My Guardian Angel

Chapter 7

Mom already had the door open for me. ‘Right, let’s get you inside.’

I sighed and got out.  I knew what that meant; more resting.

We walked into the house and went up the stairs. When my mom opened my bedroom door I smiled.

Sam and Aaron were waiting for me on my bed.  ‘Welcome home ‘ they said.  Sam gave me a hug and pulled me down to sit with her. I noticed that I had new bedding.  My mom must have sent dad to go and buy me new ones and throw the bloodied bedding away before I came home.  My new bedding was light pink with flowers all over them in white.  It wasn’t my kind of style, but I loved the idea of my dad standing in the mall not knowing what to buy.  It said a lot if he chose pink bedding.  He was considering a girl, just not a teenage girl. 

‘How are you feeling?’ Sam asked me while stroking my hair.  ‘I’m fine. I’ve been fine for days. My mom has been really overprotective. I’m surprised I got discharged at all.’ That made her laugh.  She must have been dealing with my mom trying to see me. 

‘I know exactly what you mean! I have been calling, texting.  I showed up every day after school.  Your mom was like a lion protecting her cub.’ We laughed together and stopped immediately.  Aaron wasn’t saying anything.  Usually he would have scolded us by now.  He was just staring at me.  He looked pale and he had bags under his eyes.  I reached for his hand and he let me take it. 

‘Hey I’m fine OK? It wasn’t your fault.  It wasn’t anyone’s fault.’ He blinked as if waking up from a trance. It was like he wasn't sure that it was really me sitting here next to him. My heart ached. I never wanted to hurt my family. They are all so worried about me. 

‘I know it’s just…’ he trailed off.  I grabbed him and pulled him into a hug. ‘Don’t think about it. I made it. Mom and Dad got me there in time’

For the first time he smiled at me and hugged me back.  We both cried and held on to each other. I know he always tried to protect me even though I was the oldest, but we had to move forward.

After a few moments Sam broke the silence.  ‘What happened to you?’  I looked at her and heard the concern in her voice. 

‘I don’t know.’ was all I said. 

My mom kept me at home for the remaining two days and then the weekend finally came.  Sam promised to come and visit me after school. Mom was driving me insane! She kept me on a short leash. She was checking on me regularly.  I couldn’t even go to the bathroom alone.  She was watching me like a hawk. 

‘Why don’t you install cameras in the house? It would be better than running after me like a crazy person.’ 

My house was starting to feel like a prison.  I actually missed the hospital.  My mom was getting on my nerves.  I felt guilty if I went to the bathroom on my own.  She was getting inside my head.  When I tried to get her to back down a little she said ‘I am only doing what’s best for you sweetie. You need to be around more people and less locked up behind books.’ Dad was still acting the same.  He cornered me last night on the staircase.  ‘I’m sorry about your mom’s behavior she’s not coping well with…’ He trailed off of his sentence. I knew exactly what he meant so I finished it for him.  ‘You mean with me almost dying in my room. He gave me an apologetic smile and hugged me. ‘Try to put yourself in your mom’s shoes Ava. She nearly lost her only daughter.’

‘Yeah but I’m still here dad.  I don’t need to be watched all day long.  I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself as I have been doing.’ I was trying to reason with my dad, but it seemed as if they were in this together.  I was not going to win this argument. Well that is what happens when your parents think that you are capable of hurting yourself.

I tried to act normal in front of my family but pretending could be very hard work.  How did my life spiral so out of control? I don’t think my mom would ever let me leave this house or her side for that matter.  I was suffocating in my own home.  It felt as if I was running out of oxygen and every time they came and took what I had left. 

I was starting to push them away and keeping my distance.  I kept my emotions locked away and acted normal, especially around my mom.

 When I thought I couldn’t take a second more of this the doorbell rang.  I ran to the front door and opened the door.  I smiled at Sam and gave her a huge hug. 

‘You don’t know how happy I am to see you.’ I kept holding onto her.  She let her arms drop and said ‘Clearly’

I stepped away from her and laughed.  ‘Sorry it’s just that the emotions in this house are very high.’

 I invited her in and we went straight to my room.  I was actually starting to feel better with Sam around.  ‘So how has school been?’ I asked her.

 ‘It has been interesting. Everyone keeps asking me how you are, even mister Santana.’ 

‘Really?’ I asked in a shocked voice. It’s not like he came to visit me at all so why was he so interested?

Strange.

 ‘Yes and I haven’t even told you the strangest news. When you were in a coma, mister Santana took leave. No one knows why or where he went. When you woke up he came back to work.’ She was studying me as if she could learn everything just by looking at me.

‘Don’t you think it was just a coincidence?’ I asked hopefully trying to think think of a logical explanation.

‘Is there something you want to tell me? I won’t be mad I promise.’

‘There’s nothing to tell. He didn’t come to visit me if that’s what you are implying.’

‘I was just curious that’s all. He has looked so sad lately.’

I blushed. I could feel how red my face was getting.

My mind has been off mister Santana and on my winged man ever since I laid my eyes on him.

He sounded so sincere and he set my body on fire after touching me. It was like he knew me inside and out.