. I only stood there and faced my feet, breathing but not quite existing.

I heard my father's words in the stillness."Do you understand my reasons now?"  he said.

My glassy eyes showed him my answer."You should've told me everything."

He only shook his head and disappeared to the bathroom, returning with a cloth in hand. I took it from him and scrubbed the blood off the floor with a heavy heart, pouring a solution to eliminate the coppery scent while he took care of the glass shards from the picture frame; one that shielded a photograph taken on their wedding day.

"... second time it happened... Aspirin... her family..." His voice echoed in my head.

I squeezed my eyes shut as the realization dawned on me. The first time was what Kaitlyn witnessed in the grocery store the day we switched places, yet we were told that Mother's hospitalization wasn't a big deal.

My father must have wanted to deal with it on his own, but where did that get him now?

My thoughts were cut off when the car came into a screeching halt, and my body lurched forward. Head spinning, I grabbed hold of the front seats and steadied myself before I could crash, making a mental note to wear the seatbelt next time. I raised my head and had a glance of my father's reflection on the mirror.

He was already outside.

I pushed the car door open and swung my legs to the concrete ground, the familiar odor of emitted gas drifting towards my senses. I paid no heed to the burning heat of the parking lot and only waited for my father to lock the vehicle before following him from behind.

There was an ache in my stomach that I couldn't ignore as I mentally prayed for my mother's well-being. She might not have been the best parent at times, but she still went through challenges taking care of us both. I couldn't imagine living in a world without her.

I already lost a loved one this summer; there was no need for another.

The metal doors of the elevator slid open, revealing a blinding white hallway that reeked of antiseptic. I hesitated before shuffling outside, and I could hear the distinct sound of hurried footsteps from a few feet away. The fluorescent lights bounced off the walls, and everything looked clean. Too clean.

My father was already walking away before I knew it, and I fasted my pace to catch up to him. We fell in the line that led to the receptionist, and I could sense his foot tapping impatiently against the tile floor as the man in front, who seemed to be in his early twenties, slammed his fist against the desk.

"WHERE IS MY GIRLFRIEND?"

I flinched at his booming voice, just as a vocal cry of an infant resounded in the already buzzing room. A wave of frustration ran through the crowd, tired glares digging into the back of the man's head.

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⏰ Last updated: Dec 05, 2022 ⏰

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