So I decided to do another chapter, because I felt inspired. But if you have any other one shot stories you want written or any ideas let me know. Also follow me on tumblr at iamvictoriousatlife. Also read and review, like always. I hope you all enjoy.
"Alex, you're going to be late," Jay screamed from the kitchen.
"I don't want to go back," Alex whined as she sat on the bar stool looking down at the plate of breakfast food. "They're all going to stare and talk about me like I'm not there. They're going to think I'm broken," she sighed.
"They're not going to think you're broken," Jay reasoned. "It's been a week since you've gone to school. I let you stay home because of your mom. But I think it's time you go back. I will come and get you the second I hear any news," Jay placed a glass of orange juice in front of her.
"How long has it been since you've been in school. What like 20 years?" She started taking small bites of her breakfast.
"Something like that. But I'll let you in on a secret. I lost my mom when I was a sophomore in high school. All I can say kid, is that it gets better. There's no more comfort that can come from anybody," he confessed.
"You're pretty good comfort," she said as she stood to get her backpack. Jay stood still, shocked that his newly found daughter would admit that. "Are you coming or what? You're the one that said I was going to be late," she snapped Jay out of his thoughts. He grabbed his badge, gun, and keys, and followed Alex out of the apartment.
"You know the drill right? Just like we discussed. You have my phone number just in case something happens?" Jay questioned.
"Yeah, this isn't the first day of school," Alex protested.
"Right, I'm sorry. I've never done this before. But I will be out here at 3:30 to get you," Jay put the car in park outside Alex's school.
"Oh, since I'm in school today, I have to go to soccer practice, so I'm not done until 5:30. I can just meet you at the apartment."
"No, I'll be here at 5:30. My apartment is in a completely different school district, and I am not having you walk in Chicago at night," he reasoned. "Get out and have a good day. Call me if you need anything. Or if today is too much and you just want to go home," he watched her nod her head and exit the car. He could sense her nerves just as she shut the door. Jay drove off to the precinct.
"Who was that Alex?" Some kid walked up to Alex and asked.
"My dad," she whispered.
"You have a dad? What did he just grow out of a garden or something?" The other boy asked.
"I've always had a dad. We just never talked. Now if you excuse me, I have to get to class," she pushed her way around them and continued towards her homeroom. She walked the halls, and continued to get stares just as expected. She walked into her homeroom and nodded towards her teacher. Jay had said that he contacted the school to let them know the situation. Her teacher nodded back and she walked towards her assigned seat. Her friend Ally walked up to her.
"You've been gone a while. I haven't heard much from you this past week. Its like you fell of the earth," Ally said as she sat next to Alex.
"I've been dealing with some things. I basically fell off the earth, well I mean I wanted to," she smiled slightly.
"What kind of things?" Ally prodded.
"My mom got injured at work, so I had to move in with my dad temporarily," she shrugged.
"I thought you didn't know your dad," Ally prodded again. Alex knew this would be all over school by the time they hit lunch.
"I didn't, but with my mom sick and my grandpa dead. He's the only other legal guardian I have living. So I called him and now I'm staying with him," she opened her book and pretended that she was reading. She didn't want to seem rude, but this wasn't something she wanted to talk about.
"So it's bad huh?" Alex raised her eyebrows. "Your mom's injury and stuff. It must be bad if you have to life with your dad. I mean he didn't even want you. I'm sure he's an asshole."
"He didn't know I was born. He went to war, and my mom never told him. As for the asshole part, the only person being an asshole now is you," she snapped. Ally wasn't taking any of the subtle que's Alex was giving her. "I'm sorry I didn't mean for it to come out like that. I just… it's been a long week, and my dad made me come today. So can we just drop it all? Talk about something other than my last week. What happened here?" Alex looked at Ally curiously.
"Well, Suzy and Adam had a fight," Ally began just as the teacher stood up for attendance. She took the attendance. Just as Alex got called all the eyes turned and looked at her. She dropped her head, wanting the stares and the snide remarks to go away. The ones who don't know what happened believe she was in the hospital for a drugs or something. The awkward silence of homeroom was finally over when the bell rang. She picked up her backpack and ran out of the classroom.
She entered her first class of the day already wanting to go home. She bounced from class to class. Her mind was not quite, 100% in to the school day. She made it through most of the day until lunch. She walked up to her group of friends and sat down. She was just in time to join the conversation about what they're going to get their mom's for Mother's Day. "Alex what are you getting your mom?" A girl named Teresa asked.
"I haven't thought about it yet," Alex sighed. Truth was she didn't want to think of it. The thought of buying her mom a present and her never waking up was too much for her to handle.
"Alex, Mother's Day is on in a week. You're going to have to get something. My dad is picking me up after soccer practice. We can take you home after you get something," Teresa offered.
"No thanks, I'm good. I have a ride set up for after practice. You know guys I forgot to print something out I'm going to go do that before the other classes," Alex sighed. She stood and slowly walked away.
After she stood she heard Ally whisper to the other three girls at the table. "You didn't hear? Her mom's been in the hospital for a week. They don't know if she's going to wake up," Alex shook her head and continued walking away. The rest of her day was exactly the same as the beginning. She continued going to classes like a zombie. When it came to soccer practice her coach made her sit out due to her inability to focus.
5:30 finally arrived and she gathered her stuff trying to miss conversation with the rest of her team. She was putting her shoes on when she heard Ally say, "Who is that hot guy over there?" The rest of the soccer team turned their heads. Slowly Alex turned to see who it was. She had a feeling, but she was hoping it wasn't him. When she caught Jay's eye she saw him wave. "Ally walked closer to Alex. Alex stood and watched Ally's eyes grow wide. "That's your dad?" She questioned. Alex just nodded her head and turned to walk in the direction of her dad.
"Hey kiddo, how was school?" He smiled. He watched her shrug her shoulders and walk in the direction of his car. "Okay, obviously it wasn't a good day," he said as he opened the car door. "What do you want for dinner?" Jay asked.
"Can I go see mom?" She turned her head. Her eyes pleading he'd say yes.
"Yeah, of course you can see your mom. Alex, you don't ever have to worry about me saying no to you seeing your mom," he smiled over at her and watched her nod her head again.
"I don't want to go back to school," she admitted.
"Was it that bad, or are you just not ready to go back?" Jay questioned as he drove in the direction of the hospital.
"Everyone stared, and everyone talked about me. Most of the time it wasn't even true. All they know is I was gone for a week. I don't want to go back," he nodded his head.
"Well, you have to go to school. If you don't want to go back there I can transfer you to the school in my district. We can do that tomorrow. But, legally you have to go to school," he reasoned.
"I'll think about it," he nodded his head as pulled into the hospital parking lot.
"I'm going to go get us dinner, I'll meet you at her room okay?" Alex nodded her head as she got out of the car and walked into the hospital.
Jay drove out of the parking lot and grabbed burgers from the place across the street. He drove back to the hospital and parked the car. Wanting to give Alex some time with her mother, he called his friend about the school situation. Her came back and began walking up to Erin's room. He stood outside the door and listened to Alex talk to her mom's sleeping body.
"He's okay I guess. He's not the worst father in the world. He's told me some stories about you as a teenager that I can hold against you when you wake up," Alex smiled and reached to hold her mom's hand. "You always said it was going to happen soon, and it did. I officially became a 'woman', as you call it, a week ago," Alex wiped the tears that were falling down her cheeks. "I know you two had a falling out or whatever. But he's been nice to me ever since he heard about you. Almost like he's pretending not to be as devastated as I am. He's not very good at not missing you. It's been almost 15 years since you've seen each other. But I don't think he knows that. I think he's still in love with you," Alex laughed as she wiped a stray tear from her face.
Jay knocked softly on the door. He peaked his head in and watched Alex turn her head. "I bought burgers," he smiled as he continued in the door. He sat in the chair across from Alex and handed her a take out container. "So I talked to a buddy of mine who works at a private school near my apartment. It's up to you. You have a choice of the public school, the private school, or you can stay at your same school. It's all the same to me. I just don't want you to feel uncomfortable or upset," he watched another tear fall down her face.
"Mom always said I was too smart for the education I was getting. She's been trying to find a good private school she could afford for a while now," she wiped a tear again. "Who knew all she had to do was pick up the phone and call you," she laughed. "Ironic right? Mom want's to see me succeed, but the second I get the chance to show her how smart I was she's confined to a hospital bed unconscious. This worlds screwed up," a sob escaped her lips.
"Well if you want, you can start tomorrow. I'll get the paperwork sent over tonight, and sign the papers tomorrow," he watched as Alex nodded her head.
"That's what mom would want," she looked down at her mother. "Happy early Mother's Day mom," she let another sob escape.
"I know what your mother would like regarding this situation. What do you want? I mean do you want to leave your friends? Start fresh?" Jay asked.
"I want my mom to wake up. That's what I really want. The next best thing is to do what she wanted. To make her happy even though she's not quite here to be happy about it. But when she wakes up, she'll be happy," Jay nodded.
"Okay it's settled. You're changing schools tomorrow. I'll give you a minute to say goodbye," Jay stood and took the empty take out containers and left the room. A couple minutes later Alex exited the room looking down at her feet. "You ready to go kiddo?" He asked and she nodded her head. "You've been quiet. What's on your mind?" Jay asked as the walked down towards the car.
"It's just," she sniffled. "I don't want to live in a world where my mom can't be here. I'm only 14," Jay stopped walking. He turned to face his daughter and pulled her into a hug. She grabbed onto his t-shirt for dear life and sobbed into his chest.
"You're going to be okay," he rubbed her back until she calmed down enough to walk to the car. He opened her door and allowed her time to get in. He got into the car and pulled out of the hospital parking lot. Driving to his apartment in silence. Sniffles occurred every so often. He parked the car and led his daughter up to her more permanent home, unfortunately. He opened the door and watched her walk past him and into her bedroom.
He locked the door and followed her to her bedroom. He softly knocked and heard the soft sobs coming from inside. He opened the door and saw her lying on her bed, face down into the pillows. He continued into the bedroom and lay next to her. "You're mom's a fighter, she'll wake up from this," he felt as she turned over and moved into him.
"I thought she'd be awake already. I went to school and all I could think was that all the things we planned to do can't be accomplished because she can't be here. All the exciting things she's never going to be able to see," another sniffle escaped. Jay could feel the tears soak his shirt once again. After a couple minutes he heard Alex's breaths even out, and her body become heavier against his.