Paying My Son's Debt

"Mom..." She didn't respond, so he checked her pulse, it was slow and faint. A closer inspection and he could see little bits of pills half dissolved from her stomach acid. He took a quick look inside her bathroom to find the empty bottle on her counter. Swearing he tossed the bottle aside and picked her up in his arms. She was cold and clamy. He shook her violently but to no avail. Running downstairs he grabbed the keys and set her in the passenger seat before speeding to the hospital. He ran inside with his mother in his arms.

"Please, somebody help me I think she's overdosed on pain pills!" he was crying now, unashamed of his tears. This was his entire fault and he knew it, he'd pushed her too far and now she might possibly never come back. Nurses rushed forward and he set her down on the hospital bed, while they wheeled her back to a room and began pumping her stomach, while feeding her charcoal. They hooked her up to several IV's in an attempt to rehydrate her and Alex paced the waiting room, restless and worried. His actions could have possibly made him an orphan. He ran a hand through his hair and kept pacing. It felt like hours before anyone came out to speak to him.

"You're mother's critical, the Vicodin's been in her system for a long time...she hasn't woken up, we believe she's in a coma and we're not sure if she'll come out of it." Alex lost it, he broke down in tears, the heart wrenching sobs forcing him to sit down.

"Would you like to see her now?" the Doctor asked. Alex nodded as he led him back to his unconscious mother. She looked so pale and thin lying in the big hospital bed. She had wires and monitors hooked up. He sat down beside the bed and took her hand into his and just held it.

"Mom...please don't leave me. Im sorry for everything I've done...I promise I'll be good. I'll be the son you want if you just come back to me." The doctor patted his shoulder.

"This isn't your fault boy, sometimes people's pain inside is so great they think this is the only way to leave that pain behind..." Alex nodded, although he knew it was his fault.

4 Months Later

I awoke feeling groggy and weak. A white light blinded me and for a minute I thought maybe I'd gone to heaven. But then I heard the methodical beep of a hospital machine and my heart sank. I'd failed in my attempt. I looked around my room, flowers and cards from people I knew or worked with surrounded my room. There were a few of my things around as well. My blanket, my toiletries, and a picture of Alex and I when he started his Sr. year. I sighed, I knew he'd brought them...he'd probably been the one who brought me too. I tried to sit up only to find myself weak and hardly able to do much of anything. I reached out and pressed the nurse button. It was only matter of seconds before a nurse poked her head in and smiled

"It is nice to see you awake!" she announced and shouted at another nurse to fetch the Doctor.

"How are you feeling?"

"Weak..." I replied honestly. Over the course of the next few hours the Doctor ran a few tests, called for a physical therapist to help me regain lost muscle mass and I got a hot meal....one of the nurses had made a run to my favorite fast food joint and grabbed me my favorite meal. I was in the middle of shoving my face full of food when Alex cleared his throat from the doorway. I looked up for only a matter of minutes then quickly back to my food.

"Mom...i...if you don't want me here, I understand..." he announced, waiting for my response