Page 300 of Lilah
"I'll come see you after talking to Mr. Terrip," we bid goodbye and I decide on taking a nice, calming bath to hopefully calm myself down from my hyper episode.
Before the bath though, I have a concert in the bathroom mirror. Then I stare at the letter while in the bathtub, effectively making the bath almost an hour long.
Once I'm out, I dress myself and decide on braiding my hair. Once I'm finished, I start the drive to the book store.
I get giddier and giddier just thinking about what his reaction is going to be. He's known for years that I've wanted to go to college.
I hold the letter tightly to my chest as I open the door. The bell rings over my head and a smile lights up my face.
He's not sitting at his desk so I figure he's somewhere hiding from me as he does sometimes.
Crazy old man.
"Mr. Terrip, come out of your hiding!" I call out, biting back a laugh when I picture him hiding behind a bookshelf.
I start walking around in search of him.
"Mr. Terrip, you sneaky old man, I have some exciting n-" I pause mid-sentence. My heart drops to my stomach. His frail figure lays on the ground in the back of the store, unmoving.
The letter in my hand drops to the floor and tears flood my eyes.
This can't be happening.
With shaky hands, I call 911. During the call, I struggle to maintain a calm voice. Once the call is over, I immediately call Grey. He answers within a second like always and I feel myself freaking out.
I don't know what to do.
He's not breathing.
"Hey, Lilah," he answers softly, "you on your way here?"
"Grey," I let a sob break my voice.
"Azalea? What's wrong?" I hear him start to freak out.
"It's Mr. Terrip," I hold the phone away from me as another sob shakes my chest.
"At the store? I'm coming baby," he speaks softly, "I'll be there in just a minute."
He hangs up and I'm left completely alone with my thoughts and just him.
"Mr. Terrip?" I bend down to his unmoving body, "please wake up."
I wipe the tears from my face, seeing that he has no reaction. I place my hand under his nose and he's still not breathing.
"Please, Mr. Terrip, you can't leave me too. You can't," I shake my head.
The only thing on Earth I want right now is for him so sit up and get mad at me for talking so much. I want him to talk to me about the new books that have just arrived and I want him to tease me for always going to get 'go-go juice' from the store down the street.
"God, please, don't take him away from me too, please," I close my eyes, praying as hard as I've ever done, hoping that it will work in the end.
I should've gotten here earlier.
The bell above the door rings loudly and multiple footsteps come running towards where I am. Strong hands grip onto my arms and I cry silently, not being able to take my eyes off of Mr. Terrip.
Jai and Roman lean down to Mr. Terrip, one of them pressing their fingers under his neck and the other checking for a head injury, I guess from when he fell.
Roman's face falls when he pulls his fingers away. That's when Jai moves to the side of Mr. Terrip, pressing his hands into his chest and pushing down in rhythmic moves.
