I woke up on a lazy Sunday morning, only to realize that my parents had not come back yet. It has been 4 days, and my parents have never been away for this long without any trace.
"Have they got into some sort of accident?" I wondered, extremely distressed. I then remembered that I could just call my Aunt and ask what had happened and where the f*ck have they been in 4 days.
I took my phone and immediately dialed my aunt's number, and it rang, and partial relief came over me. After what felt like hours, she answered my call.
"Why'd you call Vinnie?" She asked enthusiastically.
Maybe I've been worried for nothing.
"Do you know where Mom and Dad went? It's been 4 days already. I don't feel safe at night, Aunt Julia." I said, hoping for answers.
"4 days? They told me they were going to be gone only for a few hours! Okay, it's okay, Vinnie, I'm going to pick you up now; take a shower and be ready, okay?" She blurted.
Only hours? Her words send a cold chill down my spine. Imagining what might've happened to them filled my heart with extreme unease. It didn't make sense to me that a few hours turned into 4 days.
"Why didn't they tell me? They didn't even call me!" My heart raced, uneasy thoughts flooded my head as I clutched my phone tightly, and my hands went pale.
"Vinnie, lock the doors, don't forget to okay?
I'm on my way. It's okay, It's okay" she blurted out again. It felt as if she's been speaking to herself, rather than to me.
I locked all the doors and windows and took a hot shower to calm down. It helped my head cool down a little as hot water poured over me, but my worry remained, and I felt uneasy again as soon as I thought of what might've happened to them. I then got out and put on my clothing.
A while later, I heard Aunt Julia ringing the bell for me. I got down the stairs and got into her Hyundai Sonata.
"Do you know where they went..?"
I asked her, hoping for answers. I felt like I'd give up anything for answers from Aunt Julia — if she knew them herself in the first place. But I want to believe that she does. I hate being clueless. I really do.
"I don't know… their numbers are not in service… it's really not like my sister to do things like that; I really don't know what to do this time," she sobbed, her voice cracked. "We're here. I'll get down later, you get inside first." She requested.
Aunt Julia and I are only 7 years apart,
I felt bad for making her the older one and pressuring her.
I dialed my Mom and dad's numbers alternately, hoping that it would atleast once ring. After about 2 hours of trying, my phone rang – an unknown number. I answered it reluctantly since I wanted to go back to trying.
"Hello, Lavinia here." I said with barely any energy.
"Grace from Clover hospitals, Do you happen to know any Helen or Silas, ma'am?" The person on the other side asked. I got alert.
Helen and Silas are the names of my parents.
"Yes, I do, why'd you ask?" I asked, My heart pounded, I could hear and feel it all over my body.
"They have apparently been found at Route 27. They met with an accident ma'am—" she said before I cut her off. "And why did you decide to call this late!?!" I exclaimed, my throat hurt. My aunt was startled by my yelling.
I turned to my aunt who was just as concerned as me, and told her that my parents were apparently at Clover hospitals.
Both of us were just as worried and concerned. Aunt Julia wasted no time. She threw the car into reverse, barely checking for other vehicles, and sped down the street. My hands were shaking as I gripped my seatbelt, my heartbeat pounding in my ears.
The city lights blurred past us, glowing streaks against the darkening sky. The rain from earlier had left the roads slick, and every sharp turn made my stomach twist. Aunt Julia's hands were tight on the wheel, her knuckles pale.
"I don't understand," she muttered under her breath, eyes darting between the road and the glowing GPS screen. "Why would they be at Route 27? That's nowhere near where they said they were going…"
Her voice cracked, and I didn't know how to respond. My throat was dry. "Why did they wait so long to call me..? It's been 4days already!" I yelled out, completely dumbfounded.
We hit a red light. Aunt Julia completely ignored it and sped to the right. I barely recognized her like this. Julia, who was always the calm one. The responsible one. Seeing her like this only made my fear worse.
As the hospital finally came into view, my chest tightened. I wasn't sure if I was ready to see whatever waited for us inside. Were they in critical condition? Were they okay? Why were they so far away near Florida? We lived in Miami, and we have no relatives whatsoever in Florida.
We walked through the buzzing hallways, I glanced through ward rooms around, beeping noises everywhere. Aunt and I got into the elevator. Ward 16. That's where they were. My heart pounded, and I could feel it all over my body. My breath came out shaky.
4TH FLOOR. THE ROBOTIC NOISE OF THE ELEVATOR ANNOUNCED
Aunt Julia and I got out and went on to Ward No. 16, asking people around where it was. That was only to distract herself, I could feel it. There were signs around to guide any visitors.
We finally reached the room where my parents were. I took slow small steps, bracing myself for what was behind the thin curtain. I reached the point where only the curtain was between us.
I took a deep breath; tears filled my eyes, and I could hear my heartbeat in my ears. I moved the curtain with my hand; my parents were covered in braces, casts, bandages, and gauze. I could barely even see them.
My hand moved to my mouth, I let out a gasp. My breath came out shaky, tears rolled down my face. I ran away sobbing.
I stopped at the waiting area, trying to catch my breath. The news playing on the TV overheard. The reporter announced that Sebastian Dorne,
The chairman of Ambrosia was met with an accident and was moved to the hospital due to an accident.
Of course, people are always very much interested in other people's doom. The words barely even registered.
That was when somebody brushed past me in a rush — Lucien, I saw him in the corner of my eye. My eyes followed him, he was headed to ward 16, looking as frantic as I just did.
I should have cared, but not right now. Nothing else matters to me now.
I know that they're going to be okay, it still pained me to look at them in that state. I took my phone and put it on airplane mode. I don't think I want to speak to anybody right now. I want to be left alone. I let out a deep breath and went back to Ward 16 — to Mom and Dad. I think I can face them now.
I walked there, my head feeling like it could burst at any moment. "Mom, Dad, How are they..?" I asked Aunt Julia who was rubbing her temples, hoping for a positive response.
"They said they'll be okay," she answered, breathing a sigh of relief. "But we still don't know why they went there." She added.