Nom De Plume

December 8th, 2019 11:22
When the phone rang, I was laughing and dyeing my cousins’ hair
That all changed in an instant
“William got hit by a car”
I blinked and I was in the car driving
My mind blank yet racing a mile a minute

Hospital doors swoosh open
I ran to the front desk with a million questions
As I manage to form the words “Is there a William Cota here?”
I get shot down with “We don’t have anyone under that name here, Hun”
I put my pain, my emotions, and my uncertainties in the deepest darkest room in the back of my head
“But we do have a young man with serious injuries, take a seat”

Now we wait

The wait was over, finally.
“Too many bones broken to count, possible brain injuries, collapsed lung, compound fracture to the left leg”
You choke up in a moment like that
We said what we were supposed to say “Okay thanks”
The clock ticks on the wall
Two hours, four hours, until the whole night has passed.

Now we wait

I couldn’t stop to worry about myself, how could I?
My problems were miniscule compared to what was going on around my physical self.
You collect the pieces of yourself and go into auto pilot and do what you have to
Who else is going to do it?
You don’t ever ask for help and you never expect it.

Surgery after surgery
It’s ironic right
No matter how hard anyone tries
What’s meant to happen will always happen
A month past since the accident
Talk of amputation plagued my mind

Now we wait

I get another call
“They have to amputate”
Everyone knew the chances
Everyone knew what would happen if they try to save his leg
So, we were stuck, again
Mind full of uncertainties, again

January 15th, 2020
William rolls to our front door
I say “Hi”
He looks up with teary eyes “Hi”
A new life
A new challenge

Now we wait