Chapter 12: You're gonna make it after all

“She’s clear. No drugs, no beer, no nothing in her system.” The paramedic spoke as he set down the needle and held my hand.

“Is my sister okay?” I panicked.

“The doctors are preparing for surgery. Do you have a parent we could call? Anyone to come get you? It’s going to be a while before your siblings can come home.” He asked. I pondered my options. We couldn’t call Mom, because then she’d tell them that I’d been with her all night. And then Zoe would get in huge trouble, for taking drugs under age and for driving under age.  “Uh, sure.” I replied, and told them the number to call. I sat back in my chair, drifting to sleep.

 

My eyelids fluttered open, letting the real world re-enter my mind from a soft, innocent dream. A breeze of cool air washed over me as the door to the hospital opened for a moment, no more.

“Alyssa!” I heard a boy call, and I rubbed my eyes and checked again who it was.

“Ray, you came.” I stood up weakly, rubbing my sore neck.

“Are you alright?” He asked, pulling me close to him for a hug. He rested his chin on the top of my head, and breathed in, tracing circles around my back.

“Yeah. Zoe’s getting surgery.” I explained, gazing up at him hopefully. I wanted him to tell me that it’d be okay. That Zoe was one-hundred-percent going to live, and Michael’s arm was magically going to be un-dislocated. It was all going to be good and happy, and we were all going to live happily ever after.

“I’ll pray for them.” He said instead, which was not reassuring at all.

“Take me home?” I asked. He glanced over at the paramedics watching us. He nodded and led me over to the front desk, where he signed a few papers and then took me out to the parking lot. It was overwhelming, there were cameras everywhere, and news-castors asking me more on the story.

Are the other passengers dead? Do you blame yourself? Were you under the influence?

“She’s tired, please leave her alone.” Ray spoke, holding me close to him as we shuffled to his car. He helped me into the front seat and the cameras crowded around my side of the car. I shielded my eyes as Ray backed out of the parking spot and sped away down the road, heading for Grandma’s house.

“I wasn’t in that car.” I blurted out. Ray turned swiftly to face me, swiveling on the road for a moment and then he re-gained control.

“You weren’t?” He gawked. I shook my head.

“Zoe was on shrooms, somehow, and Michael called me. I knew she’d get in trouble if they knew she’d been driving, so I told them I was.” I explained.

“Oh, wow.” Ray inhaled deeply, rubbing his temples.

“They believe me, it’s going to be fine.” I assured him, stroking his hair slowly.

“You better be right.” He glanced over at me.

“Aren’t I always?” I asked with a coy smirk.

When we got to Grandma’s, he held my hand up to the door and came inside with me. I told Mom and Grandma what was going on. Mom cried, and yelled, and worried about Zoe and Michael all night. Ray and I stayed awake in the living room all night, talking back and forth about worthless things that we wouldn’t remember in the morning. I was too restless to sleep.

“I can take you to visit Zoe tomorrow. Maybe that’ll soothe your nerves.” He suggested. I nodded, resting my cheek on his chest. He gently held on to me, and I breathed calmly as he ran his fingers through my hair gently. He bowed his head and kissed my forehead, sending me into a deep, calm sleep.

 

 

I watched Zoe’s chest heave as she struggled to breathe through all the tubes attached to her suddenly frail, bruised body. She was a mess. Ray held my hand as I dragged him to the side of her hospital bed. I reached down and caressed her cheekbone slowly, humming to myself.

“Hey there...” I smiled down at her, reaching for her hand. She squeezed mine and blinked gratefully up at me. Her cheeks and lips were colourless.

“I’m sorry, Alyssa.” A tear rolled slowly down her perfect tanned skin, and her lip trembled in fear.

“It’s okay... it’s so so so so okay.” I assured her, biting my lip. It hurt my heart to watch her become so... different. So not my kid sister Zoe.

“I was stupid, and I don’t deserve you.” Zoe pleaded, shaking her head quickly as she rambled to Ray and I.

“Sweetie, it’s okay. But... who gave you those drugs?” I asked, kneeling down beside her face. She inhaled deeply.

“Sammy. I went to her house, and she told me she had been getting high. Lately. She took some shrooms out for me. They were in the vent, she hid them there. And I tried them, stupid, and then...” She trailed off, reaching up to massage her own shoulders. She winced in pain and another tear squeezed out.

“I forgive you. Mom forgives you, Grandma forgives you. Everyone still loves you, Zoe. So get some rest.” I kissed her forehead gently. Ray sat down in the chair next to her bed and I settled in on his lap. Zoe’s eyelids closed slowly and she soon began to snore softly.

“Are you okay?” Ray asked me, gazing down at me. I craned my neck and my lips met his. I felt awkward, and kind of high, and my eyes were wide open. He pulled away after a few moments and I leaned in and deepened the kiss. Our first kiss.

 

It’s strange to think that all this could happen between the end of summer to the end of winter. I don’t think I’ll ever heal from all the trauma I experienced growing up with Zoe. I think I can fairly see that no one has the same life story as I do. But the trauma balances out once you add in all the love and laughter, right? Bad things don’t seem so bad when you mix a little good in there, I think. Everything now is ‘I think, I hope, I wonder’, I don’t think it’s going to be for a long time that I’ll be able to surely know anything. And that’s just life. Or my life, at least. And for now, I was glad to be boring, the-second-prettiest daughter growing up in conservative Earltown with Zoe by my side. As long as she was there... I was going to be fine. I was going to turn out okay.

Author's Note

The last chapter, just for you Jessica! ;D

Reviews

[J.A.N]

I love you.

I'm teary eyed, and that's fine.
This story is moving, really.
Alyssa had a lot of strength, and love.
You created a character with a topsy-turby world, and ended it with a heart warming assurance that happy endings exist. And will exist.
I've loved this story since the start.
With Wild Child playing in the background, and the reality of sisterhood.

Ah-Maze-Ing.