"Is this Joy Smith I'm speaking to? It's the city central hospital..." says a female voice at the other end of the phone.
"It is" I respond confused.
"Your father is being recovered at the hospital due to an injury caused by a car crash." My eyes widen all at once after the hospital lady finishes the sentence.
"Is-is-is my dad okay?" I can tell my voice is shaky because I hear my voice come out broken and my throat feels inexplicably dry.
"He's being recovered at the hospital right now, the doctors are hopeful but it looks like he's going to need a blood transfusion."
"Th-thank you, I-i..." I don't even finish the sentence that the line is cut. I look up and notice Josh's worried eyes. "My dad is at the hospital."
"Then what are we waiting for let's go, we are near my house, I will grab my keys and I can drive us there ok?" he says trying to make out a smile to reassure me, "I'll call Alis and let her know for you, okay?"
I nod repeteatly, trying to hold back the tears that eventually seep out of my eyelids regardless. I just make out a 'thanks' with my lips, which Josh picks up despite the low light of dusk. We never made it to wherever Josh was going to take me to, but that is the least of my worries right now. My dad disappeared last night out of nowhere and the next news I get are that he's recovered at the hospital. This situation is eerie to say the least. My thoughts are a confused mess trying to piece out the complete picture of an old puzzle with half of the pieces missing.
°°°
"Are you okayyyyy?" screams Alis throwing her arms around me once she meets me at the hospital. My nostrils are quickly invested by her signature strawberry toffee sent that warms me up inside despite the situation we are in at the moment. I can tell that she was worried because her face is pale despite her natural slightly tanned skin, and her arms are cold and wetted by the pattering rain from outside and her curly hair hang loose being soaked by the water.
"The doctors ran some further analysis, he has a broken rib and will undergo a severe surgery. Joy will have to donate her blood if she's a match." Explains Josh for me.
"Oh, okay. Sorry who are you?" Alis inclines her head showing how hard she's trying to recognise him, but fails.
"He's Josh, my friend", I reply aburtly, shoking even myself after uttering the word 'friend'. "we share a few classes together." I can tell that Josh didn't expect that because he gives me a perplexed look and then smiles. I don't blame him, I have been very cold towards him ever since we met and nothing about my behaviour gave good friend vibes. I wonder how he knows about Alis though, since she doesn't know him. Creeped out, I drop the swarming thoughts in my head, afraid of my fervent imagination and my tendency to jump straight to conclusions.
"Oh cool, you have never mentioned him before, cool..."
"It's a pretty recent thing" I say, trying my best to keep eye contact with Alis and hide the constant nervous shivers that travel up and down my spinial cord, "He drove me here, and he was the person that called you for me."
"Ohh right! I was so shocked that I didn't even think of that! That makes-"
"Joy Smith." Alis doesn't have the time to finish the sentence she started that I'm called in for analysis. A tall figure with medium shoulders, dark skin and a friendly voice. He looks at the paper a few times to make sure he's calling the right person before looking up to find the person he's calling. I stand up and I'm invited in the room where they take my blood for analysis. Prestine white walls and the irrefutable bitter scent of cleaning agents awake for a split second the memories of the last time I was in an hospital. The nurse directs my movements to make sure I follow the presidures correctly. I carefully take a sit and after they are done taking the blood sample I'm back in the waiting room, especting the results from the nurse to come back with positive news. I'm resting on Alis's lap and Josh is stood up resting one leg on the wall. We are all quiet. A comfortable yet tense quiet. I can't help but feel for dragging both of them in my mess. I'm worried about what the results might say knowing that I might not be a match, as he's not biological father. After minutes that feel like days the same male nurse with melanin skin and a tall stature comes back with the results.
"It was a match, your blood type is able to donate, however through the test we found out that you two aren't related, although he's put down as your father on the paperwork, we'll have to update the system," He says with a calm voice. I'm not surprised by the news after the letter and I make way to donate the remaining blood necessary for the transfusion. This confirms that I do indeed have a brother out there, whose memory I have forgotten. It also explains why most of my childhood feels like a blur, erroneously blaming this phenomenon to my bad memory.
°°°
"What happened dad? You just left out of the blue, where did you go?" I say facing my dad, one leg resting on the hospital bed, completely aware that no answer will come from him. The still yet regular breathing coming from my dad and the clicking noise of the apparatuses in the room all aid to build an atmosphere of unknown. It hurts to see him like this, it's even more painful the reality that this wouldn't have happened if I didn't ask. If my mother had said everything in the letter. If I had followed him the moment he left his office instead of being immobile, feet planted to the ground recounting the words that had already escaped my mouth.
"He's resting now, he's not going to be able to answer you at the moment." Says the nurse as she sets my dad for the night. I nod in response, at least the surgery went successfully. Although Alis wanted to stay a little longer to help me she had to go home due to her overprotective parents and she didn't make too much of a big deal because she trusts that Josh can take care of me.
"I can take you home if you want now, visiting hours are over soon." Josh has been so nice to me ever since I met him, and I don't argue with his suggestion.
"Let's go, I'm going to come back tomorrow before school." I walk towards him and we leave the establishment, up to his car and then he drives me home. During the car ride I master up the courage to ask him about how he knows Alis, to which he responded with a nonchalant 'I have seen you too together'. I didn't ask anything further because my head is already pounded by this mess that is my life and Josh is probably the least of my worries.
"Are you going to be okay?" he asks as he pulls up in front of my house, "I can stay for a little longer of you need me..."
"Nah, you've already done so much for me so far. I could never ask you this too. Besides you should go home it's late" I say with the intent of reassuring him, "you have already done so much."
"Alright then. I will text you when I get home. So you can save my number. Before you ask, Alis gave me yours while you were donating your blood." He accentuates a smile and gets back into his car. I wave him goodbye, yet he doesn't exit the driveway untill I enter my house and shut the door behind me. I'm exhausted and confused, yet relived. Grateful for the friends I have, yet sorry for dragging them into my mess. This house is eerily empty knowing that my dad won't be back for a few days more. I know my questions won't be answered anytime soon and my head spirals into all the possible places my dad could have gone to until they are halted by a buzzing noise.
'I'm home' says the notification on my phone's screenlock under a phone number. I quickly realise that it's Josh and add it to my contact list after replying a 'thank you for everything'. Out of my previous trance, I head to the bathtub to have a warm bath, known to kill all stresses. Needless to say the impetuous winds that hit my windows mercilessly only heighten my worries. At some point I hear a potent banging noise from down stairs and the sound of broken glass following, which causes my body to paralyse on the spot contemplating at the most rational possible reason why my ears are hearing said sounds. Nothing. As usual my head jumps to the worst case scenario, picturing a strong armed murder ready to kill me at any second. When I suddenly regain the ability to move my body I leave the bathroom and head straight to my room and lock it.