WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS ADULT LANGUAGE AND ADULT CONTENT.

Standing outside on the slick, wet pavement of the airport, feeling like the weight of the world is once again upon my shoulders, I feel as if my heart will explode. I hear the disgruntled complaints of people trying to get out around me, but my feet are planted. I can't move if I would want to.

Feeling Alec's hand slide into mine, I'm grounded back to reality. "Hey," he whispers. "I'm right here."

As much as I am not ready to introduce him to this part of myself, I am glad of his presence. I don't think I can do this without him. Leaning against his shoulder, we walk to the rental. He puts our bags into the trunk as I pull myself into the passenger seat. Everything feels like a dream. I don't want any of this to be real.

It was a 45-minute drive from the airport to the hospital. I don't even bother calling my mom to tell her I'm there. I don't want to deal with her. I'm sure she is being dramatic enough at the hospital. Putting my face against the cool glass of the window, I stare out past the water droplets on the window. Why did it always rain in this state? No matter the season, it's always raining.

"Do you want me to turn on the radio, babe?" Alec asks, gently rubbing my thigh.

"Whatever you want," I say quietly, without moving.

"I'm sorry, Kels," he says.

I say nothing. I want to ask him what he's sorry for, but I don't have the energy. Knowing we need to talk, but I'm not doing it now, I push down the feelings. I don't want to hear about him fucking Megan. I don't want to hear any more bullshit lies.

Tears escape my eyes and streak my cheeks even though I try so damn hard to keep them contained. I don't want him to see that I'm hurt. I don't want to feel anything right now. This whole day has been bullshit.

Pulling into the hospital parking lot, I try to brace myself for the worst. Alec comes around and opens my door. Grateful as he takes my hand, we walk through the hospital doors together. Putting our troubles to the back of my mind for now, I just want to focus on my dad and what is going on here. Compartmentalizing doesn't sound like a bad idea right now.

Stopping at a small window at the ER, I'm annoyed to find no one there. It is nearing midnight, but still.

Alec squeezes my hand but says nothing. I'm so tired and getting more annoyed by the second. A few seconds later, the ER doors swing open and a nurse comes out carrying what look like IV bags.

"Excuse me. I'm trying to get in to see my father, Frank Thomas." I say.

The nurse looks annoyed and tired but is kind when she answers. "If you have a seat, I will get someone to take you back to see him. I believe your mother is back there."

"Thank you," I say.

Alec and I go to the small waiting room.

Sitting down, I see Alec looking around. He looks mildly uncomfortable. "Alec, you can go to the hotel. You don't have to stay." I say. Not because I don't want him there. He just looks so out of place here.

"I'm okay," he says, squeezing my hand. "I don't want to leave you. I've just never been in a hospital this small before." he laughs. "I know you said your town was small. I guess I didn't realize how small."

I smile at him, shaking my head. "Thank you for coming."

"Always," he says.

Then another nurse appears and says that she can take me back. Alec must wait in the waiting room as he isn't family.

"I'll be right here if you need me," he says.

Nodding my head, I walk back with the black-haired nurse. "How is he?" I ask, not wanting to wait.

"Stable," is all that she says.

Swiping her badge in front of a button on the wall, the double doors swing open and I'm escorted to a row of beds. The ER is tiny. As tiny as I remember it was when I broke my arm when I was six. Five beds along a wall. Along the other wall is the nurse's station, which now with today's technology has a wall scattered with screens and monitors. The last bed is where my dad is.

Approaching his bed, I hear him and my mom arguing. It is the best sound that I've ever heard.

He's awake. He's alive.

"Dad!" I say, going to the bed and hugging him, probably a lot tighter than he wanted considering.

"Kelsey! What on earth are you doing here child?" he says excitedly, but I can hear in his voice that he's gla I'm here.

"Mom called me when you collapsed." I didn't even bother looking at her. She hasn't said a word to me since I walked in. "Of course I came, Dad." Looking at the monitors, it looks like his blood pressure is running high. "So what happened? Mom said that you collapsed and were unconscious."

He gave my mom a pointed look and looked back at me. "I'm fine, honey, really," he says, rubbing my hand. "It was nothing serious."

"Nothing serious?" My mother decides that now is her time to shine. "You had a fucking heart attack, Frank. I would say that is pretty fucking serious."

A heart attack? Jesus.

"Okay, Mom. Try to calm down." I say.

"Don't tell me to fucking calm down. You weren't there!" she yells.

Let the drama begin.

My dad exhales and looks at me with the same look of sympathy that he always has. Some shit will never change. I don't even respond to her. There isn't any point. She wins. She always does.

"A heart attack, dad? That is pretty serious. What did the doctor say?" I talk directly to my dad, ignoring my sorry excuse of a mother. I don't know why he has stayed with her all these years. She is mostly the reason he had the heart attack.

"He said I was lucky. Old Joe was outside walking his dog and saw me collapse. I was fortunate. He called the ambulance and we got here right quick. I'm okay, honey. Really. The doc is going to get me some meds and I'll be right as rain." he says smiling. I know that he's making light of this situation for me.

I'm highly annoyed with my mother, but I'll deal with her later. "I was expecting you to be in ICU when I got here. Thank God, that you aren't. I was so worried." I see my mother roll her eyes out of the corner of my eye and it takes everything in me not to lose my shit on her right there. She has some fucking nerve.

"I'll be discharged tomorrow morning. They just want to keep me and observe me for the rest of the night. You know, collect some money and all that nonsense."

He must be feeling better because he was rambling on about his political conspiracy theories.

"Well, if you are okay, Alec and I are going to the hotel. It has been a very long day." I say.

My dad raises an eyebrow. "Alec?" he says. "Something to tell me there baby girl?" he laughs.

I smile at him shyly. "I've meant to, yeah, sorry. I've been so busy with work. He's my boyfriend."

"Is it serious?" My dad asks.

"Of course it is." my mother spits out.

What the fuck. 

Biting my tongue, I smile at my dad and nod. "Yeah, I guess it is. He takes good care of me, Dad. I think you'll like him. You can meet him tomorrow." Pulling the extra blanket from the bottom of the bed up over him, I squeeze his hand. "Get some rest."

Looking at my mother who looks like absolute shit because I'm guessing she needs a drink or whatever fix from what she is on, I debate what to do with her.

"Do you need a ride home? You should let Dad get some rest. We can come and get him in the morning." She's biting her nails and bouncing her knee up and down. She looks at my dad as if looking for permission, not that he would ever care what she did.

They have been together all my life. To my knowledge, he has never been controlling. He's always supported her in every way. Why, I will never know. Even with her drinking and occasional drug use, he never left her side.

I guess I should just be glad that she was here. It was something, I guess.

"Go home and get some sleep, Karen. I'm fine," he says to her.

Standing up, she walks over to the bed, tears in her eyes, and kisses his cheek. "Are you sure? I can stay," she says quietly.

It's odd seeing her like this. Honestly, it's odd seeing the two of them like this together. They were never intimate in public. Like ever, my mom hardly ever showed emotion toward my dad.

Pulling my eyes away from them, I stand at the end of the bed, giving them space.

"I'll be home tomorrow. Go home," he says gently. Kissing my mom, he turns to me again.

"Take her home, kiddo. I love you both. I'll see you tomorrow. I'll let you know when to pick me up."

I laugh. "I'm sure I will be here before then."

"I figured as much." he laughs and coughs, sending a machine beeping and a nurse comes in.

"Okay, Dad. We're going. Love you." I say.

"Love you, too," he says. 

Exiting the ER in silence, I'm full of apprehension. With my mother in tow, I make my way out to Alec.

Well, babe. I hope you are ready.