Everything Changes

Hospital lights bore down on me, sweat clung to my body. Life seem to stop before my eyes, even though the doctors and nurses bustled around busing them selves with the wounded, sick, or pregnant people. Time stood still, as I peered down at the floor. Arms wrapped strongly around my self, and a loving hand rubbed my back, showing me that compassion still existed.
Black swayed shoes, polished to a t, appeared in my line of sight.
"Mrs. Adams?" a calm timid voice, entered my ears. My eyes drifted upwards. Black ironed pants, a white lab coat, your average mid-aged doctor.

"Y..yes." I croaked out, my throat sore from the lack of uses. My feet shuffled under me, as I stood. Matt's arms secure on my hips as he stood as well. The doctor trailed out of the waiting room, Matt and I scurrying after him.

"As you may already know, your son was involved in gang violence." The doctor timid structure vanishing, as I simply nodded. "Thing might have been left un said earlier when you were notified. But your son was beaten." He paused, watching my reaction as my eyes shun his. "There was some hassle and a gun was pulled, your son had a bullet embedded in his skin next to his spine. Our only choice in keeping him alive was to remove it, procedures were done. But I'm afraid your son might never walk again."
Air quickly entered my lungs as I gasped. I was thrill that my son was a live, but hurt to know that he'd never get to play basketball, or soccer again.
"You do und.." The doctor started.

"I under stand that my son gets to live another day, he gets to breath and live on his own. He might not have the same advantages as all of us but damn it he still lives." I growled out, tears of frustration trailed down my cheek. "Can I see my son." I stated, not requesting the doctor permission but requesting he lead me to my son. He sighed knowing better than to argue with a determined mother.
The walk to the room was short, his door gaped slightly. The doctor gestured to the room before turning on his heels and leaving.

"Are you okay, baby?" Matt's arms wrapped around my body in a loving embrace.

"Are we ever okay." I asked rubbing his arm, holding on to the moment, and for once feeling secure. His embrace tightened, as he pulled me closer to his chest, before completely releasing me.

My hand gently laid across the door, as it slowly slid open, with just a gentle push. The room was dimly lit, the lights where slightly on but not enough to actually make out what color that carpet was, but what I could make out was my baby boys mangled body, laying in a bed attached to a machine. Tear continued to roll down my face, pain pierced my heart as the realization hit me. My baby boy may never walk again.

---

A gentle knock rang through the room; I lifted my head from the bed. Looking at the door. Curiosity, crept over me, Mattie was with a friend and Matt was asleep in the chair in the corner, so who would be coming here at this time of night. The door creaked open slowly, as I approached. I grasped the knob in my hand pulling open further, reveling a young man, about or younger than my Mark. He fiddled with his hands as he avoided eyes contact with me.

"You must be his mom?" His voice soft, and timid. His light tan skin, standing out amongst the white around him.

"Do you know him?" I asked softly, closing the door behind me. He shook his head, as tears slid down his face.

"This was never suppose to happen." He sobbed. "We thought he was a gang member." I just gawked. His eyes looked up to me, meeting mine; watery eyes stared back at me. His hand brushed mine, gently grasping it, he pulled me to a set of chairs. "He was just walking, an... and they’re like get him." He started as I sat down next to him, his hand still firmly grasped in mine. "Before I could move I hear a gun go off, and there he was just laying there." His hands motioned to the floor to express his meaning. "I'm so sorry." He sobbed out, squeezing my hand tighter.

"You stood there and watched?" I asked, his head bobbed slightly. "And yet you did nothing." My voice croaked as tears slid down my face.

"I tried to get out, I never meant to get in so deep." He cried, almost begging for my forgiveness, though he'd done nothing wrong but bared witness.

"Where's your mother, father at?" I stated, pausing as he shook his head.

"My father abandoned my mom before I was born, and my mom." He paused, tears sliding down his face freely. "She... she died when I was twelve." He sobbed out. My motherly instinct took over as I reached over and pull this perfect stranger into my arms, to silences his cries.