Chapter 104- River Of Death
I could feel eyes on me and I knew they belonged to my mother. Now she was trying to play the guilty card on me. I'm the one who is supposed to be upset.
I have just one parent left and she doesn't give two shits about herself or me. After promising me that she was going to stay awake from smoking yet I still found her smoking in the early hours of the morning.
She lied to me and she lied to herself. Maybe she's becoming addicted, all she has to do is tell me so we can get help for her, maybe get her a therapist but she told me everything was fine and that is unacceptable.
“ Ariana," my Mom called, I know Aunt Celia left to get water so it was just my Mom and I and grandpa, of course he was sleeping.
“ Mom for God's sake I'm tired," I said, trying to avoid talking to her.
I drew the blanket to cover my head and she was about to talk again but the door opened and Aunt Celia walked in and I heard her sigh.
I almost felt bad but I pushed down the feeling. If she really cares about me then she should do what I want, stop smoking.
I somehow fell asleep.
I saw my grandfather and he was sitting under a tree throwing stones into a river and I looked around me in confusion.
‘ Grandpa, what are you doing there?’ I asked as I walked to where he was seated and sat down beside him,
‘ I'm just enjoying the peace, what do you think?’ He asked as he gave a deep laugh and I couldn't help but laugh too.
‘ You know that I'm really proud of you right?’ He said as he turned to me with a smile and I smiled back,
‘ You say that sometimes,’ I said,
‘ Maybe I don't say it enough, but I'm proud that you held off for this long, Ariana you beat my expectations, I was thinking you'd give up so soon but you've shown them all that you aren't scared of anyone and for that I'm proud of you,’ he said and I couldn't help but scrunch my brows in confusion,
‘ Why are you saying all these grandpa?’ I asked as I took his hand and dropped a kiss on the back of his hand,
‘ You know I won't always be here for you and there are times you're going to feel like the world is against you but you know what will never leave you?’ he asked and I shook my head,
‘ The heart to do the right thing,’ he said,
‘ Huh?’ I asked in utter confusion and he laughed,
‘ Your heart my dear, it will always tell you the right thing to do and remember that you should always follow your heart, it knows what it is telling you,’ he said,
“ But what if my heart is wrong?’ I asked and he shook his head,
‘ Your heart can never be wrong,’ he said,
‘ It's time for me to go, I've been sitting here for too long,’ he said as he stood up and I did the same,
‘ Where are you going grandpa?’ I asked,
‘ Somewhere peaceful,’ That's what he said,
‘But it's peaceful here, let's just sit here,’ I said as I held his hand,
‘ But look over the river, it's looks more peaceful there,’ he said as he pointed towards the river and I followed his hand as I looked at where he was pointing and it indeed looked peaceful but I didn't want him there, I wanted him here with me,
‘ Will you take me with you?’ I asked and he chuckled and he shook his head,
‘ It's not your time,’ he said,
‘ But if you go there you won't come back?’ I asked,
‘ There's nothing to come back for,’ he said and I looked at him with sadness, I didn't want him to go.
‘ Don't go yet grandpa, stay with me a little, let's sit down and enjoy the peace here, even if it's for a little longer,’ I said as I felt tears begin to burn my eyes,
‘ There's no need for you to cry, for you I'll stay a little longer,’ he said as we both slowly sat down,
‘ Thank you grandpa, thank you for not leaving me,’ I said as I rested my head on his laps and he combed his fingers through my hair.
‘ I'll be here with you for as long as I can,’
I peeled my eyes open as I turned to my grandpa who was still unconscious and then I released a sigh.
He should wake up already, we were waiting for him, his family are all waiting for him.
My eyes went to my aunt and Mom who were asleep with their head resting on my grandpa's bed.
They looked so uncomfortable but yet they were here because of the love they have for him.
I went back to sleep hoping that when I wake up I'll be waking up to something better.
***
“ Doctor! Go call the doctor! What's happening? Please God, no," that was what woke me up as I quickly jumped up from the couch I was sleeping on.
“ Ariana, I don't know what is wrong with your grandpa, he's not breathing, Dad, Dad, please," my aunt said as she had tears in her eyes with her hand holding onto grandpa's tightly like if she lets go that would be the end.
The heart monitor was going haywire.
Grandpa please you can't go, not when we finally found you.
The door opened and my Mom rushed in with the doctors and nurses.
“ Please you'll have to wait outside,” the doctor said as I held Aunt Celia trying to be the stronger one but inside me I felt like my heart was breaking apart.
“ Please help me, don't let my father die, please," she cried,
“ We'll try our best but for us to work you'd have to wait outside," the doctor said in impatience.
“ Aunty, let's go," I said as she nodded and we all walked outside.
I never thought I was going to experience this feeling again, the feeling I had when my Dad died.
And now my grandpa was in there and we didn't know what was going to happen.
“ I can't lose him, I don't want my Dad to die, my brother left me and I'm not ready for my Dad to go,” aunt Celia said as my arms went around her in a hug.
" He's going to be fine,” I said, but it felt like I was trying to console myself.
Will he really be fine?