Chapter 40: Chapter 40
The next couple of hours pass by in a blur of sirens, blinking lights and heartache. My entire body feels numb but the war inside my head is only just starting. I stare at the same spot on the wall in front of me, my eyes un-blinking.
"Ruby?" Woody asks gently, his arm wrapped around my shoulder. I murmur a weak response and Woody exhales deeply before pulling me into his chest. My eyes fill with hot tears and I wrap his shirt in my fist, clinging onto it desperately.
"It's going to be okay." Woody murmurs, his lips hovering over the top of my hair. I blink, silent tears escaping and running down my cheeks. My heart feels like it's shattering piece by piece and I don't know how to handle the emotion.
"Don't lie to me." I tell him, my voice cracking with vulnerability. Woody stills but doesn't respond and his arm tightens around my trembling frame.
The door opens and Dr Lee steps inside, his eyes narrowing in my direction. He releases a frustrated sigh —
"Ruby, I didn't dismiss you earlier. You shouldn't have left the hospital." He lectures me, his voice firm. I continue staring straight ahead, too heartbroken to respond to him.
"How are Jake and Emily?" Woody asks, changing the subject. The doctor glances down at his notes, his eyes flickering between Woody and I.
"Is your Uncle here? Tobias Melvin, is it?"
"Right here Doc." Uncle Tobias appears behind him, clutching a tray full of coffee's. He steps around the doctor and walks towards Woody and I, looking extremely exhausted. Uncle Tobias takes a seat beside me, placing the tray of coffee's on the floor.
"Okay, now we have the full family here — "
"Wait for us!" Aunt Ivory appears in the doorway with Ben beside her. She breathes heavily, almost as if she ran the entire way. Uncle Tobias widens his eyes at her, peering around the doorway to look for Jasmine's whereabouts.
"Where is, you know?" Uncle Tobias gestures, avoiding saying Jasmine's name due to the doctor in the room. Ivory struts in and takes a seat, giving him a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry, I've taken care of it." Ivory smiles. Despite the confidence in her voice, her eyes appear red and puffy, like she's been crying for hours on end.
"Can we get on with it?" I finally speak, my voice hoarse. All I want to know is whether my parents are alive. I'm expecting the Doctor to tell me I'm officially an orphan and will have to be adopted by one of my crazy family members.
"Of course, you can continue, Doctor." Ivory comments, clearing her throat. I squeeze my eyes shut as the Doctor begins, silently praying for a miracle so I get another chance to make my parents proud.
*****
"Are you ready?" Woody asks me, his dark eyes searching mine. My hand has been placed on the door handle for several moments but I can't bring myself to enter the room.
"I-I don't know." I respond truthfully, my vision blurred due to the tears in my eyes. I turn to look at him, my breathing shaky and uncontrollable.
"I should be happy that they're both alive but I still feel numb. Does that make me a terrible daughter?" I ask him, my voice cracking. Woody shakes his head, leaning back against the wall with his hands in his pockets.
"No, not at all. You've been through a traumatic event so your body is currently in survival mode. It's turning your emotions off because you refused to come to terms with their death." Woody explains, his eyes softening. I nod slowly —
"That makes sense."
"Of course it does. I'm always right." Woody smirks smugly. The corners of your lips tug upwards into a small smile.
"I should have trusted you all along." I tell him truthfully. Woody leans over, pressing a kiss to my forehead. His lips linger on my skin and I breathe in his comforting scent.
"I'll be waiting out here."
"You're not coming in?" I ask him, feeling like my security blanket is being ripped away from me. Somewhere along the way, I began to depend on Woody more than I thought. He became my safe haven in all of the craziness.
"No, this is something you need to do on your own." Woody responds, smiling re-assuringly at me. I breathe deeply, knowing he's right.
"You've got this, Melvin." Woody tells me. I nod my head and turn to face the door. I know my parents are behind it and I should be excited to see them but I also feel terrified.
What if they still look dead?
I don't think I can handle replaying that nightmare.
With trembling hands and shaking legs, I pull the handle down and step inside. Mum and Dad are lying side by side in separate hospital beds, both of them hooked up to multiple machines.
I take another step in and the door clicks shut behind me. There's an almost suffocating silence in the room besides from the beeping of the machines. I hold my breath as my eyes flicker up my parents body to meet their face.
"Ruby?" Dad murmurs quietly, his eyes barely open. At the sound of his voice, I release the emotions inside me and begin sobbing. I run towards him, my arms outstretched. He grunts as I throw myself over him, embracing him tightly.
"Hey cupcake," Dad whispers, his hand stroking my hair. I sob loudly, the relief and sadness pouring out all at once.
I never thought I'd hear those words ever again.
"Hey Dad," I cry, clutching onto him. I breathe in his warm scent and it only makes me want to bawl my eyes out further.
"I thought I'd never see you again!" I sob, my tears soaking the fabric of his hospital gown. He shushes me, his fingers stroking over my hair. I squeeze my eyes shut and remind myself how lucky I am that he's alive.
"It's over now, I knew you'd do it." Dad whispers, his words cracking. I lean back and look at him, smiling through my pain. Dad reaches up, his rough fingers wiping the tears away from my cheek.
"You look so grown up." He murmurs, the corner of his lips twitching upwards into a small smile. I laugh, blinking to clear my vision. I take his hand and clutch it tightly.
"I never gave up on either of you." My eyes drift over to Mum's sleeping form and I reach over, taking her hand in my free one.
"She's going to wake up soon, right?" I ask Dad, my breath trembling as I study her appearance. She's lying completely still, her dark hair sprawled across the pillow. Despite the dark circles and cuts on her face, she's as beautiful as ever.
Dad tilts his head to look over at Mum and sadness washes over him. My heart breaks for him as I watch tears fill his ocean blue eyes.
"She's going to be fine, she's the toughest person I know. This isn't her first rodeo." Dad attempts to reassure me. A single tear slips from his eye and I reach over, wiping it away.
It must be soul destroying to see the person you love most in the world looking so broken and fragile.
"I promised your mother I'd keep her and you safe and I failed." Dad comments, sounding heart broken. I shake my head furiously in protest.
"That's not true Dad, please don't blame yourself for this." I respond. I stand up and lean over Mum so my face is hovering over hers.
"Hey Mum," I greet her, placing a gentle kiss on her cheek. I know she's currently sedated but if there's even a slither of a chance of her hearing me, I'll take it.
"Please wake up before Dad wallows in nothing but self pity. You know what he gets like." I say playfully, teasing him. Mum continues to lie completely still and I question whether she can hear me at all.
"You're going to be okay. I'm going to look after you and Dad from now on." I tell her quietly, resting my cheek on hers. I climb into bed next to her and rest my head on her shoulder. I hold her hand tightly in mine and hold out my other one for Dad to take. He clutches it tightly, his warmth spreading through my body. I breathe in deeply to calm the storm inside my chest, looking down at our intertwined hands.
I never want to let go of them ever again.