2 years later: Connecticut 1893
Reggie's P.O.V
"Reg..." my father coughed painfully, unable to finish his statement. I grabbed his weak hand comfortingly and looked at him with tears forming in my eyes. He was ghastly pale and his skin was tight against his skull. His forehead glistened from his feverish sweat and the blood had all but been drained from the man's face, leaving only his thinned lips that made his teeth stand out much more than normal. I hated the sight of him; it wasn't my father. That's not how he's supposed to look!
"Yes, Da?" I said, although, not expecting him to say much. He had been so ill for the longest time and now it was finally draining him. The strong leader I once knew, who would always press on despite how he felt was now no more. What lay on the bed before me was a hollow shell of a man, unable to even do the smallest of tasks by himself.
"Take care... of... the circus," Da tried to say but ended his sentence by coughing harshly again. I grimaced at the sound of him, the heavy, gurgling wheeze that prevented his lungs from taking in air hurt me to listen to. He was diagnosed with Bronchitis a while ago and given medication, but it was no help at all... God, I hope I never have to experience his pain!
"Yes, Da," I whimpered and looked into his tired brown eyes, hoping to see the fatherly gaze that he would always carry when I was down. At this, my father began to laugh weakly, although, threw the uncomfortable wheezing and gurgling, it was hard to tell if he were actually coughing. I was bewildered and stared at him intently for him to answer.
"Don't cry... my boy... it's not like you... you need to be tough and... strong... don't let me... stop you," Da smiled weakly and gripped my hand as tightly as his strength would allow. I shook my head in disapproval; I refused to simply dismiss my own father's death as a mild obstacle.
"But Da, I need you!" I cried harder. The man sighed and frowned at my discontent, before squeezing my hand tighter.
"You... are your own man now... I've raised you well," he rasped, his voice growing weaker with each word he spoke. I met his gaze and reluctantly nodded, forcing myself to agree with him so as to not disappoint him. Da smiled softly and attempted to take a deep breath, however, he was met by nothing and he began to desperately try to inhale through the liquid that had filled his lungs.
"Da?... Da!" I yelled, standing up from my chair so fast that the wooden piece of furniture fell over and slammed against the floor. The man squeezed my hand in a grip so tight my fingers were sore as he gagged and choked on his own lungs. The sound of his wheezing was painful to listen to and I felt completely helpless as I hovered over him, my hand on his chest as if that would help.
"DA!!" I cried, lifting him up slightly to see if that did anything, but he continued to gasp and wheeze, clutching his chest painfully. There was a loud, urgent knock on the door that somehow brought my mind back into gear and I looked to the door quickly.
"TAE, GET THE MEDIC!!" I ordered, my voice slightly quivering and cracking from my previous sobbing. The knocking immediately ceased and I was left alone with my suffocating father, unable to do anything but watch in horror.
But before the small eight-year-old could return with the on-site doctor, Da's struggling breaths quieted and his head slumped against his chest as I held him up. The air in the room went still as I stared in disbelief, unable to comprehend what had just transpired. I laid him back down against the bed and shook his arm gently.
"Da...?" I called shakily. He didn't respond; his eyes were closed as if in a peaceful sleep but his lips were tainted blue from a lack of oxygen and his tongue and cheeks had swelled and were flushed with red. For a while, I could only stare in horror, but once it finally dawned on me, I slowly broke down and laid my head on my father's arm, still clutching his hand.
Tae came back rather quickly with the doctor and his two nurses, but I knew she was too late. I opened the door for the group to come inside, but the expression on my tear-stained face said it all. Tae gazed at me silently and expectantly for news, her pale green eyes glistening as tears began to gather. I said nothing to her and made my way to the sofa, where I quietly sat down and hung my head, still processing my sudden loss.
Tae finally came over, the sound of her sniffling telling me that she had finally realised what was going on. She sat next to me and laid her head on my lap, curling herself into a tiny ball. I placed my hand on her shoulder, holding back my tears and struggling to remain strong for the young girl. I had to look away as the doctor and his nurses came out of the bedroom with Da's body in a sheet on a gurney and carried him outside. I knew then, that he would never come back inside.