Broken Tears
Chapter 1, the missing piece
"Hey Drake" Josh told his brother as he walked into the room. "Hey" Drake said, swinging up onto his bed. "How was your day?" Josh asked him. "Fine, Mom" Drake replied. "I'm going to go grab some brownies, I gotta gig tonight." He said as he swept out of the room.
Josh shook his head. Brownies? For dinner? He seriously wondered if that boy was normal.
Drake swept into the kitchen, and grabbed the whole box of packaged brownies. He was not having a good day at all. A man that looked like his father, has just gotten the job as janitor at Belleview High. Drake decided as he stuffed a brownie into mouth, to stay clear of him at all costs. He didn't want to risk people knowing about his past.
"Hey Boob." Drake jumped. "Where did you come from? You scared the hell out of me!" She smirked. "Good at least something we- hey are you eating the whole box of brownies?" Megan asked. "N-oo" he said with crumbs falling down his shirt. He hastily put the brownies behind his back. "I'm telling mom" she said with a gleeful look on her face, she nearly skipped up the stairs.
She was thinking happily 'I have rat on Drake.' She walked into her room, took a picture of flowers off her wall and hit a button. The wall opened to reveal a filing cabinet. She pulled out the 2nd drawer and exposed over fifty file folders. She ran to her desk and wrote 'Drake ate the whole box of brownies'. Then she ran pack to the cabinet and put the note into a folder.
Then something caught her eye. It was an old folder, a folder she had forgotten about. It wasn't labeled so she looked inside. All the breath left her lungs.
Chapter 2, How could I forget?
She stared. This was another folder to keep stuff in. It wasn't Drake's, Josh's, Audrey, or Walter's. It was Natalie's folder.
She looked at her Barbie calendar. She then broke into tears. She immediately called Drake's cell, because he had left for his gig.
"D-D-drake?" she stuttered through her tears. "Megan! What's wrong?" Drake replied alarmed at the sudden call from a crying Megan. "Is everything alright? Is everyone alright?" "Yes b-b-but Drake do you know what d-d-day it is?" "Yes it's the seve-"the color drained from his face. How could he forget? Today was the day Natalie Parker died.
"Oh Meg how could I forget. I'm coming home right now." With that he hung up the phone and took off towards his car. "Yo! Drake where are you going, we've still gotta do the gig!" Trevor yelled after him. "Sorry guys can't stay." he told them and put the pedal to the metal. He needed to get home. Megan needed him. As he drove, he thought, how could he do it? Why did he kill his baby sister?
As Drake rushed through the door, he heard "why are you home---?" Drake didn't hear the rest; he needed to get to Megan. He knew she would be in her room. Josh didn't even know they had a sister. Let alone why they left there dad. He didn't even know if Walter knew about Natalie. He was pretty sure, but not 100 if Walter even knew what there Dad had done to them.
He ran up to her room. Her door was locked. "Megs its Drake." He heard the lock click and the door open. It revealed a very disheveled. Megan. Her eyes were red and puffy, her rosy cheeks tear stained. He held her, like he'd never held her before. He let his own tears, fall silently to the floor.
Josh was puzzled at his brother's actions. So he had followed him. He had hid around the corner. When Megan opened the door he was utterly surprised. Could Megan have been crying? Megan never ever cried. Then when he looked closer, he saw tears streaming down Drake's face as well. This was way too weird. He stopped listening and watching though, so he felt horrible, for eavesdropping. He wondered though. Had something happened? Why were they crying? Why was Drake home so early? He decided to ask Audrey as soon as she got home.
"How did you remember?" Drake whispered to his one living sister. She walked over to the filing cabinet. "Where did that-?" Drake questioned. "Don't ask questions" she told him. She grabbed something out of the cabinet and motioned him over. They laid together, arms around each other. Drake whispered "Natalie" as soon as she opened the folder. How she got rat on a 3 year old was a mystery. He picked up a piece of paper that said 'Put marbles in front of Natalie to make her fall'. "I remember when you did that. I took the heat for you. He beat me pretty bad." Drake said quietly. Megan flung her arms around her big brother. "I'm so sorry Drake! I was 8; I didn't understand what he did to you. You always took the heat for me! I was only beat about once a week you were beat almost daily!" she said
Audrey walked into the house, with arms full of groceries. Josh went to help her. "Thanks, where's Megan?" She asked. "Up stairs with Drake." Josh answered. "Drake, what's Drake doing home already?" "I don't know that's what I wondered. He ignored me and ran up to Megan's room. I know I shouldn't have but I followed him. They were crying." Josh answered her. She didn't answer him though she ran upstairs to her children.
Josh wondered what does everyone else know, that I don't?
Chapter 3, I never knew
Megan&Drake were surprised to hear a knock. "Who is it?" They replied as calmly as possible. "Sweethearts its mom." She told them. "I'll do it" Drake told his little sister as he stumbled out of bed. He unlocked the door to face his mom. She pulled him into a hug. "What's wrong guys?" there mom questioned. Megan answered this time "Mom, I thought you of all people, would remember!" She told her mom with a little more force then needed.
Still slightly crying, Megan walked back to her bed and picked up the folder. She handed it to her mom. Tears started to roll down her mom's cheeks. "How could I forget this day? I came home from work to find Natalie dead, Drake unconscious, and Megan sobbing. That was the worst day of my life. Thank the lord they caught him and threw him in jail." The three Parkers held each other and thought about, their little sister.
"Drake?" His mom asked. "Yeah?"He answered. "Tonight you need to tell Josh. I know it will be really hard, I know it will hurt, but he needs to know. He saw you and Megan crying. He's scared, because you never cry Megan." Megan smiled. "Mom, I don't want to. He doesn't need to know." "Yes he does Drake. He's family now." She told him. "Then why can't you tell him?" Drake asked her. She answered him "It's not my place to tell him Drake. It's yours."
Josh was sitting in their room, thinking, when Drake walked in. "Hey bro" Drake said. "I have to tell you something. But you can't tell anyone ever." "I would never tell anyone." Drake sat down. This was going to be really hard.
"Do you want to know why you saw me and Megan crying today?" Drake asked. "Wait don't answer that you're finding out anyways." Josh nodded. "Well ummm, today is the anniversary of my sister's death." What? Megan's not dead?" Drake was amazed at Josh's stupidity. "Not Megan, Natalie." "You had another sister? Why didn't you ever tell me?" Josh asked, sounding hurt. "Well, it's not exactly an easy subject to touch."
"But Drake, we've been brothers for over a year. I thought you trusted me." "Back up Josh, You don't know how she died. Or what he did. "How'd she die then?" Drake was walking over to his bed; on the way there he said "you're not being very considerate Josh. This is not a subject I like to talk about. It concerned me and Megan too. I never talk about this to anyone, ever." He reached under his loft bed, and pulled off a newspaper article. He brought it over to Josh to read. It read:
3 Year old girl murdered, Father taken into custody
Yesterday in Los Angles, CA a man was arrested for child abuse
And murder. His wife called the police as soon as she got back from work.
The scene was every mother's nightmare. She found her 3 year old daughter
Natalie Parker with the angels.. She was brutally beaten by her alcoholic Father. She also found her 13 year old son, Drake Parker, unconscious and hurt. He was taken
By mercy flight to St. Bob's Children's Hospital in Los Angles. He is currently in critical condition.
Josh looked up horrified at his brother, who was staring at his feet. How could this be his brother's childhood, he always seemed do strong.
She also found her 8 year old daughter, Megan Parker, lying on the floor sobbing.
It turns out Drake had come downstairs, to find Natalie Parker dead. He knew what was coming and fought back. Ultimately saving his and his sisters life. He used time to his advantage, fighting until his mom got home. It turns out there Father had every intention of killing them all. He knew his wife would be home soon and fled the scene. Where cops later caught up to him in San Diego. Megan and Drake had been abused for 8 years. Cops say it's amazing that they are still alive. Especially young Drake. His sister, Megan, said he protected her and Natalie. Meaning he was normally hit. If you or someone you know is being abused please call this number: 555-5555 open 24/7
Josh stared in disbelief. How could Drake go through this? Who would want to hurt their own kids? What kind of sick mind…? Next to the article there was a picture of Natalie Parker. She looked just like Audrey, drake and Megan, except unlike them she had the deepest green eyes he had ever seen. Her father's eyes. "D-Drake I never knew." Josh stumbled to tell his brother.
"As I told you, I don't like talking about it. It doesn't really show on the outside only on the inside." He said. "Wait, scratch that. It does show on the outside too." He said nervously. He knew he shouldn't have said those last few words. Now he was going to have to show Josh. Something he hadn't shown anyone, not even his own mom.
Chapter 4, You promised
"What shows on the outside, Drake?" Drake sighed. He told himself he was a total idiot. Why did he have to say that! Why? Now he had to show Josh. He took off his shirt. Josh gasped. "Drake! What happened?" "You already know Josh. Those are from the belt mostly; maybe some are from the boot. The boot was mostly for my stomach though." Josh gaped at Drake. How could he live with Drake this long and never notice his scars.
"Drake man I'm so sorry about all of this." Josh said. "yeah me too." Drake said lying on his bed staring at the ceiling. He rolled over to face Josh. "A few more things Josh. Remember you can't tell anyone. Also, Josh promise me you will never hurt your kids. Don't even spank them if there bad. Don't even think about it." "Never my bro, never." Josh whispered.
The next morning, when drake's alarm clock went off, he hit it with a hammer. Crap, he thought. That's the 3rd one this week. "I'm running out of money for alarm clocks, he thought. He got up and threw a pillow at Josh. "Ow, what was that for?" Josh asked annoyed. "Get up bro" Drake replied getting out of bed.
At breakfast, Audrey was rushing around yelling things. "Josh, get the milk!" "Drake make yours and Josh's sandwiches." Under his breath he added, yeah like I can make a sandwich. "Oh yeah Megan's sick so I have to stay home with her." "Whatever" Drake said and left.
Drake was severely pissed at Josh. He kept sending him sympathetic glances, and weird looks. It was making Drake want to kill him. Finally in lunch Drake pulled Josh aside and said "Stop looking at me like im going to break or something. I'm fine! Forget I ever told you!" he then left to go sit with his friends.
In English for no reason, Mrs. Hafer was doubly mean. Drake just ignored her, as usual. To his horror Josh went up and talked to her. He silently prayed that he was just asking her a question and not talking about him. As soon as the class was over, Drake ran over to Josh and asked "What did you tell her?" "I just told her your life wasn't easy and she should respect you." he said happily. "YOU WHAT!" Drake yelled. "Why would you do that? I thought I could trust you." Drake said sounding hurt, as he walked away.
When he got home he went to go visit Megan. She may be sick but she was the same old Megan. "What up boob?"She asked. "I am really mad at Josh." "Why would you be mad at your loving brother?" She joked. "Okay let's see, I had to tell him about dad last night, which was not fun." Megan's eyes got all teary. "Then, he kept shooting sympathy glances at me. I ended those in lunch. Then he tells my least favorite teacher EVER that my childhood was not easy and she should respect me! Can you believe him?"
"Wow hat does suck Drake." "Tell me about it. So what's wrong Meg? You don't look that sick." "Oh, but I feel awful. I am always tired and these ugly bruises are coming out of nowhere." Megan wailed. "Mom got me an appointment for 5 but she's going to have to cancel. She has a party she promised she'd be at." A light bulb went on in Drake's head. "Hey I can take you Megan!" "You would? Oh thanks Drake I really want medicine I don't feel good at all." she told Drake. "I'll go talk to Mom, be back soon."
"Hey Mom! Do you think I can take Meg to the doctor?" Drake asked. "Oh I don't know Drake, do you think you can handle it?" "Okay mom that won the world cup for World's stupidest question. How many times did I save her from the freak you called your husband?" Uh-oh why did I bring the past up? Know she is going to think I want to talk about it. I quickly added "and no, I don't want to talk about it was just proving a point." "Okay I guess you can take her. You had better leave now though. You should take Josh too."
That did it. Before I knew it, I was yelling at her "Do not mention Josh to me! He is an untrustworthy rat!" "Drake what?" she asked confused. "I'm going to get Megan." he said and went to go get his little sister.
On the way to Dr. Handle's office, Megan spoke up. "I heard you yelling at Mom." She stated. "Yeah. She wanted me to take Josh. I am still so mad at him."
As they pulled into the parking lot, Drake took her arm and helped her out of the car.. "Come on Megan" Drake said. For no reason feeling intense love for his sister. "Oh ya Megan, thanks for understanding and not telling." he told her. "Why would I tell it happened to me to? How can you expect me to not understand? I watched him beat you until you couldn't even stand up."
By the time they were in the office, they were both teary eyed but not crying. They walked up to the receptionist, to sign Megan in. "Is anything wrong?" she asked to politely. "Just thinking about our Dad, trust me you don't want to know. Megan Parker's here." he told her. He led Megan to a cold, hard chair in the waiting room.
Megan and her brother had confused her. They had looked very sad. They told her they were thinking about their dad. She was curious, and she couldn't contain it. She told Ann to cover for her, and went to look for young Megan Parker's medical file. She found it easily because she had an appointment. She opened it and scanned the folder. Her blood stopped cold. It said that the girl had been abused, along with her brother, Drake Parker, and her sister Natalie Parker. It said Drake was hit the most, but Natalie had been beaten to death by their father. She knew Drake must be out there with Megan.
She read on just a little farther, and almost fainted. She had never even heard of these children, yet her brother-in-law had ruined their lives. Her brother-in-law had killed a girl and hit the two innocent kids in that waiting room. Why had she never known? So that's why she never saw him. He was probably in jail. Now she was mad at her husband. Why had he kept this from her?
Chapter 5, An unwelcome surprise
"Megan Parker?" The receptionist called her name. "Do you want me to come Meg?" Drake asked. "Of course, you boob." Drake laughed. They followed the receptionist back into a room. It was weird, she kept looking at them. It finally made drake nervous so he asked her "Excuse me? Why do you keep looking at us?" "Sorry? I didn't know I was." Drake was confused but he helped Megan up onto the table.
Drake knew something was wrong with Megan. She had fallen asleep. The doctor came in. As soon as he saw the sleeping girl his face went from funny, to concern. He gently shoke her awake. "Megan, have been tired?" He asked her, flipping through her file. His face grew nervous. Drake knew he saw where it said abused as a child for 8 years. Then when he looked at Drake he knew he read about him too. Drake thought 'why do they have to but me in her file?'
Megan interrupted Drake's thoughts though "yeah, I've been really tired." "Anything else that's different?" The doctor questioned her. She looked like she was thinking. Drake leaned over and whispered "bruises". "O yeah! Bruises. I don't know where they are coming from." The doctor then asked a question Drake and probably Megan had dreaded "Are you sure it's not from when you were abused?" Megan's expression went stony. "Yes, I haven't been hit since I was 8. I wasn't beat a lot though. It was Drake who got it." Drake winced.
Why had she said that? The doctor could tell Drake didn't want to talk about it but he had to ask. "Are there any lasting signs of the abuse?" Drake was getting angry. "Yes. In our hearts. She has nothing physical. I do. It's her appointment though." Drake said threw gritted teeth. Megan looked hurt. "You still have marks Drake?" she asked sadly. He hugged her. "Yes I do. Let's not talk about this here." She nodded.
"So what's wrong with my sister?" Drake asked, wanting to get out of here. "Can you just give her some medicine so we can go home?" "I have an idea of what's wrong with Megan. But if my suspicions are right, she can't go home." The doctor said. "WHAT!" Drake yelled. "Either way she's going to have to check into St. Bob's Children's Hospital for tests."
Chapter 6, A little to far
Drake went ridged. There was no way he was going back in that hospital. EVER AGAIN. That's where he went after they found him. He had been there for 3 months. The doctor saw Drake's expression. "Is something wrong?" the doctor asked. "Something wrong? You just told me my sister has to go to the hospital. My only living sister. Not only the hospital, the hospital where I almost died. Going back there will be like seeing my dad again." Megan winced. She had never heard Drake talk about there Dad to anyone but family.
"When does she have to go?" he asked. He knew he would have to face his fears for his sister. She needed him. "Right now, you can have a relative bring her things." Drake went numb. He was going to have to face his fears sooner then he thought.
They were on the way to the hospital. Everyone was silent. They hadn't called their parents yet. They were in shock. It was Megan who broke the silence. "I want you to know that I will thank you forever for coming with me. I know it's going to be really hard to be there. I'll be there with you though." "Thanks Meg" he whispered.
Suddenly Drake's cell phone was ringing. "Hello?" he said meekly into the phone. "Honey where are you it's been so long?" It was their mother. He covered the receiver, "Meg do you want to talk to mom?" "Did you tell her where were going yet?" "No." Drake said. "Then no I don't want to talk to her." She answered.
"Yeah, mom we're not coming home." "What? Drake, you are coming home." She replied. "No mom, we're not but you can come to us. We'll be at St. Bob's Children's Hospital." "What! He's sending her to the hospital!" "Umm yeah he wants tests done. Megan wants you to bring her clothes and stuff." "Nice one boob"she said from the backseat. "Oh my poor baby, wait Drake." She said. "Uh-huh?" "how will you be, I know some bad memories were made there." She said. "Well, let's say I'm scared as hell and I really don't want to but I love Megan and I'm going." From the backseat Megan chirped "really boob? Nice." "Drake, she's so lucky to have you as her brother. You saved her life when she was little, now your probably saving it again." "Well mom, what can I say, I'm a nice guy. When we get there I call you with the room number." Then he hung up.
When they got there Drake just sat there. He was stuck in memories.
flashback
He was 9years old cowering in his room, holding Megan. "No Daddy, Don't hit Megan, she's little!" Drake sobbed to his father. Why did his father hate him so much? "Drake move out of the way or I will have to give you another lesson!" His father screamed at him. The small Drake Parker could smell the beer in his daddy's breath. Drake didn't like Daddy's lessons. They hurt; they weren't like the nice lessons at school. "Fine" His dad yelled. Drake thought he won, then he felt the buckle end of the belt hit his back. He knew it would make it worse if he screamed but he couldn't stand it he let out a terrifying scream. Tears rolled down his cheeks. "YOU ARE A SELFISH BRAT!" each word was followed with the belt.
end of flashback
"NOOOOO! Not Megan!" the teenage Drake screamed. Megan had no choice. She slapped him. He was scaring her, he had zoned. He snapped out of it. He was breathing heavy. "Drake what's the matter?" she whispered. "Fla-Fla—flashback. I was protecting you from dad he was hitting me with the belt. "Lets go" she said, as she dragged him across the parking lot..
They stood there arm and arm looking at the door to the hospital. "Let's get this over with" he said. "Okay" Megan said, and they walked into the hospital. Megan was scared for her brother; she could feel his hand shaking. He was so scared she had to lead him to the admission desk. "Hi, my names Megan Parker, and my doctor is sending me here for tests." "Are you sure it's not him, he looks bad." the receptionist said. "Oh Drake, he's just scared, he has some really bad memories here." Megan told her. "Trust me you don't want to know what they are."
"The receptionist looked down a sheet and said "Ahh yes Megan your going to be up on the 4th floor." She put a hospital bracelet on her. The receptionist called into a cool phone thing and throughout the whole hospital 'Volunteer to Admissions'.
A minute or so later a girl came towards them in a pink jacket. "Please take them to 4th please." "Okie Dokie" the volunteer said and led the way. She looked at Megan "So what's your name?" Megan didn't feel like talking but she said politely "Megan Parker". "Cool my names Sara." Sara said. "Wait don't I know you from somewhere?" He didn't answer. "What's up with him? She asked as they got onto an elevator. "Oh Drake? He has some bad memories here." "Not to be nosey but what kind of memories?" Megan pondered if she should tell her; the girl seemed nice enough so she did. "Umm well he almost died here when he was 13. Our Dad used to hit us. Actually Drake, and he got Natalie to, that's why she's dead." Megan said like she was stating the obvious. "Ohh that sucks." "Tell me about it I had to drag him in here; he had a flashback in the parking lot. He screamed 'No! Not Megan!' He protected me, that's probably why he was always beat and I wasn't really because he stood in the way." Sara could tell she was upsetting Megan, because there were tears streaming down her face. "Wait I do know him! Drake Parker! He's in my chemistry class." Megan froze.
Chapter 7, Can I see your cuts and bruises?
"You can never repeat what you just heard. Ever. I know he would never hit me but he wouldn't talk to me ever and that would be bad. Please promise you wont tell a single soul. He's never even told his best friends." Megan looked terrified. "Of course I won't tell anyone Megan." Megan sighed with relief. "Thanks".
They were there and now she was sitting on a hospital bed. Drake was still zoned so she slapped him and he pushed her. She fell on the floor. As soon as he realized what he did he ran down on the floor. He was apologizing profusely. She said it was okay, after there childhood it had become a reflex. He had tears streaming down his face. "I'm so sorry Megan!" "Drake snap into it! It's fine. Its nothing like what he did to you." They sat there crying on the big hospital bed, crying for their lost childhoods, crying for each other, crying for Natalie, crying for all abused children, even crying for there father for doing what he did.
They were caught crying by a nurse. "Sorry if I interrupted, but we need to take some blood" Drake cringed at the thought, about how much blood he had given to his father. Megan didn't even wince though. Thy put in something so they wouldn't have to poke her every time they needed blood. "I'd better call mom, or she'll rampage the hospital." Drake said. Megan smiled at the thought.
Audrey was sitting by the phone waiting for her son to call with the room number. She was wondering if he would remember. She knew it would be really hard for him, but he did it for his only living sister. Then came the ring of the phone. She jumped on it "hello?" "Mom!" "Oh Drake how is she? Is she okay? Are you okay? What room is she in?" His mom bombarded him with questions. "One question at a time mom. Good, yes, after a slap from Megan, and 411."
"Can I talk to her?" She heard Drake asking her then she heard Megan "mommy!". "Oh Megan how are you!" "Good, I'm so glad Drake's here, he's so nice." She winked at Drake. He smiled, he loved that little girl. "Well I have to go, come visit soon!" Megan said. "Bye sweetie, love you" "bye love you to" Megan said and hung up the phone.
Truthfully Megan didn't want her mom to come. She knew she would treat her like a porcelain doll. She wouldn't let her have any fun or get out of bed. She wanted Drake and only Drake to be here. She told Drake and he told her that it would hurt mom if she said she didn't want her here. She should put in a good word for him and maybe mom will let him stay longer.
"Hey Drake?" "Yup meg?"Drake answered her. "at the doctors office you said you still have cuts and bruises. Can I see them?" Drake winced. He really didn't want to show them to Megan but he was going to anyway. "Do you really want to Meg, its not pretty." "Please Drake?" she said with puppy dog eyes. He sighed and pulled off his shirt. Megan gasped at the scars. "What are they from?" "meg why would you ask, you know ther from dad. There his gift to me." Megan laughed. She loved him. To Drakes terror, while his shirt was on the floor, a nurse and his family walked in.
Chapter 8, caught
Drake scrambled for his shirt. To late, they saw the scars. The nurse was the first to speak "where are the scars from?" Drake blushed to horrified to speak. It was Megan that spoke "mom don't be mad I asked him to show me!" "I am not mad, I am sad because my son could not tell me. How did you hide them for 4 years?" she asked. "I really don't know." he confessed. The nurse interrupted "Where did the scars come from?"
Drake surprised himself by answering "My dad. He hit Megan too, but me worse, because I protected her." The nurse glared at Walter. "No not Walter, my other Dad, if you use dad lightly, but he's in jail." Then a whisper from the bed. "You forgot Natalie." "Who's Natalie?" the nurse asked. It was Audrey that spoke "Natalie was there sister. I came home from work one day to find Natalie, who was 3, dead. I also found an unconscious Drake and a sobbing Megan. It was the worst day of my life." Then Drake "that's why I was zoned when I got here. They mercy flighted me here after they found me. I almost died here. I've also been having flashbacks." "I've noticed Boob" Megan added. "thanks Meg" Drake said sarcastically.
Drake put his shirt back on. The only one who hadn't spoken was Josh. Drake thought Josh was still horrified at the idea of hitting someone. To see Drake's scars again, and here them talking about it like it was nothing was horrible. He whispered "I'll be in the waiting room" and walked out. Walter followed his son to see him crying on the couch. "Josh…" "Dad? It's just so hard to see them. Mom may be dead but at least she never hurt us! Did you see Drake's scars? He says they were mostly from the belt but some might be from the steel-toed boot like it was nothing."
Josh continued "Its hard enough to see Megan sick, then they started to talk about the abuse and that's when I left I couldn't stand it. Then they started to talk about Natalie. Can you imagine to come home to a dead, dyeing, and hurt child?" Josh broke down in his dads arms. "I know son, I know".
The next day, Drake and Josh got to miss school and stay at the hospital. That was the day they took Megan for the worst test. A nurse came in a said it was time for a bone marrow aspiration. "One person can come." She said. "I want Drake to come" she said. The nurse eyed Drake, having seen his scars yesterday.
Chapter 9, I can't stay here
As he followed the nurse, while he pushed Megan, he fought to keep a flashback from coming. At least until he could sit down. They went into a room, where a cheery doctor was. "Hi Honey. Will you lease lie on this table. For one of the the first times, not including all the times they wee being beaten, Megan looked scared. Drake felt disgusted when he explained the procedure. Megan's scared expression turned to terror.
They were going to stick a huge needle into his sisters spine, for spinal fluid. With only a local anesthetic. He knew he would probably be able to do it, he was used to pain. He didn't know about Megan though, she wasn't as used to the pain. To top it all off, she could yell, squeeze Drake's hand until it fell off, but she couldn't move.
He could tell it was hurting his sister a lot. She had tears rolling down her cheeks and she was squeezing his hand really hard. He didn't complain though he knew she hurt more then him.
It hurt sooo bad. It felt like they where sucking out her insides. She squeezed Drakes hand so hard. She was glad the boob was letting her. She figured he was used to it. She let the silent tears roll down her cheeks. It still hurt when they took the needle out. Drake looked at her with concern, she gave him the smallest of smiles. The doctor told her to lie perfectly still for 30 minutes. He said she would be sore and ight get a headache.
Drake sat next to his sister. She was back in her room. She had only said two words since the test. They were 'massive headache'. He hadn't talked to her, so that her headache didn't worsen. He knew they must have a faint idea to what was wrong with his little sister, so he left her to go ask.
As he was walking to the nurses station he ran smack into his mom. But it scared him and he fell into another flashback
Drake Parker walked downstairs to the stench of his father's alcohol He got scared. He knew that when he smelled that he should run. Something gave him the feeling he should keep going down, because Natalie and Megan were down there. He got to the bottom and there was his drunken father kicking the obviously lifeless body of Natalie. He was so mad he ran at his father. He fought. It was a tangle of legs and arms. With strength he never knew he had he kicked his father off him. Then he leaped on his father. Then with a sickening crack Drake fell back. He tried to get up, but he couldn't. he saw blackness, then was engulfed in it"
end of flashback
"MEGAN!" the teen Drake yelled. "Drake! Drake! What's the matter?" his mom asked. She sounded worried. "I don't know, oh good it was just a flashback." He just noticed he was on the floor. "What the-"but he let the sentence hang in the air. There were people all around. Even Megan had gotten out of bed. She looked like she still had a headache though.
"What happened?" he asked. "You ran into me and then you collapsed, are you all right?" "yeah" he said. Muttering under his breath "stupid flashbacks". When they were back in Megan's room she ran up to him and hugged him. "Drake how come when you yell in flashbacks , there always about me?" "I don't know, I think because he beat me the worst when I was protecting you. This was a bad flashback. It was the day Natalie died. It was so bad. So sad. I think the flashback came, because I imagined running into dad. It was a flashback of what he would do to me."
"Oh Drake!" Megan cried flinging herself at him "you didn't need to protect me!" "yes I did Megan. I was your older brother and that was my duty. Without me you would've died just like Natalie. I still feel bad to this day about not saving Natalie. I keep thinking 'would she have survived if I came down the stairs sooner?' Drake said guiltily. "Oh Drake, you should never ever think that! It Is not your fault Natalie died. You did everything you could. You saved yourself and Megan. I am sure Natalie doesn't blame you, no one ever will. What were you doing before the flashback.?" His mom asked.
"I was going to go ask Megan's doctor if he had an idea of what was wrong with her." "Drake you should have come to me first. We, as in the whole family, are having a meeting with her doctor tomorrow at 11." His mom told him. "We are?" Megan said scared. "Oh Meg don't be scared im sure its nothing. Oh, and mom? If you think about it, I did come to you first." Drake said, and they all laughed.
When Drake was talking about his flashback, Josh had left the room. He couldn't imagine, being hit by someone you love. Now Drake has to come back to somewhere where he almost died. And poor Megan. He didn't know if anyone else knew, but he knew Megan was seriously sick. The doctor was doing all these tests and instead of just talking about in in her room and sending her home, they had to go to a conference room. He knew Megan probaley wouldn't come home tomorrow.
Chapter 10, The Dreaded day
They next day, at 11 the whole family went to a conference rrom to wait for the doctors. To their Mother's despair, Megan sat with Drake. "Drake whispered to Megan "When we get home Meg, shock my chair, I need to wake up from this nightmare." Megan smiled. "I promise I will, but just so you remember, you asked for it!" Drake and Megan laughed. Drake was silently praying nothing was seriously wrong with his sister. If there was, he didn't know what he'd do. He didn't know what Megan would do.
As the doctors came in with serious looks, she held Drake, harder then ever. "We've come to a diagnosis for your daughter, Megan Parker." It was Drake who spoke next "Who care about all the mumbo jumbo, what's wrong with my sister?"
"We have come to the diagnosis of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Now please stay calm and let us explain." Megan buried her head in Drake's shoulder, and started to cry. She may only be 12, but she knew what leukemia was. Cancer, his beautiful sister had cancer.
He only heard parts of what else they had to say "Dr. Hartford…pediatric oncologist." "start chemotherapy" "85 survival rate" "lose hair..sore..loss of appetite" Drake couldn't take anymore. "Megan and I will be in her room." They got up and left. As they were walking down the hall, Drake did something he hadn't done since they lived with there dad. He held her. He picked her up and cried with her.
When they were back in her room, they sat together on her bed. "Oh Meg…" "Don't Drake. Its better then what he did to you." Megan said. "Megan you have to stop comparing it to that. Almost everything's going to be better then that. But something's come close to it." Drake said, sad, that they were back on the subject of their father. "Drake! But cancer? People die from cancer!" Megan sobbed. "Think of Natalie. Do it for her Megan. People die from more than cancer." Megan just cried harder. "I'm going to lose my hair!"
"Meg, that doesn't matter, hair grows back" She didn't answer, she just cried. He did the only thing he could, he cried with her.
The rest of the family came in to see them crying. Drake decided to let their mom stay with her. Josh hadn't come in with his parents. He knew it was hard for Josh to see them talk about there past, now cancer. He walked down the hall and saw Josh in the waiting room.
"Hey Josh" "Drake" he replied. It was obvious that Josh had been crying, hadn't they all. "I know this is hard on you Josh bu-"Drake was interrupted by Josh. "Hard on me? Drake! You almost died here! You had world's worst childhood, and now your sister has cancer? Drake come on!" "Josh I mean I see how you act. Whenever we talk about our dad, and what he did, you leave. And Josh she's your sister too! Come on lets not argue on who feels worse."
Drake and Josh sat on the couch and had a good cry. While they were sitting there a surprise visit from Megan came. "What are you two boobs crying about? It had better not be me!" Josh answered "No well kind of. We are crying about anything and everything." "Can I come?" she asked. "Of course Meg" Drake told her. They sat and cried until they had no tears left.
Chapter 11, I spilled the milk
Drake had slept in a chair next to Megan that night, at her request. When they woke up a friendly nurse said they were moving Megan up to the 6th floor. The cancer floor.
They gathered up her things and brought her up to the 6th floor. They all looked nervously around. A bunch of the kids were bald and sickly looking. As soon as they got to her room she sat on the bed and started to cry.
"Now I sob know how you sob feel Drake sob it's like a jail!" He ran over to her "Oh Meg" he knew he couldn't say anything to comfort her, because what she said was true.
As soon as she was comfortable a nice looking nurse came in. She was carrying a tray of all kinds of pills and stuff. As soon as Megan saw all the medicine she went from sad to horrified. The nurse came up to her "here hon, its your first dose of chemotherapy." "Oh what a great present, thanks a lot." Megan said sarcastically. Her hands were shaking when she took the pills.
She popped them into her mouth, and swallowed them down with some water. "I don't feel sick" she said. "Oh Honey I wish I could tell you you wont be sick. I cant though."the nurse told the hopeful Megan. Grumpily Megan nodded.
"Drake and Josh, come here" their mother said. "yeah?"Drake asked. "I'm going to let you guys stay home tomorrow with Megan, but then you're going back to school." Audrey said. "Mom! I don't want to! Shes my sister!" Drake yelled. "well she's my daughter and your going to school." Drake huffed back to Megan's room.
"Why the long face Drake?" Megan asked. "Well there's many reasons but the main reason is Mom's making me go to school the day after tomorrow." "Oh Drake! I don't want you to go to school! I want you to stay here with me. You're the only one that doesn't treat me like an invalid. You're the only one that knows what its like to be different!" She said getting upset. "Hey sis, don't you think I wanna stay here with you? To top it off, there's a new janitor at school. He looks an awful lot like Dad, he's got those green eyes. It scares the pants off me to be in the same hall as him." "Drake, what if its him? You can't go to school. I can't let anything happen to you. I need you." Megan pleaded. "Don't worry sis, I'm not gonna go to school. You can't telll mom though."
"I promise I wont" she replied. "Have you been to the playroom yet?" Drake asked Megan. "No, but I want to. Will you come with me?" Megan asked. "Of course" Drake said taking her hand and helping her out of bed. As soon as they were out of bed, and walking out the door. They ran right into there mom. It scared Megan, and for the first time, she had a flashback.
She was 5 years old. Her Daddy was holding beer bottle. He threw it at her. He missed by just inches. Aa soon as it crashed, Drake came running down the stairs, screaming at his father. She adored Drake, he was 10 and he always protected her from the bad daddy. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING, YOU DRUNK RA-" he didn't get to finish. Their dad ran at him. He used Drake as a human punching bag. She could here herself "No Daddy, leave Drake alone! He did nothing! I spilled the milk!" her Dad turned to her. "No" Drake yelled. He ran and scooped her into his arms. He ran out the front door and down the street.
end of flashback
Drake was standing over her "Megan snap out of it!" "No not Drake! I spilled the milk!" she yelled. She looked around. There were a bunch of people around. Drake whispered "you had a flashback?" she nodded, still breathing heavy. "Now I see why your scared of them, they seem so real." She whispered back. "Come on honey lets go back to your bed." Her mom said. "NO! I'm fine mom. That's why I want Drake and not you! He doesn't treat me like an invalid; he knows what it's like! You treat me like I'm going to break! Get over it!" she stormed, grabbing Drake's arm and pulling him toward the playroom.
Audrey stood there shocked. Those were the most hurtful words she had ever heard. All of a sudden there were two other women next to her. "Don't feel bad. It happens a lot, they prefer there siblings." One of them said. "You don't understand. She was right. Drake knows what she's going through, and I'm treating her differently." She answered. "Not to be rude, but did he have cancer too?" the other one asked. "No, something worse that they went through together. What just happened there, she had a flashback. Their dad used to hit them." She whispered. "Oh, I'm so sorry" they both whispered. "Lets go talk" they said pulling her inside the room.
"I hate her!" Megan said. "why cant she just leave me alone?" "Not to interrupt your rampage Meg, but was the flashback about?" Drake asked her. "Oh, um I spilled milk, and he missed when he through the beer bottle at me. Then you came running downstairs, and stopped him from hurting me. Then he used you as a punching bag, and I called him back to me. Then you ran over picked me up and ran outside with me." She said a tear escaping down her cheek. By the time they reached the playroom , tears were falling down their cheeks, as they held each other.
The tears stopped when they got to the playroom. There were so many toys. Both their jaws dropped. Megan spoke first "Play you at Mario Kart?" Wiping the tears off his face he said "You have no chance little girl!" They ran over to the Nintendo 64. While they were in the middle of their game, a little girl, about 9 came up to them. "Which one of you is sick?" she asked. "She is" Drake said pointing at Megan. "Thanks you boob."
The girl was bald, but she looked okay otherwise. "You don't look sick" she told Megan "but he sure does." She said pointing at Drake. Megan turned to look at her brother. She could tell he was stuck in another flashback. She tried to get him out of it, but she knew she'd have to wait for it to end.
flashback
Drake woke up in the middle of the night to hear his parents screaming at each other. He knew what would come when his mom stormed out of the house, so he tried to prepare himself. It came, sooner than he thought. His door slammed open. He could smell the alcohol in his Dad's breath immediately. "You!" his dad screamed. "This is all your fault! If you hadn't been born this never would've happened!" He launched himself at the 6 year old boy. Drake tried to prepare himself, but it didn't work. He could feel his every nerve go crazy, as his dad hit him again and again. Once his Dad left the room, he fell into a deep slumber, trying to ignore the pain, at least until morning.
end of flashback
"Noooooo! Daddy that hurts" the teen Drake screamed. "Drake!" Megan yelled. "Snap into it!" he sat up panting. "Thanks Meg, that was…" he looked at all these people staring him. He felt like a total idiot. "Sorry" he mumbled. "Lets go back to your room Meg." "No Drake. Who cares about the stupid flashback, were staying and finishing our game." Megan said firmly. "Then tell them the flashback" she told him. "Are you crazy Megan?" He asked. "They'll find out eventually." She said shrugging her shoulders.
Chapter 12, An unwelcome visitor
"Then you tell them Megan!" he said. There was now a small crowd gathered. "Fine!" she said, with tears of frustration in her eyes. "Since my boob of a brother won't tell you I will! And he will be sorry when to much info just slips!" she said, trying to make him as mad as possible. The truth was she didn't want to have to tell. Finally her frustration came out. "Fine! You got me! I don't want to tell Drake! People treat me weird when they know!" She cried. Letting the tears come down.
He held her, noticing that everyone was still staring at them. "Uh, yeah, let me go get my mom" he said embarrassed. Megan followed him down the hall, back to their room. Their mom was there with three other ladies. The breath caught in their throats. One of the ladies was the receptionist from the doctor's office. It was Drake that spoke "what are you doing here?". "My daughter is a patient here." She replied calmly. "you are freakish, you kept looking at us in the doctor's office." Megan said. This time it was Megan and Drake's mom that spoke "Why were you looking at my children?"
"This is going to take some explaining." The women said. "First of all my name is Michelle Jenkins." Their mother's breath caught. "Are you…?" Audrey asked. "Let me explain. Your children Drake and Megan walked into Dr. Handle's office about 5 and they were crying." There mom looked at them with a curious look. Drake waved her away. "I asked them if anything was wrong and they told me they were thinking about their childhood." There mom looked at them again, Megan rolled her eyes at her. "I am so sorry but I was curious. I looked at Megan's medical file." Their mom gaped at her, but she kept going "It said they were abused. I almost fainted when I read on. It said my brother-in-law, had done it. I did not even know that they were alive let alone what he did to you." Drake backed away from her, noticing the piercing green eyes. Megan followed suit, until they were against the wall.
"I went home and questioned my husband. As soon as brought it up, he looked guilty. I asked him 'why did you keep this from me?' and he told me 'he didn't want to burden me.' I was horrified." Drake shoke his head and left. Megan followed him, to find him slumped against the wall with his head in his hands. "Drake?" Megan asked, concerned for her brother. "How does she have the nerve, to come here?" he whispered, so she could barely hear. "I don't know, and to think I was talking to her daughter." "Megs you can make friends with her daughter. Her daughter had nothing to do with it. Don't hold a grudge to her, for her parent's actions."
"Okay, let's go see her." Megan said tugging his arm. Reluctantly he followed his sister down the hall. They checked the playroom and she wasn't there. Instead of searching every room, they walked down to the nurse's station. "um, hi we were looking for…" he trailed his words. He just realized he didn't know her name.
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