2
Alvin sat downstairs at the table. The room was dark except for the dim light that glowed from above the sink. All he did was blankly stare down at his coffee. His daughter was upstairs feeling more pain then he would know and he had no idea how to help her. Nothing to do for her.
"Guess I better get to bed," he said to himself.
He quietly made his way up the stairs. He stopped once he got to Margaret's door. He could see the light showing through the crack and decided to check on her.
"Margaret honey?" he asked poking his head in.
Margaret looked up wiped her eyes.
"Hi daddy," she said.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"I don't know," she said.
The only thing that she had felt for a while was a numbness from the emptiness. Alvin walked over and sat down next to her. She just looked up at him. Nothing to say, nothing to do. What happened was what happened and no one could change that. They both knew it, but hated it.
"What's that?" he asked seeing the chain from her necklace that lay limply on her hand.
Margaret looked down and eyed the locket for a moment. Every time she looked at it she saw those ice blue eyes, that smile. Everything that she would never see again. Everything that she was now going to have to live with out.
"Something that Hawkeye gave me before he left," Margaret said.
"Oh," Alvin said.
The room was silent for a small while until Alvin decided to speak up.
"You know Margaret, if you want to talk," he said.
"No," she said almost snapping at him.
"Honey," Alvin said.
"I'm sorry daddy," she said wiping her eyes.
Alvin gently grabbed her shoulders.
"I know I'm not good at this, but you know you do have to get better some time," he said.
Margaret looked up at him. She knew that he was right, it was just too much to bring back at the moment. Looking back down at the locket she could remember every thing.
Alvin walked into the waiting room and spotted Margaret sitting by the doorway on the other side. He went and sat down by her. He took her hand.
"What happened?" he asked trying to stay calm for Margaret's sake.
Margaret shook her head as she stared across the room.
"I don't know," she said.
"One minute we're having a good time and then the next," she said not able to get out the rest of the story.
"Then what?" Alvin asked.
Margaret turned towards him.
"They told me that ANYBODY could slip and hit their head. Is that really true? Did I really have nothing to do with it?" she cried out.
"Okay, come here. It's okay, come here," he said taking his daughter into his arms and trying to comfort her.
"It'll be okay. Things like that happen. Most times they stitch them up and give them two aspirins," he said trying to make her feel better.
"Then why the hell are they taking so long in there?" she asked pulling herself away.
"I don't know," he said as if he was giving up.
Margaret sat back and closed her eyes. Everything was going wrong. All she wanted to do was go back home and forget that this day never happened.
The nurse came out and stood before the two and looked down.
"Ms. Houlihan?" she asked.
"Yes?" Margaret asked looking up.
The nurse looked down. There didn't even need to be any words. Her face was enough.
"I see," Margaret said starting to cry.
"Excuse me," she said standing up.
Alvin just watched as she left the room.
Margaret stared down at the locket in her hand.
"I can remember everything. I just don't care to relive it," she said.
The next morning Margaret walked down into the kitchen and sat down.
"Good morning," he said.
"Good morning," she said sounding distant.
"How's my princess this morning?" he asked.
Margaret looked up at him with surprise. It had been a long while since he had called her that. Truth be told, she didn't feel any different from last night.
"Better," she said.
He turned back and cracked a small smile at her as he checked to see how she was really feeling.
"You don't have to lie to me," he said.
Margaret just sat there and stared out the window. It was a perfect day outside. The sun was shining and there were kids out playing with the parents out in the back yards. People just being with those that they loved. She clenched her hand into a fist as she watched. Her whole life she had to be alone and when she finally wasn't, they got taken away. Nobody else around there had lost anybody. Only she had.
"Don't do that, you'll make your hand bleed."
Margaret came out of her trance and looked up.
"Sorry," she said.
He sighed as he opened her hand.
"Margaret," he said seeing the blood in the palm of her hand.
"Well maybe if you don't want me here!" she yelled standing up.
Alvin's eyes widened. He had no idea how touchy she truly was. He walked over and embraced her.
"I'm sorry," she said sobbing.
"It's okay," he said.
"All this time and I still have to stay out here," she said.
"Margaret, it's only been a few days," he said.
The doorbell rang.
"Come on. Let's go see who it is," he said.
"You go. I can't be seen like this," she said.
"But I have the feeling that it's for you," he said.
Alvin knew that Margaret was going through a rough time and figured that he should have her try and talk to some one else that she trusted. He obviously wasn't getting any where with this.
"Okay," she said and with reluctance and then followed him to the door.
"You're here," Alvin said.
Margaret gasped.
So, what do you think is going on? And for any one who knows what I'm talking about, wish Central luck for this Friday when they go against St. John's.