Me: Really?
Me: omg, I’d love to see you girls
Me: It has been so long, since we separated to different universities
Jane: Expect the unexpected :D
Max: Yeah, I know
Max: The only reason you couldn’t come along is because of your mom’s condition
Max: Your family needs you
Max sent a hugging bear sticker
Me: I know
Celia sent a heart sticker
Jane sent a kiss sticker
Me: You girls are the best
Max: Yes, we are
Jane: See you when we arrive
Me: okay :)
When we were done chatting, I was in tears, which I wiped away so my father wouldn’t see them. I felt like I was stuck in a lot of situations. I had lots of pressure around me, but I had to be strong. I couldn’t give up just yet. I had to remind myself that I had my family, friends, and Kent, so I was fine. I would survive. I could wake up the next morning and do what I had to do.
Ned interrupted my thoughts with his text.
Ned: Umm, hey
Me: Hey?
Ned: We should meet up soon
Ned: Just wanted to remind you
Ned: So yeah
Me: Okay, but I’m kinda fully booked today
Ned: Of course you are ;)
Me: What that supposed to mean?
Ned: Oh, nothing
Ned: Just that you’re loved by a lot of people
Ned: And crushed on
Me: Ned
Me: NED!
Ned: Yeah?
Me: I don’t have time for this
Me: I’m sorry
Ned: Sure, whatever you want
After a minute I felt a pinch of guilt for being too harsh on him, and texted him back.
Me: Ned?
Ned: YES!
Ned: I mean
Ned: Yes?
Me: How about tomorrow?
Ned: Ha, of course!
Ned: See you tomorrow then!
Ned sent a hugging bear sticker
Me: Oh…kay
****************************************
In the evening, my father already given my mother her pills, and he suggested that he stay with her in the living room. I was in the kitchen, trying to learn how to cook mac and cheese from Google. My girls texted me while I cooked.
Max: I LOVE CHEESE
Max sent a cooked meal sticker
Max sent a cheese sticker
Jane: Do you put Jalapenos in it?
Jane: I want it super spicy
Max: Jane, you know I don’t eat spicy food
Me: Don’t worry
Me: It won’t be spicy
Me: I don’t have them anyways
Max: LOL
Jane sent a sad face sticker
I cooked the macaroni and mixed it with cheese and all the other ingredients. I stirred the ingredients, and then tasted the macaroni. It was all right, but needed more salt. Add that pinch, and stir, I thought. Then it was back to texting.
Me: When will you arrive?
Max: We’re here :)
Max: Coming your way
Jane: YAY
Me: Oh, btw, my boyfriend is coming too
I got distracted by the sounds of plates crushing on the floor. The noises were coming from the living room, so I stopped and ran towards the sounds. My mother was pushing my father aggressively and screaming, “Let me go!”
My father tried to hold her hands together, but she kept fighting. She took the other plates, and threw them. They dropped on the floor and broke. All the plates were broken. I couldn’t blink. I stood there in shock until my father yelled, “Help me, Celia!”
I couldn’t move, or hear his words. I took my phone and called the ambulance, and hurriedly told them about the condition, while my father was struggling to keep her safe from herself.
As the minutes passed, she ran around the dining room, and then the living room. Then she saw me on the phone, and snatched it away while pushing me hard in the chest. The force made me land on my back.
The struggle continued with father, until he lost his strength, and then my mother broke down and screamed and cried. Then I thought I heard the doorbell, and my father went to open the door. I couldn’t move. I was frozen on the floor, shocked, disoriented. I felt out of place. That wasn’t my mom. It wasn’t her. It couldn’t be.
The paramedics entered. One of them tried to hold my mother down, but he failed, and called for help. My mother struggled like a madwoman, throwing them off her.
“We need help,” one of them said.
Another paramedic came in with a needle and managed to inject her with it. It took a while for us to see her calm down, and then she collapsed on the floor. She looked exhausted and out of breath. How could one’s mind do that to a person? How could a beautiful creature turn bad?
I saw them carry her on their way to the ambulance. My father came to me and pulled me to my feet. He then hugged me tight to his chest and asked, “Are you okay?”
“Yes,” I sniffed, and subsequently burst into tears.
“It’s okay, baby. It’s okay,” he whispered over my head as he stroked my hair.
I was worried if my siblings heard anything, and when I looked closely at the top of the stairs, I saw four legs huddled together in fear.
****************************************
At the emergency ward, my mother slept on the bed peacefully, and my father sat on a chair beside her. I was with Adam and Amelia. They stayed buried in my arms as we watched her snore. I kissed Amelia’s head, and then leaned my cheek on the side of Adam’s face.
“Is she going to be okay?” Amelia asked.
“Stop asking a lot of questions,” Adam snapped.
I shushed them. “Keep it down, you two. Mom needs rest.”
“Hey.”
I heard a familiar voice behind me. I turned around and saw Kent, which made me feel as if I was in the safest place on the planet.
He hugged me, and I could smell his fresh cologne. Then he stepped
