I'm Forever [Craig Owens] |22|

Sometimes in life things happen that make life so surreal that you can't breathe. Your whole life stops, it breaks you down, and you pull yourself back together.
Lilly was currently trying to regrasp her sanity enough to comprehend what she just heard.
"What?" She asked, hoping maybe she heard it wrong.
"He had it yesterday morning. I tried calling you a few times after we got to the hospital; Richey said he'd try to get a hold of you." She explained.
Lilly was still trying to force out words or think of anything she could say.
"Where were you, your phone was off, and there was no answer at your house. Is everything okay?" She asked.
"What?" She asked, pausing for a second. "No, everything here is fine, is Dad okay?" She asked.
"He's stable. He's been asleep most of the night, and the day. I'm on my way to the hospital now." She explained.
"What room?" Lilly asked putting her shoes back on.
"517" She answered.
"I'll be there in a few minutes." Lilly informed her before hanging up her phone.
She put her shoes on the rest of the way and dug for a sweatshirt to wear on the rainy day.
"Where are you going?" Anne asked, holding a laundry basket.
"Hospital." Lilly answered.
"For what, what's wrong?" She asked sitting it down on the table and stopped Lilly.
"Dad had a stroke." Lilly answered before walking out the door quickly.
The whole ride to the hospital Lilly cursed herself. How could she not be around for something like this? She selfishly left home; didn't tell anyone she was leaving, just left to go see Craig. She was only thinking about herself. She couldn't believe she let herself get so caught up in something else that she wasn't there for her family.
Upon arriving to the hospital, Lilly was met with her mother. She handed her some coffee. Lilly didn't shake her head at the idea of coffee in midday like she usually would. She just drank it.
They walked in together. The hospital smelled like cough syrup. Everything was a bright white, the lights were almost taunting as they made it to the elevator. It made Lilly feel like she was supposed to be confessing something; anything. She didn't even have any secrets, but she felt like she did.
The elevator came to an abrupt stop and the doors opened snapping Lilly from kicking herself long enough to step off of the metallic box.
As they made it to the floor Richey was sitting in the waiting room. His dark brown hair was roughed up, but his blue polo and khakis remained firmly pressed like he was plastic. His tall stature leaned down to hug their mother, then Lilly.
"They're doing tests. They'll be done soon." He explained before anyone could ask.
Lilly took a seat next to the spot he was occupying before they had come in.
Lilly's mother sat next to their father's new wife. She was young about fifteen years younger than their mother.
"Are you alright honey?" Their mother asked placing her hand on the girls shoulder.
"Yeah." She nodded.
She seemed to be taking it pretty hard. And Lilly's mother was actually being nice to her, not that she wasn't always, she usually just had something critical to say about her on a daily basis.
Lilly's phone rang in her pocket. She jumped realizing she wasn't supposed to have it on in a hospital. She hurried to turn it off, standing up. The time she had sat in the waiting room felt like days, it was only a few hours.
"I'll be back." Lilly informed everyone. "I think I need some air." She rubbed her face as she walked out of the room.

She took the steps this time. They seemed safer, but secluded. They smelled like pine sol and didn't fit in with the rest of the white theme of the hospital, considering they were brown, and the hall was tan.
She took in a deep breath when she got outside. It had gotten dark out in the time they had been waiting to hear anything about Lilly's father.
If there was ever a time in her life that Lilly needed a cigarette now would have been that time.
She sat down on the curb and pulled out her phone, turning it back on. She checked the missed call. It was Craig. She hit the call button and waited for the ring.
"Hello?" He answered.
"Hey." She sighed.
"What's up?" He asked. "I just tried calling you and it went to voice mail after like two rings." He stated.
"I know I had to shut it off." She informed him.
"You didn't call when you got home, is everything okay?" He asked.
Lilly waited a moment before explaining.
"My dad had a stroke." She stated.
Craig was silent for a few minutes before replying. "What? I'm sorry. Is he alright?" He asked.
"I don't know. I haven't seen him yet. They've been running tests since I got here. Apparently they had him stable last night." She explained.
"Oh Lilly." Craig sighed. "I'm so sorry." He apologized again.
"I just hope he's okay." She sighed running her hand through her hair.
"I'm sure he is. He seems like a strong guy." Craig reassured. "Are you okay?" He asked making sure.
"Yeah." She sighed not even caring she was sitting on a damp sidewalk.
"I love you." He stated.
"I know. I love you too." She replied wishing he were there with her.
Lilly caught eye of Richey walking out the door. "Well, Richey is coming outside, I'll call you back when I get home if it isn't too late." She told him.
"Okay, make sure you call, it's never too late." He reassured her.
"Love you."
"Love you, too. Bye." She stated hanging up.
Richey walked in her direction as she stood. "The doctor just came out. He said he's alright for now, and it's probably best we all just go home for the night, we can see him in the morning." He informed her.
Lilly sighed, rubbing her eyes.
"Where were you?" He asked. "I've been trying to get a hold of you since yesterday morning."
"I went with Jen, Emily, and Andrea to see the guys." She explained.
"Why was your phone off?" He asked.
"It was dead." She informed him.
"Well, thats great. Dad's having a stroke and you're hanging out with your boyfriend doing god knows what. Way to forget about your family, Lilly." He lectured.
"I didn't forget, I was only gone for two days." She tried.
"You've been gone since you started dating him. You're different, he changed you; do you even care about us anymore? Because if you do you have a real shitty way of showing it." He turned on heel and left her with that. The tears in Lilly's eyes were uncontrollable as she ran to her car.

You'll be so beautiful, so charming.