Impossibly Forever: Two Books in One (Impossibly Duology) (13 page)

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Branden

  
I wasn’t surprised
when Moya ignored my call. Who was I kidding? 
After what I’d said to her, why would she ever speak to me again? That sucked a
lot, especially since my surgery was scheduled only three days away.

  
I had discussed it with Doctor Henderson without my parents. That didn’t go so
well when I told them I made the decision in their absence. After seeing my
chest scan from the last visit, it was imperative I did the surgery soon before
the flooded channel erupted.

  
My chances of recovery were slim, they had to work closely to my heart; but I
had to go through with the surgery. First, I had to tell Moya. If the surgery
wasn’t successful and I ended up dying, at least she’d know how I felt about
her, that I loved her.

  
Feeling tired from lying in bed all day staring at the empty ceiling, I went
downstairs to get a snack from the kitchen and watch television. I ruffled
through the cupboards, only spotting organic chips and fiber bars. I hated
those. When I got to the refrigerator, I glimpsed Mom out of the corner of my
eye, sitting out back alone. She was staring into space.

  
I closed the fridge after finding nothing of interest in there as well, and
then walked outside and sat down next to her.

  
She looked startled, seeing me. “Branden, are you all right? Do you need
something?”

  
I squeezed her hand. “Mom, I’m fine. Why do you always ask me that?”

  
Mom sank deeper in the chair, her eyes closed from exhaustion. “Because I’m
your mother, Branden, and I want to take care of you.”

  
We stayed quiet for a while, the sound of crickets reverberating around us. I
was about to get up and leave her with her thoughts, when suddenly, Mom gripped
my hand and I slid back in the chair.

  
“I wasn’t upset when Doctor Henderson told me what you wanted to do, only
afraid it might not work.” She said.

  
A tear ran down her cheek and I wiped it away, hugging her right after. “It’ll
be okay, Mom. I’ll be okay. You’ll see.”

  
When I released her, Mom smiled weakly. I took her hand and we both walked back
inside the house. Leaving her at the bottom of the stairs, I headed up toward
my room.

  
She called out in an afterthought, “Branden, Doctor Henderson told me the real
reason behind your decision. I’m actually surprised at how I’m taking it. I’m
not troubled at all.”

  
I rotated and looked down at her. Mom continued, “That girl, Moya, when I saw
the look in her eyes that night we were in Berlin Heights, I think I knew then
she had impacted your world someway.”

  
Mom tilted her head and smiled sincerely before going into the living room. I
wasn’t sure where that came from, but I was glad she hadn’t fumed about me
wanting to risk death for a girl.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Moya

  
Deciding to drive back to school
early Sunday morning, the first thing I
did when I woke up was call Vanessa to let her know. She suspected something
wasn’t right from my tone and said she’d drive back with me.

  
I had completely lost my appetite after Momma’s confession the night before. I
hadn’t eaten dinner. There didn’t seem to be much point to eating breakfast,
either, no matter how many times she knocked on my bedroom door.

  
I’d have to I face her, soon, but right then all I wanted was to drive back to
Harrington and get away from Momma and anything having to do with my father.

  
I gathered some stuff I needed, along with the books I brought with me, and
then headed to the kitchen to get my keys. I nearly collapsed when I saw the
man sitting around the oval table waiting for me.

  
Momma was standing at the kitchen counter. She straightened as I entered,
tightening her jacket around her. “Moya, before you say anything, please, just
listen.”

  
I couldn’t hear a word she was saying. I was unable to break my gaze from the
familiar almond shaped, dark brown eyes peering at me. I swallowed hard as he
rose from the chair—my favorite one at that. “Hey, baby girl.” He smiled, and
my heart rejoiced. How I had missed that smile. “Well, I guess I shouldn’t call
you that anymore. Look at you; you’ve grown into a fine young lady.”

  
Shaking off the vulnerable girl within and replacing her with the angrier me, I
quailed when he moved closer, as if he believed we were on good terms now that
Momma had told me the truth.

  
“What is he doing here?” I growled, looking over at Momma, clenching the towel
anxiously in her hand by the sink. “So you think this makes it better, bringing
him here?”

  
Plucking my keys off the counter, I stormed out the kitchen and out the front
door, slamming it behind. I rushed to my car, stopping at the end of the
walkway as the front door flew open abruptly.

  
Vanessa turned on the corner toward my house then. “Girl, what’s up, why are we
going back so early?” She gaped as my father ran out. “Oh my God, is that—”

  
“Yes, let’s get out of here,” I shouted.

  
He walked over, holding his hands up in the air as if I held a gun on him.
“Moya, please, let’s talk for a while.”

  
I had no words for him. I’d been too bitter all those years believing he was
some deadbeat Dad. Now that I knew the truth, I felt a little ashamed, even
though it wasn’t my fault or his.

  
Too nervous to meet his eyes, I looked down the street as I said, “I can’t…I
know she lied about you and kept you from me, but I still feel like you
should’ve tried harder.”

  
Vanessa looked from him to me, utterly confused by what was happening before
her eyes. “Um, maybe you should stay and talk for a bit?” she suggested.

  
“No.” I moved around the car to the driver’s side and told her to get in.

  
“I swear, y’all are like a soap opera around here,” she muttered, settling in
the passenger side.

  
My father hurried around and rested his hand on my door. “You’re right, and I
should have,” he admitted. “When I started my business and it did well, I
wanted more than ever to share that with you, baby girl. Your momma told me you
hated me and didn’t want to see me, and I didn’t think I could convince you
otherwise.” He dropped his head, falling silent for a moment until a ghost of a
laugh escaped his throat—the sound wry and bittersweet. “You always did choose
her side when she and I fought. I knew she’d get you to hate me.”

  
“Stop,” I shrieked. “Don’t you dare use that, there’s no excuse. The truth is
you gave up.”        

  
He touched my shoulder lightly. “Oh, don’t you see, baby girl? Even though she
told you the truth, you’re still clinging to what she told you then. You’re
still taking her side.”

  
His words sank in, and I hesitated putting my foot on the gas.

  
Seeing I wasn’t driving off, he continued, “Let’s start over, Moya. I know I’ve
missed a lot and I can’t make up for that time. I’m asking for a chance now.
Please?”

  
My heart wanted to reach out and accept, tell him I’d missed him, too, that I
needed him. But the other part of me, the stubborn part, couldn’t let it go.

  
I turned to look him straight in the eye. “It’s too late,” I said, my words
came out soft.

  
With a twist of my keys, the car engine roared to life, drowning out any
possible response as I stared straight ahead. I could feel his dark eyes—so
like mine—on me as I drove off.

  
I reached the end of the street and waited at the stop sign, glancing in the
rearview mirror to see if he was still standing in the spot I’d left him. He
was, as if he was hoping I would change my mind and turn around.

  
Vanessa sighed, then asked, “You all right, girl?”

  
I looked away from the rearview mirror and continued driving. “I’m fine,” I
whispered. “Everything’s fine.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Branden

  
The next day I woke up in agony
. The meds weren’t kicking in. If
anything they made the pain worse. I’d hoped to see Moya that night before
class on Monday. It didn’t seem like that was going to happen now.

  
Mom called Doctor Henderson to let him know I was on my way to the hospital,
and I feared I’d have to do surgery sooner than anticipated.

  
When I got to St. Joseph’s Medical Center, I was admitted and Doctor Henderson
did another chest x-ray.

  
I remained in a room with my parents and Ashton afterwards, still consumed in
pain. Then Doctor Henderson walked in, looking calm. “We have to get you ready
for surgery tonight. There was another doctor I wanted present – which is why
we scheduled for Wednesday – but, I’m sorry, Branden. Your condition is
progressing at a much faster rate than we expected and it’s imperative we act
tonight,” Doctor Henderson said, his eyes meeting mine with candid sincerity
that left his unspoken words hanging in the air.”

  
Mom gasped. Ashton moved away from the bed and towards the window. I knew what
Doctor Henderson couldn’t say. That didn’t bother me so much as knowing I
wouldn’t have the chance to speak to Moya before doing surgery.

  
Dad walked over to Doctor Henderson and grabbed his arms. “Listen to me, Doc.
You do everything in your power, you hear me? You make sure my son makes it
past tonight, because if he doesn’t… if he doesn’t…”

  
I couldn’t believe my eyes. My father, a man who was always so unyielding, so
put-together, was breaking down.

  
Ashton hurried over to him and scurried him out of the room, while Mom remained
at my side.

  
Doctor Henderson cleared his throat as me came closer to me. His lab coat
wrinkled where Dad had grabbed him. Neither Mom nor Doctor Henderson seemed to
notice. “We’re preparing the OR for you now. It’ll be about another fifteen
minutes and we’ll be good to go.”

  
He looked down at my face, compassion in his eyes as he reached out to give my
shoulder a firm squeeze. With a nod for my mother, he turned and left without
another word.

  
Mom clutched my hand and looked at me with the bravest face she could conjure.
I whispered through the agony, “Mom, if I don’t make it, could you please tell
Moya that I love her?”

  
She raised her eyebrows. “Of course you’ll make it,
then
you can tell her yourself. If you want, I could call her for you before Doctor
Henderson comes back.”

  
I turned my head and stared out the door. “She won’t answer. She hates me right
now. Maybe
it’s
better that way,” I said under my
breath.

  
Mom had a confounded look on her face. She made to inquire further, only Dad
and Ashton returned.

  
Dad walked over to the bed, struggling to compose himself. “Branden, you’ll be
okay, son. You will.”

  
Ashton jerked his shoulder and stepped closer to my side. “Jeez, can you both
get a grip. He’s finally going to have this aortic dissection crap out of his
life for good.”

  
My parents nodded at each other and at me. The room stayed silent until Doctor
Henderson came back, bringing with him a nurse and another doctor that bore a
marked resemblance to the actress—Julianna Margulies—who played Nurse Hathaway
on ER. The whole scene reminded me of the popular television series.

  
“This is Doctor Moore, she’ll be assisting me during surgery,” Doctor Henderson
explained. “Doctor Ramirez couldn’t be here on such short notice.”

  
The Julianna lookalike greeted my parents then observed me as the nurse set up
an IV.

  
I started to feel tired from the pain. The nurse asked everyone to leave the
room so she could get me ready for surgery.

  
Dad treaded away and Ashton followed behind. Before stepping out, though, Mom
eased down and kissed my cheek. She whispered, “I love you, Branden.”

  
I smiled and replied, “Remember what I said.” Then instantly after, I was
overpowered by fear as the momentous hour drew close, comforted only by Moya’s
fiery brown eyes and the loving way she once stared at me.