So Much for My Happy Ending

"As soon as we get you out of here, you, Michelle, and I are going to have a shopping spree." Mom's eyes were bright with excitement, happier than she'd been when she first came to see me. Hell, she just looked happy.
My lips quirked up into a tiny smile and I looked at Michelle with raised eyebrows. Her laughter filled the room making Mom join in with her. Not quite identical, but definitely similar. I shake my head fondly at the two women who have two very different personalities, but look nearly identical.
"What's up with her?" I ask Michelle finally. She shrugs her shoulders while Mom rolls her eyes.
"That's what I've been wondering."
"Why does something have to be up? Can't I just be happy and want to go shopping with my sister and daughter?" Michelle and I share another look.
"No." We both say at the same exact time.
Mom sighs and her eyes dim slightly, "I'm just trying to make the best out of a difficult situation," she pauses briefly to collect her thoughts, "I find out my husband and daughter are in a wreck while I'm two hours away from them and then a large Matt sized bomb is dropped on me when they tell me he's been doing drugs." She struggles with herself for several minutes and Michelle lays a hand on her shoulder. Mom reaches up sets her hand on top of Michelle's. "I'm not going to be sad all of the time." She says finally. "I'd be stupid if I was."
I felt mildly guilty for questioning her and I am glad that she isn't moping. It was just sort of suspicious that she was so happy today when on her other visits she was so subdued. I wonder if she's met someone?
That thought makes ice settle in my stomach and I have to take a deep breath to prevent an anxiety attack. She wouldn't leave Dad when he's like this would she? He needs her- needs us- now more than ever. I understand that they've been having trouble- understatement of the century- it would be horrible to do that to him now.
Stop working yourself up, Meagan. That gets you know where pretty quickly. Just a one way ticket to anxiety and depression. I'll be damned if I slip and fall into that hole.
Time for a topic change.
"Oooh Aunt Michelle! You should totally dye your hair again. Maybe put red streaks in it?" Mom shoots me a grateful smile.
"I think I just might do that. I think we can all agree that blonde looks better on you, Val." Michelle says affectionately. Mom wraps her arm around her and I pout.
"Hey, I want in on the group hug!" They shuffle side ways until they reach my bed. I giggle at how awkward that must be. Once they reach me they each reach out an arm and drag me into it. "I love you, guys."
We stay like that for a few minutes when Mom and Michelle pull away. Michelle's face sports a confused look as she stares at my cast. I try to see what she's looking at, but it honestly has so many doodles and names on it I couldn't begin to tell you what it was. I spot a random picture of a whale spurting water from its blowhole and then spot the...
"Why is there a picture of dick on your cast?" She says finally.
Fucking Andy.
~
"You're killin' me, Smalls." Zacky drops his phone and groans into his hands. I smirk up at him victoriously.
"Don't hate, baby. Just accept that I'm just fantastic." I let out a crow of excitement and shove my phone in his face. He's quick to smack my hand away and pick his phone back up.
"Rematch, bitch," he hisses under his breath.
I roll my eyes fondly, "Sure you can handle another defeat?"
He laughs loudly and sarcastically, "I won't have to because I'm gonna torch your ass!"
"Only way you'll do that is if you get all of the Entertainment and Sports questions."
Confused? Zacky and I sat outside- one of the few times I've actually been allowed some fresh air- under a huge oak tree in the hospital's garden playing Trivia Crack. I've been slaying Zacky game after game and he just won't accept that fact.
I'm a pro at the Geography, History, and Science questions. Make fun of me all you want for being a huge history buff, but if you give me battles from the Civil War or World War II... I can give you the month, date, and year. Need to know what river runs through Chile? No sweat, it's the Río Loa. My brain is a giant book filled with geographical, scientific, and historical facts.
The most my Uncle can get is the movie questions and the football or golf questions. Some are just more fortunate than others. [She says sarcastically.]
I allow my mind to drift as Zacky futilely try's to gain the upper-hand to the new game. The search we have done on Meaghan Doe hasn't gone anywhere since the wreck. I'm considering speaking to Zacky right now about it, but I'm having such a fun time with him. He's literally the only one that actually plays Trivia Crack with me. Elise keeps accusing me of cheating and Bri never gets any of the answers correct.
"Uncle Zacky, can I ask you a question?" He looks up at me with a raised eyebrow.
"You kind of just did." He points out, "but shoot."
"Who is Meaghan Doe?" I ask softly.
He grimaces and sets about locking his phone. I watch as he collects his composure and he takes a sip of the Sweet Tea on the table. He looks me in the eye, face serious, lips turned down in a frown. "How do you know about her, kid?"
"Is that important? I just want to know."
"Yes, it is important."
"Uncle Zacky."
"She's a friend." He tells me eventually.
How stupid does he think I am? Seeing my face he sighs and doesn't meet my eye.
"Really, a friend?" I say derisively.
"Yes, can we discuss this later. Please, I don't want to fight. I get enough of this from Gena." His eyes show a tiny amount of guilt at the mention of her.
"Aunt Gena loves you." I point out softly.
"I love her too. It's just," he looks at a family of four walking on the pavement across the road, "I just don't love her like I used to." His eyes grow sad. "I don't like hurting her," he tells me with a firm shake of his head, "but I haven't cheated, Meagan. I haven't. I know you think I have, you and Jimmy and Aleia, but I haven't."
"Okay, I believe you." I did, it was something in his eyes that said it.
"You do?" I nod my head quickly.
He jumps across the distance and wraps his arms around me. I hug him back tightly a tiny smile crossing my face.
"You need to talk to Aunt Gena though." I whisper softly.
"I will, I love you Megs," he pulls away and traces a part of my cast thoughtfully, "who drew the penis?"
Fucking Andy.
~
"How've you been doing?" My voice is soft, yet it sounds like a scream in the silent room. The only noise to be heard is our breathing and the drip of the IV.
"Been better." He voice is raspy and scratchy, I cringe slightly thinking of how much a chore it must be to talk.
"Yeah, same here." I shoot back quickly.
An awkward silence fills the room. I open my mouth to say something, but I can't find the right words. He manages to beat me to it, "Does it hurt much?"
"Like a mosquito bite on your balls, Dad." A weak laugh leaves his mouth. "How about you? Your shoulder hurt much?"
"I can't really feel it." He gestures weakly to the IV in his opposite hand. "The glass severed my axillary nerve, they'll have to go in and repair it." I nod to acknowledge him.
"That sucks." Wow, real eloquent.
"I thought that that bone was impossible to break." He tells me, eyes on my thigh.
"Your femur is the strongest bone in your body pretty much. It isn't impossible, however. It would call for serious pressure being put on it." I tell him honestly.
It grows quiet again. I'd been allowed for the first time to visit Dad. I was happy, it's just... not what I was expecting. I'd asked to visit at a time where I'd figured he'd be asleep. I could have asked the nurse who brought me in to take me back. Dad had been staring out the window, seemingly distracted by whatever it was that he saw. When the nurse had opened the door, however, his head had snapped over so quickly, I feared he'd get whiplash.
He didn't look good. Eyes sunken in, cheeks hallowed out, scabs littering his arms. It wasn't a good look for him. He is being kept sedated. Too violent, they said. He'd hit a nurse in one of his fits. It's for the best, I think.
"I'm sorry, Megs. I'm so sorry." He breaks the silence, eyes watery and voice heavily laced with fatigue.
"I know, Daddy. I know. I'm sorry to." I wheel my chair over to his bed, slightly hesitant to get to close. I grab hold of his hand that isn't covered in wires and such. Squeezing tightly to it, I whisper, "it's okay." He struggles to keep his eyes open, settling for staring at my face. "Go to sleep, okay?"
"Okay. I love you, Megs."
"Love you." I reply softly.