Dear God

Casey watched silently as the catalyst took place. It was like she was trapped in a unbreakable bubble. She was just there. She couldn't stop anything and she couldn’t understand anything. She watched her boyfriend grip the steering wheel so hard that his knuckles turned white. She allowed him to drag her down the all too dreary hospital corridors. She had sobered immediately and did her best to ignore her the headache creeping into place. She knew this was not the time to complain.

Blaine stood waiting. It was agony. He never felt so restless. He wanted this to be a joke. He didn't want to see his mum sobbing or his dad so sullen with the occasional tear escaping. There was an unnerving silence that fell upon the Quinton family. They didn’t bother comforting or conversing with each other, they were busy trying to control themselves as individuals.
Blaine could feel a lump form in his throat and his breathing get uneven.

After the initial shock of it all, Casey noticed the non-Quintons’. There was a little girl with her mother, sitting down on the plastic chairs with faces full of worry. The more she observed, the more she noticed. They just seem genuinely worried; they were in the dark as much as she was. It was a comfort to her; in it’s own twisted way.

Marcus Quinton held his wife. Everything was surreal to him. One minute he was asleep in the comfort of his bed, the next he’s being called to the emergency room because of his only daughter. He never really realized how much something could change in such little time.

“Blaine, what’s going on?” Her voice quivered. She had broken the unnatural blanket of silence that lay.

Blaine slowly turned his head towards Casey, blinking for what felt like the first time in a while. He said nothing but took her hand and started to walk; no particular direction intended. He stopped abruptly and started. He explained everything-about Dawn, about her condition.
Casey was speechless. She didn’t know even know why she was. What else could be the reason for everyone’s grimness? She felt like face palming herself for being so naïve. Of course they wouldn’t be here for a broken leg or something of the sort. She moved towards him and hugged him. They stood there for a while like that, in each other’s embrace.

[~*][~*][~*][~*]

The doctor had come out.

“Dawn Quinton’s family?” He asked.

Marcus and Patricia met his gaze and nodded, “That’s us.”

“She’s okay.”

Everyone let out the breath they were unknowingly holding. A tsunami of relief washed over them.

Patricia let out a laugh, not a happy one but a hysterical one. She had never felt so grateful in her life. Her baby was alright and that’s all that mattered.

“She’s awake and can have visitors but two at a time please”

Naturally, the parents had gone in first.

Blaine remained, waiting.

And waiting.

And waiting.

And waiting.

Until finally they came out and it was his turn. He stood up and so did Casey. Hands intertwined, they walked through the door.