No Strings Attached, Please?

It’s not easy to experience your dad almost dying when you hadn’t seen him. Thank God when I reached the hospital, I was informed that Daddy was still in a coma and he hadn’t opened his eyes.

I hugged my Mom tightly and we shared our sadness while waiting in the waiting room. I wanted to see Dad, but the hospital didn’t let us see him because he’s isolated in a room. But they let us to see him through glass window.

There lay Daddy looking helpless. His eyes were closed tightly, IVs were hanging around him, and he had a mask on his face to facilitate him to breathe. I saw the heart monitor next to him beeping in a constant rhythm that looked normal which made me relieved.

But it didn’t change anything, I was still crying to find him this way. He shouldn’t be like this, he didn’t deserve this. He’s a lovable father who might have accidentally made a mistake in his past, but he changed into a better person. How I loved him so much.

I wanted to touch him, but the window glass didn’t let me, so I only put my palm on the window while I was praying for him.

I watched my Mom who looked like a total wreck. I didn’t expect she would react this way over Dad’s breakdown. I knew that she actually still loved Dad, but she couldn’t do anything. She was confused. But if you saw her, you could see a glint of love adorned her eyes when she saw Dad, she really cared about him and she might be hoping she could talk to him for the last time before she went to Ontario with Mike.

I was sitting on the couch in the waiting room with my Mom. Her eyes were worried like mine, she looked scared and hopeless. I was wondering if I could ask her things but I doubted if she wanted to talk about it.

“Do you still love him, Mom?” I finally asked after long contemplation.

My question seemed to surprise her; she turned her head in a flash to me to show her shocked look. Slowly, her expression changed, she smiled weakly and shook her head.

“I loved him, Savannah. A long time ago…” she replied softly.

“I know you still do, Mom. You can’t lie to me…” I said to her. I wondered if she would object, but she didn’t. She was only being a silent when I stated that. I guess I was right. She still loved him until now. “If you had chance to talk with him, would you tell him that you still love him?”

“Sava-Ave…” Mom cried silently, “Don’t say it like he would never be able to open his eyes back again. You’re saying it like he’s dying…” Mom sounded hurt.

“But he is, Mom…” my voice was trembled. “Didn’t you hear what those doctors said about him? He’s coming to an end some time soon, Mom…” I sobbed but I held back my tears.

Mom shook her head, “You can’t be like that, River. You have to believe in your Dad. I know even he’s in coma, but he’s fighting his illness in there. I know he’s a tough man. You have to believe in him, River” her lips quivered as she picked some Kleenex to wipe her streaming tears.

We both then began to cry again, when we imagined how hard Daddy’s fighting his illness there. Mom continuously assured me to support him, even if he’s unconscious. She then told me stories about how she met him for the first time. They were high-school sweethearts; Mom met him when she’s just finished with the tryouts for the basketball varsity team. She accidentally broke one of Dad’s professional cameras since he was in photography club.

Dad was so angry about his camera and wanted Mom to claim the damages she caused. They got into numerous arguments about the camera and then Dad forced Mom to buy him a new camera but Mom reasoned she needed to save some money first before she could buy him.

But one day, Dad forced Mom to go with him. He needed the camera urgently and asked Mom to buy it but she didn’t have enough money. He threatened her to go with him to the camera shop or else he would rape her. When they were in camera shop, Mom gave the money to the seller, but Dad gave the money back to her and then paid for his camera.

Mom was so confused with him, she thought about the point of taking her to camera shop. He suddenly broke the deal and then asked her out in the camera shop. It was really weird to be asked out by someone that suddenly. Mom was about to refuse, but Dad showed his integrity to ask her out. So she decided to give it a shot. They ultimately became the favourite couple at school.

I enjoyed the moments when Mom told me stories about Dad. How silly he was, how reckless and how attractive he was when they were young. She was telling me that he was flawless, perfect for her. The only thing that broke her heart was when he left her and me because he was irresponsible. Even though he broke our hearts we knew that we still loved and waited for him.

An hour later, Mike showed up in the waiting room. He was here to pick Mom up. For a guy, I could say he’s one tough guy. He knew very well that Mom still loved Dad, but he was still there, putting aside his jealousy over Mom’s remaining feelings for Dad. He was serious about their relationship and he dedicated his life to Mom. Even if he was s sad about it he was always by Mom’s side.

Maybe, just maybe… someday I would accept him wholeheartedly to be my step dad (even if he’s only twelve years older than me). Although he’s more fitted to be my big brother than my step dad.

Mike said his goodbyes to me and ushered Mom out. Mom had been here since yesterday afternoon, and she hadn’t showered. Mike took her home to let her rest.

I was sitting by myself inside the room while the ticking clock was keeping me a company. It was four in the afternoon. The McGregors had gone an hour ago after they carried me here. Then, my cell phone beeped and someone sent me a text. It was Kale, he was sorry he couldn’t make it to hospital right now because he had something to do with Bridget and also he told me Dante would be coming there around seven p.m. to keep me a company.

Why Dante? Damn.

Suddenly, someone came into the room. I lifted my head to find Nat was standing there holding two steamy cups and then he sat next to me. He offered a cup to me and I gladly took it after saying a low thanks to him.

“I don’t know if you’d like coffee or tea, so I decided to get you chocolate” he said and sipped his steamy black coffee in his hand.

“I don’t like tea, so chocolate is fine. Thank you…” I thanked again, followed by his low nod. “I thought you’re going home with Kat and Carlton…”

“I was thinking if you’re only with your Mom, no one’s there to keep you company. And then your Mom left, so I guess I have to stay with you…” he explained while slid fof his hoodie. Instead of putting his hoodie down, he put it around me. “Put this on…” he gently asked.

My heart beat quickened when he put his hoodie on me. It was so damn sweet and I couldn’t hide my embarrassment in front of him. Luckily, he didn’t seem to notice my reddened face. I was still in my black skimpy dress without any panties, if you’re asking. I hadn’t got chance to change, but the worst was I had no underwear. Lucky, nobody noticed except…

“Don’t worry, Kat’s on her way back here. She’s coming with decent clothes and I’ve told her to…. buy you some underwear…” he said with whispers in his last sentence. Speaking of underwear, I slowly remembered why my underwear was missing in the first place.

I grabbed Nat’s hand and rubbed it softly to show how grateful I was to him.

“I don’t know if I was dreaming or not, but I had a vision I was almost raped last night and you came to the rescue…”

“Actually yes, you’re almost raped by a filthy old man…” he made a disgusted face. “So I took you home. But I’m still confused, why in the hell you gladly kissed that old man back… that’s disgusting to see…”

My eyes widened, “I did? Ew… I must have been too fucked up” I did? Oh God, that was overly disgusting and embarrassing. Especially if Nat was there to watch. Oh God, how fucked up was I?!

“Yes, too fucked up. I’m glad I could take you home… I mean my home,” he forced a smile and took another sip of his black coffee.

“I thought you’re going home with Lynn… after she said those things to me…”

“I was going to… but we got into some pointless argument about you then, I got pissed off and then sent her home in a taxi. Damn, sometimes she’s so annoying... and then I saw you were smoking with some weird old dude,” he argued with Lynn about me? Wow, I wondered what they’re arguing about.

“Weird, I always find her annoying all the time…” I commented sarcastically, trying to joke. And it only seemed to send Nat into light laughter. I joined him and emitted some light chuckles. Glad he didn’t take that seriously because I knew Nat, he would always take it seriously every time I joked about Lynn. Well, actually I never joked about any of it, I was always being serious. Ha.

His eyes now cast down to mine; he formed a wide smile and began to rub my back. “It’s good to find you’re smiling again. I really hate to see you crying when I couldn’t find the right way to comfort you… be a tough girl, I know you will” as he wrapped my shoulder with his arm.

God damn! Stupid heartbeat! Stop beating so wildly every time he shows his caring side! Butterflies in my stomach, why wouldn’t you go die in the pit? Oh wait, there’s no butterflies in my stomach, there were plenty of pterodactyls fluttering wildly down there! I needed to stop Nat from killing my stomach.

Instead of pulling away, I decided to look at him. Trying without completely looked like a pedo with my smile; I cupped his cheek and kissed him on the cheek very softly.

I could feel Nat squeeze my shoulder when he’s stunned to find I put a little innocent kiss on his cheek. He even took a sharp intake of breath when I pulled away. I was so close to him, so close I heard a hard pounding in his chest. Wow, he’s so nervous.

“I’m really grateful I have you as my friend, Nat. You really care about me and that’s so sweet of you…” I said but Nat didn’t seem to reply. He only stared at me with a horror look on his eyes. But it wasn’t just some horror. His eyes were watching me with shocked yet weird stare that I finally understood.

The look that could make me feel wanted.

I was paralyzed to know Nat’s eyes were on my lips. He started to lean down towards me very slowly and I couldn’t seem to pull away but was stuck there instead. Nat then tilted his head to the right and carefully moved his head closer until I could feel his breath that smelled a lot like black coffee in my nose.

What I did the next moment was close my eyes and hope he would close the gap between us with our lips. I really love it when he kissed me; he always kissed me to my liking.

“I’m sorry, I’m late—oh shit…” it was Kat who suddenly barged into the room, not in the right moment. Nat was jolted in his seat, he rapidly moved away from me, meanwhile I was startled by Kat’s loud voice. Both of us were red in sheer of embarrassment and I saw Nat was shooting daggers at his baby sister.

“I’m sorry... I truly sorry... I didn’t know you two were…” she blabbed out.

“It’s nothing!” I cut off too quickly “We weren’t doing anything” as I forced a fake laughter. “Right, Nat?” I tried to cover up as I turned to Nat, hoping he would say the same thing. But, Nat didn’t seem to hear me because suddenly he was frowning at his ringing cel lphone.

“Umm.. .hey,” Nat quickly picked up the call and slowly stood up. “I’m umm... at... the hospital,” he told the caller who I didn’t know. I turned back to Kat who now had the mischievous smile playing upon her lips. She let out her infamous smirk that resembled Carlton’s and Nat’s since they three shared the same McGregor’s trait.

“Shut up,” I yelled in whisper at her but Kat giggled. She showed me her all-knowing look that pretty much annoyed me. But annoyed in a good way, because actually, I was embarrassed with it.

“I can’t bring you to the mall, not now, babe…” Nat said through the phone that quickly drew my attention. He was talking to Lynn obviously and it irked me. Why did it have to be Lynn?! I fucking hate her. “There’s this... uhh... my best friend’s father who got into hospital, I need to be by her side… No, babe, no! She’s only a friend… (nervous chuckles) she’s more like a sister, of course. Yeah, yes. No… uh, no you don’t know her, she’s my uhh... bestfriend from primary school” so he lied to Lynn about me, he knew Lynn would flip out to know he’s here because of me, Lynn’s all time enemy.

But what hurt the most when Nat said something about me, he only considered me as his sister? Wow. Crack... crack and crack!

I couldn’t describe how I felt at the moment. All this time, all this fucking time he only considered me as a sister? Brothers don’t like their sisters. If they did, that’d be incest. Fuck it, a brother wouldn’t kiss their sister on the mouth, a brother wouldn’t make out or even have sex with his sister like he did to me.

I couldn’t fucking believe Nathaniel Sean McGregor!

“Alright! Alright! I’ll take you! Ok, of course I’ll be right there in a moment… bye... I love you too, babe” then he clicked his phone off and chucked it down to his pocket. Mustering a loud sigh, he grabbed his black coffee and sipped it again.

“Savannah, I’m sorry,” he said. Yeah, whatever, you had to go to your immature girlfriend. “I have to go now, I uhh, have something to do…”

“Yeah, fine…” I said aimlessly. “Thanks for keeping me a company by the way,” I said sliding off his hoodie jacket and offered it to him.

“No, you keep it. You still need the jacket. I have plenty at home,” he smiled briefly. “I’ll be going then, I’ll see you later, ‘kay?” he said and rushed to the door to leave me and Kat.

I never felt like this before, to have strong urge to kill Lynnette Sonebitch at the moment. I seriously hated her for ruining the moment!!!