Do you believe in Heaven? The special place you go to when you die? That's if, you have been good on earth. But we've all sinned. And we all are forgiven for them. According to the bible.
Tony woke up in a hospital bed, actually in the hospital this time. He was still extremely groggy from past events, trying to think about all that's happened. It was more tiring than he felt at that moment.
To think that this all would occur because of a dog..
Then the nurse came in. She was holding a pen and a check board in her hand, close to her chest. She also had nice, black hair done up in a sophisticated bun, with the normal nurse-wear on. "I see you're awake! You were pretty bad, I hear, in the truck," she said softly. Tony could only nod, he didn't feel like talking at that moment. "Well, I hope you got enough rest for now, 'cause the doctors are going to be running tests on you. Makin' sure you don't have rabies."
Not another shot, thought Tony, wriggling around his arm uncomfortably. This bed didn't exactly feel like a cloud. He felt stiff all around his body, not to mention incredibly sore. He thought about how his parents might feel.
"Where's my parents?" He asked. The nurse looked at him pitifully. "Kid, to be straight, your father is pretty bad off. He's currently getting the most heavy treatment we have."
Tony's eyes widened deeply. "But, but I don't understand," he cried, "It was just a dog! He has to be alright, Miss, he was in the war, he's gone through much worse.."
The nurse said quietly, "I'm sorry, kid. I can't control how much he got injured. I can just say that he did, and try to help." A tear dropped down Tony's eye and trickled down his face. He glanced away from the nurse, so as to not show his pain.
When he gets back home, he thought, he's gonna have a talk with that dog, face to face. Muzzle to muzzle.
And then he thought. "Why are you doing tests on me? It's my father you should only be worried about! I didn't get bit! He needs all the help he can get!"
"We just want to make sure you didn't contract any illnesses or anything in between the time you got here and when you were home," explained the nurse, "Better safe than sorry."
But Tony wanted to see his mother and father. He didn't want to deal with all of these darned tests. He sighed, "Why me?" quietly under his breath. He needed a pastime, but he didn't have basketball by his side anymore. And he never really got to tell his parents what happened with that..
His brother was probably still pompously walking around the streets, feeling comfortable with his new dealer family. Or maybe he was dead. The way Tony was feeling about him right now, he'd rather the latter. Flaker.
He wondered where Miles was, and if he told his mom the situation yet. She would probably yell at him and say, "Want were you thinking, Miles, letting in a savage dog inside the Verez apartment?! You know better!"
But it wouldn't be his fault.
Well, maybe the fact that he didn't lock the door when he came in. Maybe it was his fault, then. Maybe it was his fault...
4 HOURS LATER
After all the tiring tests were finished, Tony was allowed to visit his father for a short time. When he heard this, he nearly fell out of his bed excited.
"Really? I can really go see him?! Thank you so much!" He'd grin, rushing to get in the wheelchair. "You still have to be escorted," said the doctor, Dr. Barnes. He was the brain doctor, as Tony saw him, making sure everything was alright with Tony's mental/physical state. He did partially crack the upper part of his skull, so he had to stay in the hospital for a bit, still. He was to expect faint spells every once in a while, until he got to a hundred percent health.
Tony understood that he couldn't really play basketball anymore. He didn't exactly know for how long, though. And his concussion affected his neurological ability to move his legs for a certain amount of time, so he had to go into rehab in a few months to learn how to walk again.
That's why he was in a wheelchair.
But he was happy, nonetheless, because he got to see his parents.
His escort was a very nice lady. She had smooth, bronze skin and a pearly white smile. Tony took a bit of a liking to her. "You know, I'm the best player on my basketball team," bragged Tony. "Oh?" Replied the nurse, giggling. She had a very nice laugh, as well. "Yeah, my nickname is 'Hotshot.'" They continued to talk more about Tony's achievements, (though Tony didn't really try to talk about anything else), until the got to his father's room.
They entered the room, greeted by Tony's mother, who rushed over to hug him tightly. Tony hugged her just as hard, and they both were sobbing at the sight of each other. "I miss you, ma!" Tony sniffed, and his mother replied no differently.
His mother then turned to look at his father. His father was unconscious, bandaged heavily and bruised even more so. "Unfortunately, he's in a coma," said one of the doctors in there. "He has been having a lot of complications since he's been here, most likely due to the loss of blood. We will be on standby, outside, if you two need anything." They walked out, leaving just Tony and his mom.
"I don't know how this happened," began his mother, "I can't believe how this happened, Tony! A dog, waltzing into our home, hurting everyone I love! With no remorse!"
"Mom, dogs can't have remorse," said Tony softly. "...I-I know, I just..." His mother stuttered.
"You're referring to Victor, aren't you?"
His mother started to cry again "I just can't believe he'd leave us, and then this happens. And right after Vinny contacted us, too!". She was right, this was an odd sequence of events. Tony looked at his father's corpse-like state. He'd never seen him in such a way. It seemed like ever since Vinny left for Vietnam, the years after were just so depressing.
And then the machines started to beep.
Everything was at a faster pace from then on. The doctors busted through the door, quickly readying their gear and moving Tony and his mother out of the way. "What's going on?!" She screamed, but there was too much commotion. Tony could make out, "He's starting to lose blood again, CODE BLUE, CODE BLUE!"
Code Blue? Didn't Code Blue mean that—
"I NEED YOU BOTH TO EVACUATE THE PREMISES! NOW!"
They were forced out of the hospital room and the door became a barrier between Heaven and Hell. Doctors were running around the room in what seemed like circles, and Tony banged on the door, trying to get to his father.
For one last time, please... Just let me hear his voice again...
But it was over. Tony could hear the machines ding for an indefinite time, and the line went straight on the screen. He was gone. And there was nothing Tony could do about it.
His mother held him close, stroking his hair. "It's okay, my baby," she'd whisper in his ear, "We're gonna be okay." But he didn't believe it. And he knew she didn't, either.
Because nothing was okay. Nothing would ever be okay. And that was it.
They left the hospital in dead hope. Hope that all three of them would be leaving together. They didn't even wait for the doctors to tell them the news.
Tony's mother helped him in the minivan, taking his wheelchair and putting it in the back. She had never drove in a long time before this. The medic did. Now they didn't need a medic. Now they didn't need anyone.
They had checked Tony out before they departed. Tony didn't say a word from the time between what happened and now. He was sure that he'd never want to talk to anyone ever again.
Not his mother.
Not Victor.
Not Miles.
And not even Vinny.
But the only person he wanted to talk to couldn't talk to him. And that's just wrong.
They arrived to the apartment complex at 6:07 am, right around the time Tony's father would get him up. But he was up way before, this time. And it was so Tony's father could have him up for one.. Last.. Time..
His mother fiddled with the keys, and Tony could tell her hands were shaking like crazy. "Come on," she said to herself, "COME ON! WHY AM I BEING SO PATHETIC!" she yelled. Tony wanted to scream to. But he knew that wouldn't make a bit of a difference. He had no hope in him to scream. That's what a scream takes. Hope.
She finally got the key in the hole, turned it, and took it out. She had her hand on the doorknob when she took a deep breath. Tony didn't know what she was preparing herself for. There was nothing that was worth it behind the door. Dad wasn't behind there. He was behind them. Way behind them. Forever.
It was hard to believe that hours before this, Tony was ecstatic about everything when he was told he could see his parents. And know, thinking back to how he saw his father, that was the way his father was going to stay. Forever.
They entered and Tony didn't even look up. Not until his mother said, "Victor?"
Then his head did shoot up. His eyes met Victor's eyes. "Hey ma. Hey, little man."
Tony didn't even try to find words. He looked back down and strolled toward his bedroom.
He heard Victor call, "Wait!" And then, "Why didn't he say anything?". Then he heard his mother, "Don't try him right now. You should know not to."
Victor's POV
"Ma, I'm so sorry," I said, going in to give her a hug but being stopped by her hand.
"You should be," she said coldly.
"I'll make it up to you—Where's dad?" I asked concernedly. She took a while to respond.
"If you were here you would know."
"But I'm here now! I promise, what I did, beyond stupid, and I'll never forgive myself. And I know it will take a while for you guys to forgive me, too! I talked to Miles—he just left, by the way—and he told me everything. I'm so glad to see you guys. But really, where's dad?"
She answered with the most horrifying response I could ever hear.
"He's dead."
...
...
My knees fell to the floor. I couldn't stand anymore. I couldn't stand anymore of this. No... Just like the old man said... I'm just like boss... I was too late... I abandoned my family... Their time of need... No... NO!
Please..
God...
Forgive...
But God forgives. That's the only thing he does. But he never forgets. And I am an example of that.
He's gone..
And I'm here. Suffering. Forever.
Uhhhh...
No, I'm not crying, you are!
Sorry, to finish off this book, I had to make this chapter long! Took me like 45 mins to and hour to make it! Thank you all for your love and support throughout these 11 chapters! Let me know what you think in the comments!
For now, I'll see you in the next one.
nobodyimportant out—
