No Sense of Direction

Chapter Three

-Katrina-

"Do you want any help?" Milan asked and I shook my head, "Do you want me to come with you?"

"No," I said sadly, "I need to call Coach."

"It's almost four in the morning, just wait a few hours," he said and I sighed and collapsed onto my bed and held my face, "Kat."

I looked up to see that Milan was kneeling in front of me and was rubbing my legs, "I don't know what to do. I think I'm going to be sick."

"Calm down," he said and then hugged me, "We need to buy your ticket."

I nodded my head and then grabbed my laptop. I turned it on and then stared at the screen, not wanting to move my body. I felt Milan take the laptop off of me and then start typing things. I just stared at the picture on the wall of myself with my parents and brothers.

'...I can't believe this...' I thought as I processed what had happened just moments ago.

I got a phone call from a nurse at a hospital in Pittsburgh telling me that my parents were there, they had just been hit by a drunk driver. My mom was driving and was killed on impact, but my dad was still alive, but in critical condition. I was flying down to Pittsburgh to see my dad, and my little brother.

"I ordered your ticket, Kat," I heard Milan say and I sighed, "Your flight takes off at 5:45am. You'll be in Pittsburgh just after nine-thirty."

"All right," I said and then grabbed my bag from the closet and started to throw clothes into it, "I can't believe this is happening."

"You sure you don't want me to go with you?"

"I'll be fine," I said and then placed my hand on his cheek, "You have an away game anyways."

"But-" I pressed my lips against his and then heard him sigh, "Be careful."

We stood up and I gave Coach a quick call, telling him what happened and that I was going to be gone for a while. He gave his sympathies and then said that he would get a temp while I was gone.

"I'll drive you to the airport," Milan said and I nodded my head.

We got into his car, and it was a quiet trip to the airport, I checked in and then waited for the security gate to open so that I could head to my plane. Milan wanted to wait with me, but I sent him on his way, because I knew he was tired and he had practice in a few hours.

After the four hour flight, I arrived in Pittsburgh, rented a car, and made my way over towards the hospital that my parents were in. I rushed to the desk and asked what room my dad was in and the lady told me the number and I ran to the elevator.

"Chris," I muttered as I looked at the depressed boy sitting on the chair staring at his father's motionless body attached to all different machines.

"Kat," he muttered as he stood up and walked over towards me.

We hugged each other tight and then I let go and held his face, Chris was very close to my father, and to see him really beaten up. His eyes were red and puffy, and he looked exhausted, I was hurting for my brother.

"Zach here yet?" I asked and Chris shook his head.

"He'll be here later today, they had an away game in Florida, so when he gets back to Raleigh, he's gunna jump a plane to here," Chris explained and I nodded my head and then I grabbed my brother's hand and then walked over towards my father's side.

"Where's Mom?" I asked, not looking up, and placing my hand on his arm.

"In the morgue," he choked and I wiped a few tears away and felt my brother's arm wrap around my shoulder and he pulled me into his chest. I wrapped my arms around his chest and laid my head on his shoulder.

"Hey guys."

Chris and I turned around to see our Uncle Dan in the doorway. We pulled apart and I wiped my eyes and my brother walked over towards him, "Hi Kat."

"Hi," I said and he pulled me into a hug, "I'm sorry."

"Same," he said and then held me tight, "I never thought I would see my brother like this," he said as he walked over towards our father's side and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"How's Aunt Mary?" Chris asked and I sighed and walked over towards the chair in the corner of the room.

"She's good. Bryan misses you guys," he said and I smiled. Bryan was his thirteen year old son who had PIDD (Primary Immunodeficiency Disease) and he was so cute.

There was a knock on the door and we all turned around to see my older brother, Zach standing in the doorway looked as exhausted as I was. I watched as Chris walked over towards Zach and hugged him. When they released, Zach looked at me and then slowly walked over towards me.

Now the last time Zach and I had seen each other was last year, and we were in a middle of an argument, because he didn’t like the fact that I was seeing Milan Lucic. I kept telling him that you only saw his personality on the ice, and we he left the arena, he was a different person. Zach never believed me, and we hadn’t spoken to each other after that.

“Kat,” he said sounding miserable and I nodded my head and then walked over towards him and wrapped my arms around his waist, “I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right,” I said knowing what he was apologizing for and feeling relieved because maybe now he believed me, “I’ve missed you.”

“Same,” he said and I felt his head on top of mine, “I’ve missed you too.”

Zach pulled away and then walked over towards dad and placed his hand on dad’s arm. Everyone stood in silent, until there was a knock at the door and we turned around and saw the doctor.

“His results from the procedures came through,” he said as he walked into the room and pulled out some X-rays and files.

I zoned off, staring at my father, until I felt my brother tap my shoulder. I looked at him confused and then looked at the doctor.

“Can you dumb it down for us, Kat? You’re a doctor too,” Chris said and Zach sighed and nodded his head.

I held out my hand and then felt the doctor place the sheets in my hand. I looked at them and then felt my eyes widen, and my heart drop to my stomach. Tears welled up in my eyes and I sat down holding my face.

“What is it?” Zach asked.

I explained to them what I found and Zach sighed frustrated, “Speak English!”

“He has too much cerebral damage!”

“More English!” Chris said and I sighed and looked at dad.

“If! And this is a big ‘if’, but if he survives, he’s going to live as a vegetable,” I said and then looked at my brothers, “We’ll see dad, but he won’t be here. There won’t be life in his eyes, there will only be pain and confusion. He won’t know us, he won’t know who he is, we’re constantly going to need to watch over him, and maybe never be able to leave him alone.”

“But he’ll be alive!” Chris said and I looked at my younger brother.

“That’s not living.”

“So you want to kill our father?!” Chris asked angrily and I sighed.

“No one said anything about killing dad! I just said that ‘if’ he wakes up! Remember the ‘if’?!” I said annoyed as Chris stood in front of me and I handed back the sheets to the doctor, “If he doesn’t wake up, he’ll look like this for the rest of his life,” I said as I pointed towards he bed with the man hooked up to machines.

“Chris, listen to her,” Zach said and Chris looked over towards him.

“You’re with her! Zach, she wants to kill dad!” he said and I sighed and then watched as he ran out of the room.

“I got him,” Zach said and then chased after him.

I sighed and then held my face as I collapsed onto the chair and then heard my Uncle Dan talk to the doctor about something.

‘…Please pull some kind of miracle out of your ass and wake up, dad…’ I thought as I looked at him and bit my lip. I heard my phone going off in my pocket and looked to see that it was Milan calling me, ‘…Crap I forgot to call him…’

“Are you all right?” he asked as I answered the phone, not able to get a ‘hello’ out in time.

“I’ve been better.”

“How’s your dad?”

“Not good,” I said and then stood up and walked over towards the window and looked out and into the city, “I don’t think he’s going to make it.”

“I’m sorry, Kat.”

“Thanks,” I said and then continued talking to him as I stared out into the sky, wondering what I was going to do if my father didn’t make it through this ordeal.