"Annabeth." She stares into space straight ahead of her. Our apartment wall might have a hole in it now, I glance over just to check; no hole, we're good. I put my hand on her shoulder as I walk around the front of the chair. "Annabeth?" I squat so our eyes are level. Her stormy greys, still starring at the wall straight past me, look a little broken. Obviously she is trying to push the panic and heart break back down. "Annabeth, what is it? It's ok, talk to me."
Those eyes focus back on me. "We need to go to the hospital." Her calm voice contradicts her actions, well kinda. "Percy…There's been an accident."
"Ok. I'll grab a shirt and some pants, and go get the car." I smile down at her trying desperately to comfort her and be the actual calm one so she isn't under so much pressure. This morning was so nice.. now this. "It's going to be ok." I brush her typical stray strand of bangs back behind her ear and plant a gentle kiss on her forehead.
"Percy, It's…. It's Sally and Paul." Annabeth stands up after me and pulls me into a hug. Weird, I don't feel her arms around me. I don't feel anything. "I'll get your stuff and drive, but we need to hurry. Do you understand?"
The first thing I feel is my adams apple sliding down my throat as I try to swallow. "Why didn't they call me? That doesn't make sense."
"They did, three times they said. Your phone didn't ring?"
"I-I don't know." We go back to our closet where Annabeth tosses me a fresh t-shirt and a pair of jeans as she throws on some leggings and a sweater. Not fair. I have to wear jeans and she gets leggings. Girls have it so nice.
"Percy, let's go." We rush in a panic, well as panicked as it gets for us, and get to the hospital.
The ride is silent. Annabeth just starred at the road, her hands squeezing the steering wheel so tight her knuckles went white and I thought she might break it. The bottom corner of her mouth was scrunched funny as she chewed on it. Her chest and shoulders rose and fell in forced long breaths, trying to calm herself down. I couldn't help but grab her right hand off the steering wheel and hold it. So I did and we both healed on tight, telling each other with out needing words- no matter what things will be ok and we will have each other.
We walk through the hopelessly beautiful morning from the parking garage to the hospital. Birds chirping, sun shining, runners running, traffic flowing, just as nothing happened. Don't they care my parents are in the hospital, after all I did for them? … It dawns on me… Nope, probably not. They don't even know I exist. The thought kinda makes me smile, the world is funny like that.
Our hands stay in a clammy knot of fingers as we wind through the sterile white maze of hallways. At the nurses station we stop. I think Annabeth says something but I'm not really sure. All I know is we are moving again. This time with a little more haste as we chase the nurse through what appears to be the ICU.
We get to two glass rooms adjoined by a sliding door. A man and a women lay in hospital beds with tubes and wires surrounding them like spider webs. My mouth goes dry when I see the long dark hair that belongs to my mom on this women.
Annabeth coaxes me out of autopilot. "Percy. let's go in. The Doctor will be here shortly."
"Yeah… Good idea." Squeezing her hand we slide into the door frame.
Out of no where an alarm is going off and it seems like all the medical staff on the floor is rushing to where we are. A nurse moves us out of the door and people surround my mom. She is coding.
It looks like a movie really, everyone rushing around but almost in slow motion. Some guy is screaming in the background. Yelling for my mom. And the glass is turning red. Weird.
Arms wrap strongly around mine restricting them and pulling me back from the glass. What is Annabeth holding me so tight for? I need to snap out of this and figure out what's going on.
"PERCY! PERCY CALM DOWN! They are doing the best they can." I finally let some sound from the outside world come crashing in. She pulls us backwards onto the floor and just holds me. A nurse rushes to us.
"Sir, we need to take care of your hands." My hands? I look down. My hands are bleeding. So that's where the blood on the glass came from. I was the guy yelling. I was beating the glass. What in the gods' names has gotten into me?
I'm soothed by my perfect wife as the nurse bandages my hands right there, so I can see my mom. We're in chairs now. I don't remember that happening either. The nurse sitting with us gets up to great the doctor as he walks from the room. His stature looks familiar but behind the mask and hat it's hard to tell.
The doctor walks up to us, ripping the mask off and tossing it in the trash and smoothly wiping the hat off his head. I see the blond messy hair and blue eyes with the scar on his forehead. "Will!" Annabeth lets go of my arm and stands to rush the doctor with a hug. He moves to hold her at a distance.
His body language, the way he wiped his hat off, the way he talked to the nurse.. something is off… it hits me like a tighten's punch straight to the gut… "No…" Words come from my mouth involuntarily. "No, Will, please tell me…" I feel my weight on my feet, standing now.
"Percy, I-I did everything I could."
Annabeth is back at my side. "No." I won't believe this. I just won't.
"Percy, I'm sorry. There was nothing I could do." He puts his hand on my shoulder.
No…..