Icing on the Cake

~175~

“Where have you been?” Calum gasped as I stumbled through the front door. Even though the entire world was spinning, I could see the sheer terror in his eyes.

“I was at the club.’ I sputtered.

“You’re drunk.” Calum said.

“And you’re Kiwi!” I said, followed by an obnoxiously annoying laugh-at-my-own-joke.

“Go to sleep, Luke.” Calum ordered, like he was upset with me.

The next morning, I woke up with a massive headache, and everything seemed so bright, like when you look at your phone on full brightness in the middle of the night.

And Calum was ready to pepper me with questions.

“Why did you do that, Luke?” Calum ask.

“I can’t go out once in a while?” I asked back.

“Not when your son literally just died and another son is the ICU!” Calum pleaded. “Luke, why did you go get wasted?”

After that was asked, it was like all my efforts to never break down and cry around Calum suddenly became insufficient, and I started sobbing hysterically.

“Because I don’t know how to deal with this!” I confessed. “I don’t know what to do in this situation and I’m trying to process my pain. But I don’t want to sit in here and cry about this like I’m the only one that’s hurting because I know everyone is! I know you are, and I know Julia is…”

Tears started to threaten Calum’s reddening eyes. “You’re allowed to have feelings, Luke!” He said. “And I’d rather you talk about them than go cover it with alcohol!”

Right as he was saying that, the phone rang. Calum went over to answer it.

“It might be the hospital.” Calum justified before picking up the phone. “Hello?”

He was only on the phone for a minute when he said, “Luke, get Julia and the twins. We have to go to the hospital now!”

I knew that Calum was referencing Calum Jr.’s twin. “Is he okay?” I asked.

A smile broke across Calum’s face. “We get to go see Gabriel today!”

Notes

The other baby's name is Gabriel! I never mentioned that before.

Anyway, this story has gotten really sad, and I don't like it to be all sad all the time, so in a chapter or two it will get sweet and happy again! (But not too sweet and happy, because, well, it's me after all)