Drowning in a River of Denial
You're Lucky You're Alive!
Rhythmic beeping. A hushed conversation. Bright lights.
I was in hell, wasn’t I?
I opened my eyes slowly, trying to adjust to the bright lights. It didn’t exactly work. I opened them too fast and practically blinded myself. I groaned, stupidly causing the attention of my parents and a doctor. They rushed to my side and started talking, all at once. They fawned over me, making sure that I was alright. It was a bit too much.
“Guys, stop,” I said sharply.
“Rian, you were in a car accident,” Mom said just as sharply.
“I realize that, thank you.”
She glared at me for a second before she kissed my forehead. I felt the pressure but not the contact of skin on skin. I reached up and touched my forehead, only to feel a rough bandage beneath my fingertips.
“I’m glad you’re awake, sweetheart,” she said.
“Rian, we’re going to take some te-” the doctor started to say. I didn’t care. I had other things on my mind.
“Where’s Alex?” I interrupted.
“What?” Mom asked, caught off guard.
“Alex. Where is he?”
“In the waiting room,” she stuttered.
“Can I see him?”
“Rian, you’re lucky you’re alive. You had so much alcohol in your system, it’s any wonder you weren’t poisoned! How can you worry about Alex right now?” Mom snapped.
“Because. I always worry about Alex!” I snapped right back. She looked pissed as she stormed out of the room.
“Oh, dear. She does not like Alex today,” my step-father, David groaned.
“What do you mean?”
“She blames him, for the accident.”
“Alex wasn’t even in the car!”
“She knows that. But she’s your mom, she’s upset and irrational. She’s scared and she needs someone to blame. And she can’t justifiably blame you, because you’re hurt. Therefore, she blames your roommate. Who else?”
I nodded and listened as he spoke gently. The doctor stared, scared to speak.
“Go talk to Mom for me, please. Reason with her?”
David nodded and left the room.
“Alright. Test away.”
I was in hell, wasn’t I?
I opened my eyes slowly, trying to adjust to the bright lights. It didn’t exactly work. I opened them too fast and practically blinded myself. I groaned, stupidly causing the attention of my parents and a doctor. They rushed to my side and started talking, all at once. They fawned over me, making sure that I was alright. It was a bit too much.
“Guys, stop,” I said sharply.
“Rian, you were in a car accident,” Mom said just as sharply.
“I realize that, thank you.”
She glared at me for a second before she kissed my forehead. I felt the pressure but not the contact of skin on skin. I reached up and touched my forehead, only to feel a rough bandage beneath my fingertips.
“I’m glad you’re awake, sweetheart,” she said.
“Rian, we’re going to take some te-” the doctor started to say. I didn’t care. I had other things on my mind.
“Where’s Alex?” I interrupted.
“What?” Mom asked, caught off guard.
“Alex. Where is he?”
“In the waiting room,” she stuttered.
“Can I see him?”
“Rian, you’re lucky you’re alive. You had so much alcohol in your system, it’s any wonder you weren’t poisoned! How can you worry about Alex right now?” Mom snapped.
“Because. I always worry about Alex!” I snapped right back. She looked pissed as she stormed out of the room.
“Oh, dear. She does not like Alex today,” my step-father, David groaned.
“What do you mean?”
“She blames him, for the accident.”
“Alex wasn’t even in the car!”
“She knows that. But she’s your mom, she’s upset and irrational. She’s scared and she needs someone to blame. And she can’t justifiably blame you, because you’re hurt. Therefore, she blames your roommate. Who else?”
I nodded and listened as he spoke gently. The doctor stared, scared to speak.
“Go talk to Mom for me, please. Reason with her?”
David nodded and left the room.
“Alright. Test away.”