I got home after a long day, putting my keys on the hook next to the door. When I walk in I am greeted by James my three year old and my sister, Aria. She walks to me with a sad smile, her brown eyes watching me, I sigh, I'm quite over everyone's pitty.
"How was your day?" She asks. I smile down at my son and pick him up, hugging him to me.
"My day was good, I saw Ms Carrie." Aria gives me a sly smirk as she runs a hand through her dirty blond hair.
"Isn't she the one you had a crush on?" I blush and poke my tongue out at her. She just chuckles in return.
"Mummy, is it story time?" I look at my gorgeous boy, his curly brown hair and light brown skin in my arms. His big green hopeful eyes look at me. I smile and kiss his cheek.
"Of course, did auntie Aria give you dinner yet?" I ask him sweetly. He nods with a toothy grin on his face. I smile and walk him in the direction of his room.
"When is Tyler and mummy coming home?" He asks me for the millionth time.
Every morning and every night for the last few months he's been asking me and every time, the pain in my chest worsens. He's too young to understand the concept of death. I've tried to tell him that mummy has gone to heaven and that Tyler is with the doctors but he just doesn't seem to quite get the concept that heaven isn't a place people come back from.
"Mummy's in heaven baby and Tyler will be home soon." I say softly as I put him on his bed and help him change into his pyjamas before getting him tucking him into bed.
"What story would you like to hear tonight?" I ask him. He snuggles closer in my arms and points to his favourite book, the little mermaid.
"Again? Okay." I say with a little chuckle.
After finishing the story, James was fast asleep. I walk back out to see Aria had made me a coffee I smile thankfully and take it in my hand.
"How's he doing while I'm at work?" I ask. She smiles and puts down her mug.
"He's been good. We've just been going through the alphabet and counting numbers. He also has started to write his name. He's quite a little genius.
I smile and sip my coffee, if only Ellis was here to witness all of this. I sigh, thinking about her. Her gorgeous light brown skin, her curly hair so much like James and her green eyes, the light freckles that run along her nose and cheek. The way her smile was contagious.
Ellis is the biological mother of James and I am the biological mother of Tyler. Both of them were born a week apart. Tyler has my olive skin and freckles, grey eyes and light brown hair.
"I'm glad he's doing so well." I say softly. There was silence between us two.
"How is Tyler doing?" She asks, finally breaking the silence.
"So far so good, I am going to see him tomorrow afternoon." I say with pain laced in my words.
My son, and my wife, they were in a car accident, on the way home from the shops when a drunk drive driving a six wheeler mini truck side swiped them, my wife dying and my son in a coma. This was three months ago and my son is yet to wake up from his coma but they say that the brain activity is still there so he should wake up without any major brain damage. At most, memory loss of what happened.
"Well hopefully it isn't too soon he wakes up." I nod my head in agreeance. I don't think I would be able to deal with him dying or not waking up.
After saying goodnight to Aria I head off to my room. I look at her empty side of the bed, sighing. I strip and change into my pyjamas. Her bedside table still with her things on there. Her half read Noval, her perfume and her ring which I placed on there after she passed.
I sigh and climb under the sheets. Grabbing her pillow I hug it, clinging on, the scent of her on this silky pillow breaking my heart even more at the thought of not having her by my side.
"I miss you." I whisper more to myself.
Just as my eyes were going to give way, the door creaks open and I see James. I smile softly at him through the moonlit room.
"Did you have a bad dream buddy?" I ask him. He nods, rubbing his eye, his teddy dangling lazily from his hand as he walks to the side of the bed and climbs on. I move the pillow I was hugging and bring him into my embrace instead. I kiss his forehead before letting myself fall asleep.
"So, we need volunteers to go to a school information day. They need a couple of police officers to talk to the students about staying safe." Our Constable had Called a meeting to get someone and their partner to do an information day at a school, which happens to be today and at the same school which Ms Carrie works at. I put my hand up volunteering me and Archer, who steps on my foot, under the desk in annoyance at me. I smile and kick him in the shin making him wince. The Constable assigns It to us and we are on our way just like that, heading in the patrol car on our way toward the local highschool.
"Why did you volunteer us for this?" Archer grumbles as we watch the first year level pile in. Year sevens are the first year to pile in.
I glance at the crowd before going back to plugging my laptop into the smart board. I click onto a slide show before plugging it in. That is, before realising it was the wrong year level and exiting out.
I hear a few students gush and awe as they look at the background to my laptop which is of me, my two boys and my wife. We had gone to the park, one boy in each of put laps as I kissed her cheek and she smiles up at the camera.
I glance up again, a smile on my lips, as I do, I catch a glimpse of Ms Carrie, a soft smile on her lips as she looks up at me. She's sitting on a chair, a knee length dress on, with floral patterns and black flats on. She sees I've caught her staring and blushes, causing me to smile and wink at her. She turns even redder and looks away.
Once I find the proper slide for this year level we begin. I stand away from the computer, archer on computer duty as he doesn't like talking to students. I skin the crowd of young faces, waiting for them all to be facing me.
"Alright guys, I'm officer Laura Johnson. I just have to let you know first off that if I get a call, I will have to leave the room but Officer Archer Deon will take over. Now, who wants to tell me what are the key things to be aware of when being on social media?" I start off.
The rest of the talks went on in similar fashion, starting off about cyber safety then about street safety. By the time we got to the last period of the day, it was year 12 kids. They file in and for the second time today, I saw Ms Carrie at the back of the class.
Once the form is settled I go to begin. Just as I do, my phone goes off. Looking down at the ID I see it is my sons doctor. I give Archer a look who just nods and takes my place as I walk out of the hall we have been lecturing in and into the corridor.
"Hello?" I ask down the phone.
"Hey Laura, it's Jake. We need you to come down to the hospital as soon as possible. It's to do with Tyler." I feel my heart quicken and my head start to go dizzy as I think of the worst.
"Okay I'm on my way." I say, with that I hang up. I try to slow my heart but it doesn't work so I walk down to the closest bathroom, racing toward the toilet, throwing up as the feeling of nausea washes over me.
I'm soon surprised to feel a hand holding my pony tail from getting into my face and the other rubbing my back. Once I was finished I grab some toilet paper, wiping my face and flush the toilet. I stand up and turn around to see ms Carrie, her features just as delicate as they were when I was in school, but you can see the ageing lines on her face, she must be late thirties now. I on the other hand am twenty-seven. I smile, blushing with embarrassment, realising she had witnessed me throw up. Walking to the sink I since my mouth out and wash my face and hands.
"Are you okay?" She asks me. Worry etched in her features as well as her voice. Her blue eyes narrowing down on me through the reflection f the mirror.
"I'm okay, I have to go through." I say in a raspy voice.
"Why, did something happen?" She asks as she walks closer to me.
"My son, Tyler. He's been in a coma for the last three months. Somethings happened though they didn't tell me what. They just said I have to go down to the hospital." Speaking about it making me nauseous again. I clutch my stomach and dry heave. Within seconds Ms Carrie is by my side.
"You shouldn't drive in this state. Let me drive you." She says softly. I look at her, contemplating the idea before nodding my head. She smiles softly and walks with me out to the parking lot. She unlocks a silver BMW.
I get into the from passenger seat, getting hit by the smells of Spring as the smell of the air freshener hits me. I buckle in, before telling her what hospital to go to. There is silence throughout the drive until she breaks it.
"How did he go into a coma?" She asks softly, almost afraid to ask.
"Through the same car accident that Killed my wife." I say softly.
I hear a small gasp leave her mouth but nothing else is said. It doesn't take long until we are outside the big white building I dread so much. She stops the engine and waits for me to get out. Biting my lip I turn to her.
"Do you mind coming in with me?" I ask her. She nods head head and unbuckled her seatbelt, getting out of the car with me.
On instinct I take hold
Of her hand. The nervousness of what awaits me, scaring me to the point that the action was without thought. Though she didn't pull away, walking with me into the hospital she gives my hand a light squeeze in comfort. I lead her toward my sons room. As I look inside his room through the window I let go of her hand and rush to his side. Hugging him tightly as the tears start to fall. He's awake, my boy, my son is awake.
His small weak arms wrapping around me. Jake is standing at the door smiling, so is ms Carrie.
"Where's mummy?" Tyler asks softly.
I look up at him with sad eyes. I stroke his hair and caress his cheek softly. I just got him back and now I have to explain to him that his mother is gone and is not coming back.
"Mummy went to heaven. Like Nanna and pop." I say softly.
"So she won't come back?" He asks, getting the concept that he won't see her again.
"No honey, mummy's not coming back." I watch as tears form in his eyes as he throws his arms around my neck. I sigh and rub his back.
"It's okay." I say softly, holding him closer.