Page 2 of Aftersome
“Shh… it’s okay, Mom,” I tried soothing, but the words came out strained. I too was on the verge of breaking and there was nothing I could do to stop it. Nothing I could do to prevent it as the thought of all my people, the ones I cared for, were currently suffering just as I was, but only worse.
Over her muffled cries, I glanced over her shoulder and watched as Dad made his way over to Wren. A sense of reliefwashed over me knowing that someone was going to stand with her, but I had a feeling seeing him would only cause her already fragile heart to splinter even more.
I then watched as they embraced each other. He pulled her into his arms as her eyes closed tightly in pain. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the heart-wrenching scene. Wren was barely holding on. Her small body was shaking uncontrollably. Though her face was pressed against his chest, I could see her mouth moving frantically.
I’m sorry.
Repeatedly, she was apologizing. The words that shouldn’t be coming out of her mouth were and it took everything in me to not shake those thoughts out of her head. Just the thought of Doe blaming herself made me want to destroy something.
It made my lungs throb painfully with each breath I took.
“Mal, I need…” I was drawn back to Shelia as she pulled herself out of my arms. “I need to find a nurse… anyone.”
I opened my mouth to respond back, but she had walked away before I could say anything. I was about to chase after her, but the sound of Doe’s voice caused me to shift my attention over to her, and that’s when I noticed her frantic movements.
Her desperate cries and hopeless wails.
I didn’t think twice, I charged over to her.
“Wren!” I shouted, hoping she would hear me and pull out of her current distressed state, but she didn’t. Greg then noticed me coming and as if realizing I was coming for Doe, he released his arms from around her, giving me the opportunity to pull her into my embrace.
Her arms instantly latched around my waist as she stuffed her face into my chest.
“Breathe… I need you to take deep breaths for me.”
Her poor body wouldn’t stop shaking. Her tears wouldn’t stop falling and I felt frantic to help her. To heal her fucking painany way I could, but I was just a hockey player. A moody, pissed-off-at-the-world hockey player who had no fucking clue how to deal with a crying, heartbroken woman.
I wasn’t the comforting type, but yet here I was, doing everything in my power to help her though this all the while dealing with my own anguish.
Then as is if hearing my words, she took a long, steady breath until her cries slowly dissipated.
“There you go. Breathe.” I dropped my chin onto the top of her head and for the longest time, we just sat there. She burrowed into my chest while I refused to let her go.
Suddenly, she pulled her swollen face from chest and tried looking around me. I loosened my hold, but not entirely.
“Mal… The nurse, where is she?” she asked and as if her eyes found something terrible, her whole body had gone still in my arms.
Deathly still.
I watched closely as her breathing began to escalate again and on the widening of her eyes, I realized something was wrong.
“Oh god… No… No… Greg, he can’t be…” Recognizing that voice, I released my arms from around Doe and immediately spun around. My heart sunk in my chest when I saw Mom on the ground, her body slumped and shaking through her tears.
“Mom.” I rushed over toward her and dropped down onto my knees beside her. “What’s going on? What’s wrong?”
Her hands found the fabric of my shirt as she clawed at my chest in desperation. Her knees rocked back and forth, only increasing when her sobbing turned more frantic.
I was desperate to ask her what was going on, but deep down, I had a feeling I already knew the answer.
“Hayes… My boy… My sweet boy is gone.”
My initial reaction was disbelief. Like all the air had been violently stripped from my lungs and in its place was a newfound rage that I couldn’t contain.
I didn’t believe it.
I fucking couldn’t.
Hayes wouldn’t leave us, not like this.
