“What do you mean there is no way I can do that? I want to talk to my parents.” Marissa demanded.
“I am sorry Marissa, You will have to come down to emergency right away.” Doctor Richards said with a gentle yet firm voice.
“I can’t I am in the middle of a performance. It will have to wait for half an hour.” She said as she looked at the clock.
“Hurry and get here as soon as you possibly can. We need your help.” Doctor Richards replied.
“ I will” still unsure of what was going on she hung up the phone and returned to Aundres side.
“So...” He asked as she stood there.
“So I have to leave immediately after the performance. They need me down at the hospital for some reason. Well the Doctor Richards that I talked to said that.” Marissa replied. It was obvious how choked up Marissa was so André didn’t ask anymore questions, he just nodded and went back to watching the performance. The play was almost over and soon the curtain would fall and everything that they worked for all the fun they had would be only a memory. It saddened Marissa that it would soon be over and life would go back to normal, little did she know that was only the beginning of what would make her life anything but normal. She stepped out on the stage for the last time to sing her finale part. “And remember the truth that once was spoken.... to love another person is to see the face of God....” She sang as the chorus came in to sing the last part of the play. The curtain fell after the final note was sung out and Marissa looked at Arianna who looked somewhat relieved. Arianna smiled at her and they took each others hands as they took their curtain calls. The audience cheered as Marissa took her bow when she straitened she felt tears fill her eyes.
Marissa climbed into the front seat of her car fifteen minutes later. She started the engine and drove slowly towards the hospital. She was quite tired but she had to go to the emergency room because of whatever delayed her parents from showing up. A cold chill ran down Marissas back as she pulled into the parking lot. Something was terribly wrong she could feel it in her blood.
Marissa walked through the double sliding doors of the emergency room at Kelowna General Hospital. She walked up to the information desk and said “Hi, I was told to come down here by Doctor Richards I am Marissa Austin.” She said quietly to the lady behind the desk. The lady nodded and picked up her phone.
“Doctor Richards Marissa Austin is here to see you.” She said as her voice was heard over the speakers. “Can you just sit down over there and he will be here in a few minutes.” Marissa nodded.
Five minutes later, A man in a white coat came through the metal doors that led into the emergency ward. He walked over to her. He was tall with thinning dark hair and ice blue eyes. Marissa looked up at him as he came over. “Marissa I am Doctor Richards.” He said as he extended his hand. She stood and shook his hand.
“Where are my parents?” Marissa asked curiously. She was quiet nervous about what the answer would be and hoped to hear that they were in seeing someone. But Doctor Richards face looked grim.
“I am sorry Marissa but earlier this evening as your parents were coming to see you perform, they were in an accident.” Doctor Richards said as he watched her face change from a hopeful look to a one of deep hurt.
“Are they okay?” She asked with a hint of hopefulness in her eyes. He hated to hurt her but as a friend to her parents he knew that he must tell her the truth, even if it did break her heart.
“I am sorry to be the one to tell you this but your father and mother were killed instantly. Your brother is in critical condition and isn’t expected to make it through the week. I am so sorry Marissa.” He said his voice full of emotion as Marissa burst into tears and buried her face in her hands. He waited as she slowly pulled herself together and got up enough courage to ask to see her brother. He led her down the hall, through some doors and into a tiny room. Her brother Alex lay very still on the hospital bed. His bruised face and cut up arms were a frightful mess. Fresh tears sprung to her eyes as she looked at her young brother of the age of thirteen. Slowly she walked to the side of the bed and called his name softly. His eyes opened and he looked at her.
“Marissa” he said weakly as she took his hand. She rubbed it gently trying her best not to hurt him or break any of the cuts.
“Shhh, Alex. I am here, Don’t worry everything is going to be okay.” She said her eyes misty.
“How was your play?” Alex asked his green eyes looked up at her as if full of excitement.
“It was beautiful Alex, You would have loved it. Did you know that Lorina didn’t play Cosette after all? she got switched with the understudy.” Marissa smiled through her tears.
“That is great I know how you disliked her. Did you do well?” He asked squeezing her hand.
“Yes I did very well. It was so wonderful the feeling everything.” Marissa said the only reason she talked to him like this is because she knew if she went on about the accident it wouldn’t help his state of mind.
“How are Mom and Dad? Are they okay?” Alex asked. Marissa looked down at him her eyes full of pain as if to tell him the story.
“They didn’t make it to the hospital. They were killed instantly.” She said as began to cry.
“Oh” Alex said as he turned his head away. I am not well, I know I will not make it and that my time almost through but how do I tell her? I don’t want to leave her alone. He thought to himself. He turned his head back to her and said “Marissa sing to me”
Slowly Marissa began to sing Somewhere from Westside Story a song she learnt as a young child and won her first talent show with. Alex watched as she sang, hearing her voice as if it were a bird sorrowing through the air. The most beautiful sound in the world like an angel. Slowly Alex felt himself slipping away. He died listening to the peaceful sound that he wished to be the last thing he heard, his sisters singing.
Marissa finished the song moments later and looked at Alex. His body was laying lifeless on the bed, his eyes were shut and Marissa knew that he was beyond contact. Quietly she went out into the hall and found Doctor Richards, “Doctor Richards, I think that my brother has passed on.” She said to him. Doctor Richards went into the room and when he returned to the hall he nodded. Marissa looked at him and said “So what happens now?”
“You go home for the night and please try to get some rest I will inform the services to come and talk to you to make arrangements to see you are taken after.” He said as they walked towards the exit of the hospital. She nodded and left.
Marissa drove home in a daze not realising that she was so alone. All she was doing was remembering. Remembering loose memories of her mother and father. Remembering the funny things her brother used to do. She entered the empty house and looked around. It was silent, so very silent. She walked around. She stood at her parents bedroom door and looked into the dark room seeing it empty. Warm tears rolled down her cheeks as she felt loneliness flood her body. All alone, No one to love me. All alone, with no one who cares. Marissa thought to herself. She began to silently sob as she walked through the dark, lonely house. She laid down on the couch in the living room and curled up into a ball, She sat like this for many hours, crying.
Marissa stood, walked over to the shelf in the corner of the room and took the photo albums. She cried as she looked through the pictures of the past. A past that would never be so happy again. A past that would be painful forever.
