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He stretched his arms before letting out a yawn. “I’m fine. It’s just stress and I’m tired.”
“Then I think you need to get some rest.” She reached into her pocket for a pen and scribbled something on her pad. “The doctor can give you something to help you relax.”
“No thanks,” he said in a strong, sure voice. “I’m done with pills.” Instead, he took a sip of the cold coffee from the cup Heather had left behind. The nurse got him a blanket from the bottom of the closet as he sat down in one of the green chairs. She held it out; he took it, covered himself, and slowly drifted off to sleep.
Michael’s lips pursed as though he were about to say something but changed his mind.
“What?” Steven asked.
“You can say something to him.”
“My dad?”
“Yeah. When they’re in between waking and sleep, we can reach them.”
“What about my mom?”
“Right now, your dad needs you more.”
Steven hesitated, watching the man stretched out in the chair like he’d be there for a while.
“Dad.”
Nothing.
“Dad.”
Hector’s eyes shot open, but he didn’t move a muscle. He didn’t remember being in a bright white room, with no window and no hospital bed. Hector looked around the endless space and saw nothing and no one, until he heard a voice behind him call out, “Dad!”
He turned around slowly. Steven stood in front of him, a smile plastered on his face.
“Dad.”
Hector’s dark brown eyes glistened as he could feel
more tears on his face. Hector reached up and touched Steven’s face to see if it were real. Although he could sense that he was dreaming, it didn’t matter. It was as good as the real thing. Hector pulled Steven into his arms, letting his head drop onto Steven’s shoulder. It was as though Steven was the father and now Hector was the child.
Hector’s face lifted. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, so sorry,” he repeated with his head shaking in disbelief, all excuses forgotten; everything else forgotten. The only thing that mattered right now was his son.
“It’s okay. Remember, I forgave you,” Steven said, wiping his father’s tears with the back of a trembling hand. “But, Dad, I’m going to need you to forgive yourself. You may have disappointed me, but I’ve learned that I can’t hold onto things either, letting them eat at me, stressing me out.”
“Yes, Son. But I’m not sure if things will go back to being the same.”
“Remember how you felt about Mom when you first met her? After a while you fell in love with her. You found love between each other, and nothing can top that. I’m not saying that things will go back to normal, because I’m not sure how much more Mom can take. The drugs turned you into a totally different person, and we weren’t sure whether you could change back. I know I had my doubts.”
Hector hugged him again. “You won’t ever have to doubt me again, Son.”
“I know that, but Mom needs to know that. She was the one much more hurt by you than me. I’m just a messenger. Don’t go back to the way you were, even before you got into drugs. A part of you was hurting even then. Losing your job didn’t make you turn to drugs.”
“I know I must change, but it’s hard. I’m not sure talking will help.” Hector’s face twisted with confusion.
“Prayer; therapy; Ms. Willis. Do something, because you don’t have much time. Before you know it, we’ll be gone and the time for healing will pass.”
Steven turned away and walked back toward Michael. Hector reached out for him, stopping him. “Where are you going?”
“It’s time for you to wake up, Dad. You have a lot of work to do, and only you can do it.” Hector pursed his lips to say something else, but Steven was gone.
“Steven… Steven… Steven!!” Hector waited for his son to come back.
