P for Perfect

Chapter 39- Travis

It's been a hella of a wonderful day- 6lack

Faith's presence just makes me more confident. When I walk back to the ward with her, all that's running through my mind is how great it is to have her next to me. I can't wait for dad to meet her.

Mum isn't inside the ward when we step inside but dad's lying still. When I get closer and touch his hand his eyes open slowly.

"Son," he struggles to say through the ventilator on his face.

"Hey Dad, I'm right here. Don't stress yourself okay?" I assure him. I realize that Faith's been standing at the door the whole time and beckon for her to come in.

"Dad? This is Faith." Dad's gaze falls to where Faith is standing and I can see the smile struggling to form on his lips.

"Don't speak, save your energy. It's nice to meet you too sir, despite the circumstances," she beats him to speak. He does speak either way but only that it's directed to me.

"She sounds like you," he tells me. His voice sounds stronger than earlier and I'm forced to remember how hearty and loud he actually is. How quick he is to retort sarcastically, God I need my father back.

"Hell nah," I laugh.

"You two look very much alike," Faith observes, smiling down at us like some social worker. Seeing how easily she blends with Dad makes my heart warm. She doesn't feel like a stranger in this room, she looks just right.

I think I need to shut up now.

"It's running a bit late now though, I think I have to go back home," she says, gesturing at the time.

"Travis walk her outside," dad orders me immediately, like I wasn't going to do that. She greets him goodbye again and we go back downstairs again.

"I wish I could see your mum again," she admits, looking back at the ward.

"I'm pretty sure you'll get plenty of chances to see her later. Come on, let's go find you a bus." I take her hand without thinking too much of it and run down the stairs.

"Travis, you're coming to school tomorrow right?" She asks as we run.

"I would really love to stay with dad."

"The load will be too much for you if you miss another day. We might even write test tomorrow."

"I'd much rather be with my dad," I insist. We get to the ground floor and make our way to the gate.

"But your mum is here now. Or you don't think she'll be enough? Besides, they've been living apart for some time now, they must want to catch up."

"You just want me to come to school so I can keep you company right?" I try to force the truth out of her, stopping to look at her.

"I miss you," she admits. I don't know if it's the way her voice seems to grow a tad bit tinier or the way she doesn't avert her eyes from me as she speaks but those words do something odd to me that I can not pin down.

"All right fine, I'll come to school," I cave in.

"Really? I should've just lead with that," she says to herself.

"Thank you for coming."

"Enough with your thanks abeg, I'm your friend. That's what friends do," she ruffles my hair.

"Hey! It took me a lot of time to straighten this hair," I tell her, swatting her hands away.

"Meh, it's better curled anyway."

"Really?" Curled?

"Totally. You actually appear cute when it's curled."

"Very funny," I roll my eyes. Curls it is. We step out of the gate and it's only until she's safely boarded a bus that I go back in.

••••

Mum's giving me a crazy grin when I get back to the ward.

"What is it?" I ask, settling on the sofa near the fridge.

"Is that her? Your crush?" She asks and my eyes immediately fall on my father. Oh hell no. She was not supposed to know about it.

"I'm not crushing on her," I lie.

"Oh no need for that. Your mother already saw it the moment you stepped in with her," he waves me off.

"You couldn't stop looking at her. You don't have to be that obvious," she laughs. I feel my cheeks go red.

"Why don't you guys do something else apart from laugh at my non-existent love life," I suggest.

"Oh we were until you interrupted us. Your grandma is dying to see you again you know?"

"I don't think you should use the word dying."

"Why not?" She frowns.

"Considering the fact that she's actually dying..." I trail off.

"Trav! My mother isn't dying she's just old!" Mum throws her hair pin at me.

"Her body cells are dying tho- nevermind, I'm dying to see her too," I amend when she glares at me.

"I arranged for her to stay with your uncle Ryan. I didn't specify how long I'll be staying here so she doesn't get hysterical and all."

"How long will you be staying?" I ask tentatively.

"What kind of question is that? I'm not leaving here until your father's well enough to travel. Then we'll all go back to Jersey, as a family." She looks at dad for support and he nods silently. I notice the ventilator is gone. He keeps removing it.

"That sounds perfect," I say but they don't hear me. They're too busy making out to hear me. You'd think cancer would change some things. I lie down and bury my face on the sofa, making all sorts of disgusted sounds even though deep down, I'm the happiest guy on Earth.