If I Were Your Boyfriend (30 page)

paced the floor of the emergency room to keep myself from completely losing it. My nerves were completely shot. I needed a drink to calm myself down and get my mind off things. My body was craving alcohol so that I could relax and mellow out. Dealing with the reality right now was too difficult. I had no one. My dad was my world. If I lost him, I didn't know what I'd do. I didn't plan on calling my mother, but when I arrived, the hospital staff insisted that I contact her, since I was a minor. I kept exhaling all of the anxious thoughts that had consumed my mind.
Please don't die,
I kept repeating to myself over and over again.

  "Wesley," someone called. When I turned around, I saw Keysha rushing toward me. We embraced each other.

  "Oh, I'm so happy to see you," I said. "I'm so glad that you came."

  "I couldn't let you go through something like this alone," she said as I hugged her tighter.

  "How did you get here?" I asked.

  "My stepmom, Barbara, brought me here. She's parking the car right now."

  "This is so messed up, Keysha," Wesley said.

  "Hello, Wesley." Barbara came up to us. "I'm so sorry that we're meeting again under such difficult circumstances."

  "Thanks for coming. It means a lot to me," I said.

  "Keysha and I brought you a care package of necessary items you may need." Barbara handed me a bag filled with fresh towels, toothpaste, canned goods and other items.

  "Wow, thank you so much," I said, really appreciating their kindness.

  "Why don't we have a seat?" Barbara suggested.

  "Wesley, how is your dad?" Keysha asked.

  "I don't know. When I got in the ambulance, they were working on him. He was unconscious. I do know that he's alive but I don't know much else."

  "As long as he's still with us that's a good sign," said Barbara.

  I exhaled away my anxiety once again. I ran my fingers through my hair and then stood up.
Man, I need a drink,
I thought to myself. I began pacing the floor once again.

  "You know, if he doesn't pull through this, and I have to go back to living with my mother, I don't know what I'll do."

  "Where is your mother, Wesley? Does she know you're here?"

  "Yeah, the hospital staff insisted that I contact her. She's on her way over here now."

  "Do they know how the fire started?" Keysha asked.

  "I heard something about faulty wiring in a ceiling fan and inadvertent electrocution, but I'm not certain what it all means." I paused. "I'd just left him in the family room before I came over to your house. He was watching
The
Matrix.
He said that he was going to put up a new ceiling fan when the movie went off. I should've stayed to help him. This would not have happened had I stayed with him."

  "Oh, there you are. I've been looking all over this damn place for you, boy!" My mother walked over to where we were sitting. I studied her for a moment. She had on way too much eyeliner. It appeared as if she'd been drawing on her face with a crayon. She was sporting yet another big-hair wig. And the way she was dressed wasn't much better. She had on a hot pink jacket, an old faded Air Supply concert T-shirt that should have been thrown out years ago, a hot pink mini skirt with matching pink leg warmers and white tennis shoes.

  "So you finally drove your daddy so crazy that he tried to kill himself. I told him you were too much to handle. I told him you'd put him in his grave with that nasty attitude of yours." My mother smelled like a distillery and she was filled with negative energy.

  "Well, is he dead yet, because I still have insurance on him?" she asked.

  I couldn't take her and all of her madness. I blew up at her. "Why did you even come here? I told you that you didn't have to! You should have just stayed where you were, drinking yourself into a coma. I don't need you! My dad doesn't need you!"

  "Who in the hell are you shouting at?" she roared at me. "I mean, if he's sick and all, he can't take care of you so that means you'll be living right back in the house with me. That's a good thing because I really need that childsupport money."

  "Mom, just—just—leave! Okay?" I expressed my anger with my hands.

  "Honey, I'm here for you. Whether you like it or not, I'm your mother. And that's what moms are supposed to do." She paused. She got close to me and whispered, or at least she thought she was whispering, "You need a drink? 'Cause if you do, I got a little something down in my purse." She winked at me.

  "Hi, I'm Mrs. Kendall," Keysha's stepmom introduced herself.

  "Who the hell are you?" My mother gave her a nasty look.

  "I'm Wesley's neighbor. He and my daughter are good friends." Barbara pointed out Keysha, who waved at my mom.

  "She's kind of a homely looking girl, isn't she, Wesley?" my mother said, without regard for discretion.

  "She's been drinking. You'll have to excuse her," I apologized to Barbara.

  "You don't need to make any excuses for me, boy. I speak my mind and I don't care who hears it."

  I placed my hands in my face and moved away from her. I found a seat on the opposite side of the room and sat down.

  "Hey." Keysha came over to me and rubbed my shoulders.

  "It's going to be okay," she assured me.

  "She's given me a massive migraine headache," I said. "I feel as if I'm in a bad dream."

  "Wesley." Barbara came over to where Keysha and I were sitting. "The doctor is looking for you. He's talking to your mom now." I took my hands out of my face and exhaled. "I'm sorry about my mom," I apologized to Barbara once again.

  "It's okay," she said. "Go see about your dad."