All That We Could Be
Chapter Twenty Eight
Chapter Twenty Eight
Another week had passed and Fallon was still doing her work in the hospital. In total Phil had been in the hospital for two weeks and almost a half.
Fallon’s lack of sleep and appetite had started to take a toll on her. Cheryl had put in on herself to bring Fallon food and watch Fallon eat. Fallon had brought it upon herself to make sure Christopher ate and slept. Adrian and Dallas were capable of taking care of themselves and sometimes they were the ones taking care of Christopher and Fallon. When Fallon had asked to be more responsible, this was not what she had in mind.
Phil had not gotten better; in fact he had been taking turns for the worse. Doctors had told Christopher and his brothers that Phil’s kidneys and liver had stopped functioning. Phil had to have dialysis. To top it all off, Phil’s weakening condition had caught up with him, where once he was able to joke around with the guys, now he lay in his bed, occasionally speaking a word or two, but even then he was exhausted.
Fallon had worried when the doctors had told them that there was a possibility that Phil would not make it. Apparently while Fallon had been gone, Phil had been suffering the flu, and now with these latest developments, his body could not handle much more stress.
Fallon couldn’t understand how Phil had gotten sick in such a short time; Fallon had only been gone for two weeks. Christopher had told her that Phil had previous heart problems, but still Fallon worried over the rate of deterioration of his condition.
Today Fallon was going through her track lists from all of her albums and making a set list for the tour. She also had to go through the track list of her re-released album and select the next single. Craig had dropped by with a stack of papers and a folder full of pictures from the photo shoot. She was going to have to select the cover of the single herself, as well as the b-sides. Fallon had told Craig that this single would have a couple of b-sides. She wasn’t sure as to how many, but she already knew which song she was going to release. Fallon looked through some of the tracks for her b-sides, and started to eliminate the ones she didn’t want. Fallon had also decided when she would release the single. It would be right before the tour, on her birthday. The fourth single would be released on June 26th.
Fallon sat in the hallway of the intensive care unit, this was where the doctors had transferred Phil last night, and apparently he had slipped into an unconscious state. Today he was a little better. He was conscious for one, but he was also talking and joking with his sons. Fallon had even talked to him, and as usual Phil had asked her if she had moved to live at the track. Fallon had told him what she always told him. That she would move soon. Phil seemed to be in better spirits. Yet still the doctors were unhappy with the way his organs were not functioning.
They had told Adrian that his heart was under duress, and they could not tell what it was that was causing this. Dallas had become quiet over the last few days; his good humor had started to vanish as Phil’s condition had kept getting worse.
Today Fallon watched as the brothers took turns spending time with their father. They were only allowed one at a time. Fallon had spent most of the time watching over Christopher in the waiting room. Dallas usually stood next to her chair, tapping his foot incessantly. Christopher had become more sullen. Although age wise he was older than Fallon, he seemed to be taking this a lot worse than her.
Fallon didn’t blame him; if it was her father she would have been acting the same. In fact when Fallon remembered when her father had gotten pneumonia, it had been when she was 10, her mother had called the EMS to take him to the hospital, Fallon had cried as she watched her father being put on a stretcher and being taken into the ambulance and being driven away. The memory of it still sent a shudder down her spine.
It was almost seven when Fallon was told by Adrian to take Christopher home. Adrian had told them he would return to the hallway after going to the bathroom, while Dallas would be coming back to the hallway after grabbing a bite to eat.
“Come on, Chris. I’ll call you if anything changes. Even Dad told us to go home. You go, and I’ll be sending Dallas to catch some sleep. I’ll be here until midnight and then Dallas will come until the morning. If we switch off, it’ll be better for us all.” Adrian said trying to convince Christopher.
“Alright, fine. Call me if anything happens.” Christopher told him, finally agreeing. Fallon and Christopher said goodbye to Phil, who bade them farewell cheerily. The three of them said goodbye as they split up. Fallon and Christopher going to the garage, while Adrian went to the washroom.
Fallon and Christopher were silent on their way down. To Fallon it seemed that Christopher was brooding again. Fallon headed to her car with Christopher in tow. She had barely put her key in the lock when Christopher’s phone rang.
It was Dallas. “Why didn’t you tell me that Dad was getting CPR?” Came the clear voice of Dallas, from Christopher’s phone. “What?” Christopher said in confusion. Without waiting for a reply both Fallon and Christopher bolted back to Phil’s room in the ICU.
By the time they had reached the room, Adrian was there too. The older brothers clearly looked distressed. Their father’s room was closed as the medical staff worked on him. Christopher was shaking as he stood next to Fallon. Fallon couldn’t bear to watch the crowd of nurses and doctors working on Phil.
Whole minutes passed, each one had brought more tension than the last. The four of them stood there, Dallas muttering undistinguishable words under his breath. Fallon thought he was praying.
When the doctor finally opened the room door, Fallon couldn’t look up. She didn’t want to see the defeat in his eyes. She didn’t want to hear what he was going to say. Dallas had put and arm around her, pulling her close, as the doctor told them what they had feared. “I’m very sorry for your loss.” He said, quietly. “There was nothing more we could do for him.” He told them.
Speechless, the four of them stood silently. No one uttered a single word. Adrian was the first to recover, he asked the doctor to come with him and tell him what had happened. The doctor and Adrian walked away, leaving the three of them standing in front of the room, where nurses prepared to take the body to the morgue.
Fallon’s eyes filled with tears for the man who had helped launch her music career, and had so open heartedly allowed her to use his race track. Her finger nails dug into the palm of her hand, to prevent the tears from spilling.
Dallas gave her a hug, his blue eyes flowing with tears for his father. As he let go, Fallon turned her attention to Christopher. His face blank, his hands by his side. He looked completely lost, without any words, sounds, or expression to give away what he was feeling. Fallon herself was at a loss for words. She had never lost anyone close to her. What could one say at a time like this?
Fallon walked slowly towards him. She already knew she couldn’t say anything to make it better. Instead she just pulled Christopher into an embrace. He let her hold him, his tears starting to flow. Dallas joined them, putting an arm around his brother and Fallon.
Another week had passed and Fallon was still doing her work in the hospital. In total Phil had been in the hospital for two weeks and almost a half.
Fallon’s lack of sleep and appetite had started to take a toll on her. Cheryl had put in on herself to bring Fallon food and watch Fallon eat. Fallon had brought it upon herself to make sure Christopher ate and slept. Adrian and Dallas were capable of taking care of themselves and sometimes they were the ones taking care of Christopher and Fallon. When Fallon had asked to be more responsible, this was not what she had in mind.
Phil had not gotten better; in fact he had been taking turns for the worse. Doctors had told Christopher and his brothers that Phil’s kidneys and liver had stopped functioning. Phil had to have dialysis. To top it all off, Phil’s weakening condition had caught up with him, where once he was able to joke around with the guys, now he lay in his bed, occasionally speaking a word or two, but even then he was exhausted.
Fallon had worried when the doctors had told them that there was a possibility that Phil would not make it. Apparently while Fallon had been gone, Phil had been suffering the flu, and now with these latest developments, his body could not handle much more stress.
Fallon couldn’t understand how Phil had gotten sick in such a short time; Fallon had only been gone for two weeks. Christopher had told her that Phil had previous heart problems, but still Fallon worried over the rate of deterioration of his condition.
Today Fallon was going through her track lists from all of her albums and making a set list for the tour. She also had to go through the track list of her re-released album and select the next single. Craig had dropped by with a stack of papers and a folder full of pictures from the photo shoot. She was going to have to select the cover of the single herself, as well as the b-sides. Fallon had told Craig that this single would have a couple of b-sides. She wasn’t sure as to how many, but she already knew which song she was going to release. Fallon looked through some of the tracks for her b-sides, and started to eliminate the ones she didn’t want. Fallon had also decided when she would release the single. It would be right before the tour, on her birthday. The fourth single would be released on June 26th.
Fallon sat in the hallway of the intensive care unit, this was where the doctors had transferred Phil last night, and apparently he had slipped into an unconscious state. Today he was a little better. He was conscious for one, but he was also talking and joking with his sons. Fallon had even talked to him, and as usual Phil had asked her if she had moved to live at the track. Fallon had told him what she always told him. That she would move soon. Phil seemed to be in better spirits. Yet still the doctors were unhappy with the way his organs were not functioning.
They had told Adrian that his heart was under duress, and they could not tell what it was that was causing this. Dallas had become quiet over the last few days; his good humor had started to vanish as Phil’s condition had kept getting worse.
Today Fallon watched as the brothers took turns spending time with their father. They were only allowed one at a time. Fallon had spent most of the time watching over Christopher in the waiting room. Dallas usually stood next to her chair, tapping his foot incessantly. Christopher had become more sullen. Although age wise he was older than Fallon, he seemed to be taking this a lot worse than her.
Fallon didn’t blame him; if it was her father she would have been acting the same. In fact when Fallon remembered when her father had gotten pneumonia, it had been when she was 10, her mother had called the EMS to take him to the hospital, Fallon had cried as she watched her father being put on a stretcher and being taken into the ambulance and being driven away. The memory of it still sent a shudder down her spine.
It was almost seven when Fallon was told by Adrian to take Christopher home. Adrian had told them he would return to the hallway after going to the bathroom, while Dallas would be coming back to the hallway after grabbing a bite to eat.
“Come on, Chris. I’ll call you if anything changes. Even Dad told us to go home. You go, and I’ll be sending Dallas to catch some sleep. I’ll be here until midnight and then Dallas will come until the morning. If we switch off, it’ll be better for us all.” Adrian said trying to convince Christopher.
“Alright, fine. Call me if anything happens.” Christopher told him, finally agreeing. Fallon and Christopher said goodbye to Phil, who bade them farewell cheerily. The three of them said goodbye as they split up. Fallon and Christopher going to the garage, while Adrian went to the washroom.
Fallon and Christopher were silent on their way down. To Fallon it seemed that Christopher was brooding again. Fallon headed to her car with Christopher in tow. She had barely put her key in the lock when Christopher’s phone rang.
It was Dallas. “Why didn’t you tell me that Dad was getting CPR?” Came the clear voice of Dallas, from Christopher’s phone. “What?” Christopher said in confusion. Without waiting for a reply both Fallon and Christopher bolted back to Phil’s room in the ICU.
By the time they had reached the room, Adrian was there too. The older brothers clearly looked distressed. Their father’s room was closed as the medical staff worked on him. Christopher was shaking as he stood next to Fallon. Fallon couldn’t bear to watch the crowd of nurses and doctors working on Phil.
Whole minutes passed, each one had brought more tension than the last. The four of them stood there, Dallas muttering undistinguishable words under his breath. Fallon thought he was praying.
When the doctor finally opened the room door, Fallon couldn’t look up. She didn’t want to see the defeat in his eyes. She didn’t want to hear what he was going to say. Dallas had put and arm around her, pulling her close, as the doctor told them what they had feared. “I’m very sorry for your loss.” He said, quietly. “There was nothing more we could do for him.” He told them.
Speechless, the four of them stood silently. No one uttered a single word. Adrian was the first to recover, he asked the doctor to come with him and tell him what had happened. The doctor and Adrian walked away, leaving the three of them standing in front of the room, where nurses prepared to take the body to the morgue.
Fallon’s eyes filled with tears for the man who had helped launch her music career, and had so open heartedly allowed her to use his race track. Her finger nails dug into the palm of her hand, to prevent the tears from spilling.
Dallas gave her a hug, his blue eyes flowing with tears for his father. As he let go, Fallon turned her attention to Christopher. His face blank, his hands by his side. He looked completely lost, without any words, sounds, or expression to give away what he was feeling. Fallon herself was at a loss for words. She had never lost anyone close to her. What could one say at a time like this?
Fallon walked slowly towards him. She already knew she couldn’t say anything to make it better. Instead she just pulled Christopher into an embrace. He let her hold him, his tears starting to flow. Dallas joined them, putting an arm around his brother and Fallon.