chapter 2
1115 Words
She was almost asleep when her phone rang on the night of December 10. Melissa looked at the caller ID and sighed. It was her parents. Why were they calling her at 9 o'clock in the night? Didn't they realize how close her manuscript deadline was, and how late it was?
She yawned and sat up. Reluctantly, she grabbed the phone. "Hello?" She said as she stifled a yawn.
"Melissa? Is that you?"
"Yeah Dad. I thought Mom was calling me. Do you need something?"
"Your mom is sick. They say she has pneumonia. She won't be able to spend Christmas at the house this year. I was wondering if you could come down and see her." Her dad sounded like he was holding back tears. It was unusual for him to be even slightly emotional.
"I can try. I am on a deadline though so I might have to do some writing while I'm down there. What hospital is she in?"
Her father gave Melissa the name of the hospital, sounding reading to cry.
Melissa held back tears as she remembered the last time she'd spoken with her mother. They'd had a fight - Melissa hadn't wanted to go to a family reunion and when her mother asked why, Melissa didn't reply.
She shook her head as she remembered something else. It was as if she were living the event again: It was graduation day at Melissa's high school and she didn't know whether to wear a dress. Behind her, her mother stood in the doorway of her room as Melissa looked for something to wear.
"Nothing here fits the event." Melissa complained.
Her mother stepped in the room and took out a red dress from Melissa's closet. "What about this?"
"It's perfect Mom!" Melissa said happily.
Melissa sobbed as the memories about her mom kept flooding her mind.
She couldn't believe it! Her mother had never gotten majorly sick. Sure, she'd been hospitalized before but not for anything like this.
"I'll see you tomorrow. I'll head there early in the morning. Love you, Dad." She hung up the phone and stared at it like it was a poisonous snake. She supposed it might as well have been.
When Melissa woke up the next morning, she called Aliza. Her editor picked up after the third ring. "I have to go out of town for a few days. My mother is in the hospital. I'll send you the next few chapters as soon as I get a free minute."
"Take all the time you need." Aliza said. Then, she added, "I'm in no rush. I'm sure your agent would want you to tend to your family anyway."
"Thank you. Can you try to get me on a writer's retreat next week? Somewhere near a beach? I really need a break, Aliza."
"I'll look into it and let you know what I find out."
Melissa smiled. "Aliza, you're amazing! Thank you so much. You think the publisher will be alright waiting for the story?"
"I hope so. IF not, they are missing out on an amazing author." Her editor stated. Then, added, "Sorry, Melissa, I gotta go."
Melissa hung up and grabbed the suitcases she had packed after her dad called her the night before. She had called the Taxi company earlier that morning. The driver was waiting outside already.
The ride seemed to go on forever. When she finally reached the hospital, Melissa let out a sigh of relief. She ran to the desk at the front of the hospital. Once she found out the number to her mothers room, she hurried.
Her father was waiting outside the room, sitting on a bench. He looked exhausted. Like he hadn't slept in days.
She supposed this was probably true. Knowing how her father took bad news, she quietly walked over to him. "Dad, you should go home. I'll call you when I learn something."
He nodded. "She's sleeping right now. Call me when she wakes up, please. There's something we want to tell you. Together."
"Sure. I'll do that, Dad." Melissa sat down on the bench. She put her suitcases down on the floor beside her. She closed her eyes and silently prayed.
If her mother got worse, she didn't know what she would do! Could Melissa survive without her? She doubted it. Both of her parents had always been there for her.
She looked down at where her dad had been sitting a little while ago. There was a piece of paper there. An application.
Melissa picked it up and looked at it. It was an adoption form - with Melissa's name on it. Why had they never told her that she was adopted? Surely, that was something you would tell your son or daughter.
IF not when she was a kid, her parents should have at least told her she was adopted when she was an adult. It was something she wished she had found out sooner and in a better way.
Perhaps that's the news her father had been talking about. Maybe her parents wanted to tell her about the adoption today. That would explain a lot! Like why he seemed like he was hiding something.
She called her father. Melissa was practically raging right now. She wanted to yell at him. But she couldn't. He didn't pick up his phone so she left him a voicemail. "Dad, I found the form. Please call me as soon as possible. I'd like to know more about the adoption."
The doctor came looking for Melissa soon after she left her dad the voicemail. He had a tag that identified him as Dr. Jacob. "Are you Gracie Smiths daughter?" He wondered.
Melissa stood up and nodded. "Yes, I am. How is she doing?"
"Not good. She had trouble breathing a little while ago. Where's your dad? We'd like to talk to him." Dr. Jacob replied.
"I told him to go home. He looked exhausted." Melissa replied. She wished she hadn't done that. What if something was wrong with her mom and that's why Dr. Jacob was looking for her father?
"Can you please call him? It's urgent." The doctor stated. He seemed concerned. Melissa now realized something she hadn't noticed before - Dr. Jacob held her mother's medical chart in his arms.
"Sure. Can I see her? Is she awake?" Melissa wondered. She gulped and held back tears.
"Yes, you can see her. Unfortunately, your mother is not awake. We have tried a few things and she doesn't respond to anything we try." Dr. Jacob said.
Melissa felt empty. Her mother - was she dying then? Everything turned black, as she felt the ground approach her.
- Writer
