No Control (1) “Life’s Unexpected”
Chapter 2 : No Control (2) “I Told You She Was Alive!”
“Mike… I’ll talk to you later. I have to go.” I hung up quickly and sat up.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, but my dad was unable to speak. He walked forward slowly and sat down on the bed next to me. For a second all my anger towards him faded away. I had only seen my dad cry once, when my grandma passed away, so seeing him cry again scared me more than ever.
“Mary… Mom… she’s…. she’s…” he spoke in between breaths, unable to say what he was meaning to.“What dad? What happened to mom?”
“She’s dead.” At first, I thought this was a cruel joke, but the seriousness on my dad’s face made it all become a reality.
“Mom’s gone?” I could hardly breath. My lungs felt like they were caught on my ribcage. Tears escaped my eyes. My dad’s hands quickly wrapped around me and I cried on his shoulder. My dad and I cried for hours, non stop. Our faces became red and blotchy and our eyes puffy.
The time passed slowly. I had no idea what we were going to do. I hadn’t even gotten the courage to ask my dad how she died. We just cried for hours on end. Life seemed to be at a halt and there was nothing I could do to make it go by faster.
We hadn’t moved off of my bed in over 4 hours and I was becoming stiff.
Suddenly my cell phone rang, relieving me from my sitting position. I didn’t know if it would be rude to answer it in a time like this, so I glanced at my dad for a quick sec. He nodded, his eyes still red.
“Hello?” I said with a jerky voice.
“It’s been over four hours… are you okay? You usually call me back by now.” I knew exactly who was on the other line.
“I’m sorry Mike. My mom… she’s…” I couldn’t manage to get the words out. I didn’t want to believe that it were actually true.
“What Emily? What happened?” Mike asked worried over the phone.
I began to cry more. I heard Mike gasp and I figured he understood exactly what that meant.
“I’ll come get you! I have something that will take your mind off of this whole thing.”
I nodded forgetting that he couldn’t see me.
I hesitated for a second, thinking about leaving my dad here, but then remembered what I caught him doing earlier. I no longer wanted to be near him. The day my mom…. Passed… he was fucking some other woman. I felt as though he needs to suffer.
“Okay!” I said over the phone.
“I’ll be right over!” Mike hung up the receiver.
“Dad, I’m leaving. Mike is coming to get me.”
“You can’t just leave like that. There are things that need to be done, things that need to be planned.” he yelled at me, no longer crying.“I need to get out of this house for now. I can’t stay here.”
“Yes you can, and you will. I’m your father and you will do just as I say.”
I shook my head at him.
“Exactly, you’re my father. That’s it! You’ll always be my father, the person who brought me into this world, but you’ll never be my dad. It takes hard work to be a dad. Not just anyone can be that.” I yelled back at him and left my room, slamming the door behind me. I stomped down the stairs like a 5 year old not getting her way, but I didn’t care, I was in pain… I needed to leave this house as soon as possible.
I didn’t even wait for Mike to reach my house before I began walking. He saw me on the sidewalk and pulled over to the side of the road.
“Where are you going? I thought I was coming to get you?” he asked.
“I couldn’t stand being there any longer.” I grabbed the handle to the door and got in.
“I’m so sorry!” Mike unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned over the center console of his truck to give me a hug. I couldn’t help but cry. He was my best friend and the only person who truly cared for me. Not even my own boyfriend cared like Mike did.
He pulled away slowly and wiped a tear from my eye with his finger.
He put his seat belt back on and switched the truck into drive.
“I hope this cheers you up.” Mike said to himself. I don’t think he meant for me to hear it although I did.
“Where are we going?” I asked. I didn’t want to seem to nosy, but we had been driving for a good 20 minutes now and I still had no idea.
“My work…” I looked at him confused. His work was supposed to cheer me up? Maybe he just thought that going with him would help me get my mind off of what has happened.
“They called me back in. I thought I was done, but they said they needed more photo’s.” he mumbled, kind of speaking to me, but at the same time he wasn’t. We turned into a parking lot 5 minutes later and he parked right in front.
“Do I look okay?” I asked him.
He nodded and smiled. He said something after that under his breath, but I didn’t catch it.
We both walked into his work and were bombarded by people.“Mike, thank god you’re here. They have been waiting for hours. Lucky for you they are extremely patient and well mannered.
“Sorry, I had some things I needed to take care of. I had no idea we weren’t done.” He smiled and me and grabbed my hand. We walked into his studio room and he pulled up a seat for me.
“Thanks.” I sat down on the cushiony chair and brought my knees to my chin. I watched Mike set up a back drop and a few props to go along with it. I figured that this would probably bore me, and I was so tired as it was, I fell asleep instantly.
“I wonder if she’s alive?” I heard a voice say.
“Look, she’s breathing, she must be.” another voice echoed.
I groaned and slowly opened my eyes.
I forgot for a second where I was, but then noticed the set in front of me. I looked to my right and noticed a younger boy sitting beside me.
My eyes still hadn’t adjusted to the light so I had no idea who it was. I quickly rubbed my eyes and then realized exactly who was sitting next to me.
Nick Jonas was right beside me. I had to be dreaming. I rubbed my eyes again. Nope it was really him. How can this be. I thought for a second and then realized who the rock band Mike was taking pictures of was.
“I told you she was alive!” I turned my head to my left and saw Kevin.
I gulped loudly.
“I think she knows who we are!” Kevin laughed.
I stayed quiet. I was star struck. What was I supposed to say? Hi I’m Emily, my mom died today, it’s so nice to meet you. No way.
“Oh, Emily, I see you’ve met Kevin and Nick.” Mike smiled as he walked towards me.
I nodded.
Kevin stood up.
“She doesn’t talk much.” Kevin said in a hushed tone to Mike.
“Oh, believe me she does… once you get to know her she never shuts up.” Mike laughed.
“So, Joe is done with his single shots… Nick you’re up.”
“It was nice meeting you Emily!” Nick stuck out his hand for me to shake. I slowly maneuvered my hand to his and shook it.
“Maybe I’ll see you again later.” he said and followed Mike to the other room.
“So… what brings you to the studio Emily?” Kevin sat back down on the chair beside me.
“Mike…” I said trying to have a conversation.
“Oh… is he like your boyfriend?” Kevin asked.
“No… he’s my best friend.” I smiled. I brought my knees even closer to my chest and squeezed them tight against my body. I was so nervous speaking to Kevin about my life. He was famous, he should have no interest in anything about me.
“Good… I thought he was.” I looked at Kevin confused.
“Oh… no, I didn’t mean it as good that he’s not your boyfriend… I meant ‘good, now I won’t get in trouble for asking you to dinner’ tonight.”
I felt a small smile creep upon my face. It quickly disappeared as I remembered that I had a boyfriend. A not so friendly one at that.
“Sorry… I can’t go.” His smiled dropped.
“Is it okay if I ask why?”
I nodded and answered. “I have a boyfriend.”
“Oh. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed. Why wouldn’t a pretty girl like you have a boyfriend.”
“Kevin, your up!” Mike yelled from the other room.
“Sorry, I have to go. Maybe I’ll see you again later!” I nodded and watched him walk away. Never in a million years did I ever expect to meet my favorite band of all time. I just wondered why it had to happen on the day of my mothers death. My mind wandered back to how she died. I hadn’t even asked my dad how it happened. I guess in the back of my mind I really didn’t want to know. I just wanted to remember her the way she was, not the way I pictured her death.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, but my dad was unable to speak. He walked forward slowly and sat down on the bed next to me. For a second all my anger towards him faded away. I had only seen my dad cry once, when my grandma passed away, so seeing him cry again scared me more than ever.
“Mary… Mom… she’s…. she’s…” he spoke in between breaths, unable to say what he was meaning to.“What dad? What happened to mom?”
“She’s dead.” At first, I thought this was a cruel joke, but the seriousness on my dad’s face made it all become a reality.
“Mom’s gone?” I could hardly breath. My lungs felt like they were caught on my ribcage. Tears escaped my eyes. My dad’s hands quickly wrapped around me and I cried on his shoulder. My dad and I cried for hours, non stop. Our faces became red and blotchy and our eyes puffy.
The time passed slowly. I had no idea what we were going to do. I hadn’t even gotten the courage to ask my dad how she died. We just cried for hours on end. Life seemed to be at a halt and there was nothing I could do to make it go by faster.
We hadn’t moved off of my bed in over 4 hours and I was becoming stiff.
Suddenly my cell phone rang, relieving me from my sitting position. I didn’t know if it would be rude to answer it in a time like this, so I glanced at my dad for a quick sec. He nodded, his eyes still red.
“Hello?” I said with a jerky voice.
“It’s been over four hours… are you okay? You usually call me back by now.” I knew exactly who was on the other line.
“I’m sorry Mike. My mom… she’s…” I couldn’t manage to get the words out. I didn’t want to believe that it were actually true.
“What Emily? What happened?” Mike asked worried over the phone.
I began to cry more. I heard Mike gasp and I figured he understood exactly what that meant.
“I’ll come get you! I have something that will take your mind off of this whole thing.”
I nodded forgetting that he couldn’t see me.
I hesitated for a second, thinking about leaving my dad here, but then remembered what I caught him doing earlier. I no longer wanted to be near him. The day my mom…. Passed… he was fucking some other woman. I felt as though he needs to suffer.
“Okay!” I said over the phone.
“I’ll be right over!” Mike hung up the receiver.
“Dad, I’m leaving. Mike is coming to get me.”
“You can’t just leave like that. There are things that need to be done, things that need to be planned.” he yelled at me, no longer crying.“I need to get out of this house for now. I can’t stay here.”
“Yes you can, and you will. I’m your father and you will do just as I say.”
I shook my head at him.
“Exactly, you’re my father. That’s it! You’ll always be my father, the person who brought me into this world, but you’ll never be my dad. It takes hard work to be a dad. Not just anyone can be that.” I yelled back at him and left my room, slamming the door behind me. I stomped down the stairs like a 5 year old not getting her way, but I didn’t care, I was in pain… I needed to leave this house as soon as possible.
I didn’t even wait for Mike to reach my house before I began walking. He saw me on the sidewalk and pulled over to the side of the road.
“Where are you going? I thought I was coming to get you?” he asked.
“I couldn’t stand being there any longer.” I grabbed the handle to the door and got in.
“I’m so sorry!” Mike unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned over the center console of his truck to give me a hug. I couldn’t help but cry. He was my best friend and the only person who truly cared for me. Not even my own boyfriend cared like Mike did.
He pulled away slowly and wiped a tear from my eye with his finger.
He put his seat belt back on and switched the truck into drive.
“I hope this cheers you up.” Mike said to himself. I don’t think he meant for me to hear it although I did.
“Where are we going?” I asked. I didn’t want to seem to nosy, but we had been driving for a good 20 minutes now and I still had no idea.
“My work…” I looked at him confused. His work was supposed to cheer me up? Maybe he just thought that going with him would help me get my mind off of what has happened.
“They called me back in. I thought I was done, but they said they needed more photo’s.” he mumbled, kind of speaking to me, but at the same time he wasn’t. We turned into a parking lot 5 minutes later and he parked right in front.
“Do I look okay?” I asked him.
He nodded and smiled. He said something after that under his breath, but I didn’t catch it.
We both walked into his work and were bombarded by people.“Mike, thank god you’re here. They have been waiting for hours. Lucky for you they are extremely patient and well mannered.
“Sorry, I had some things I needed to take care of. I had no idea we weren’t done.” He smiled and me and grabbed my hand. We walked into his studio room and he pulled up a seat for me.
“Thanks.” I sat down on the cushiony chair and brought my knees to my chin. I watched Mike set up a back drop and a few props to go along with it. I figured that this would probably bore me, and I was so tired as it was, I fell asleep instantly.
“I wonder if she’s alive?” I heard a voice say.
“Look, she’s breathing, she must be.” another voice echoed.
I groaned and slowly opened my eyes.
I forgot for a second where I was, but then noticed the set in front of me. I looked to my right and noticed a younger boy sitting beside me.
My eyes still hadn’t adjusted to the light so I had no idea who it was. I quickly rubbed my eyes and then realized exactly who was sitting next to me.
Nick Jonas was right beside me. I had to be dreaming. I rubbed my eyes again. Nope it was really him. How can this be. I thought for a second and then realized who the rock band Mike was taking pictures of was.
“I told you she was alive!” I turned my head to my left and saw Kevin.
I gulped loudly.
“I think she knows who we are!” Kevin laughed.
I stayed quiet. I was star struck. What was I supposed to say? Hi I’m Emily, my mom died today, it’s so nice to meet you. No way.
“Oh, Emily, I see you’ve met Kevin and Nick.” Mike smiled as he walked towards me.
I nodded.
Kevin stood up.
“She doesn’t talk much.” Kevin said in a hushed tone to Mike.
“Oh, believe me she does… once you get to know her she never shuts up.” Mike laughed.
“So, Joe is done with his single shots… Nick you’re up.”
“It was nice meeting you Emily!” Nick stuck out his hand for me to shake. I slowly maneuvered my hand to his and shook it.
“Maybe I’ll see you again later.” he said and followed Mike to the other room.
“So… what brings you to the studio Emily?” Kevin sat back down on the chair beside me.
“Mike…” I said trying to have a conversation.
“Oh… is he like your boyfriend?” Kevin asked.
“No… he’s my best friend.” I smiled. I brought my knees even closer to my chest and squeezed them tight against my body. I was so nervous speaking to Kevin about my life. He was famous, he should have no interest in anything about me.
“Good… I thought he was.” I looked at Kevin confused.
“Oh… no, I didn’t mean it as good that he’s not your boyfriend… I meant ‘good, now I won’t get in trouble for asking you to dinner’ tonight.”
I felt a small smile creep upon my face. It quickly disappeared as I remembered that I had a boyfriend. A not so friendly one at that.
“Sorry… I can’t go.” His smiled dropped.
“Is it okay if I ask why?”
I nodded and answered. “I have a boyfriend.”
“Oh. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed. Why wouldn’t a pretty girl like you have a boyfriend.”
“Kevin, your up!” Mike yelled from the other room.
“Sorry, I have to go. Maybe I’ll see you again later!” I nodded and watched him walk away. Never in a million years did I ever expect to meet my favorite band of all time. I just wondered why it had to happen on the day of my mothers death. My mind wandered back to how she died. I hadn’t even asked my dad how it happened. I guess in the back of my mind I really didn’t want to know. I just wanted to remember her the way she was, not the way I pictured her death.
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