Always Get What I Want.

The Aftermath

I sat against the headboard with my knees held tightly to my chest. The memories of me being helpless, as I sunk to the bottom of the pool replayed over and over in my head like a broken record. I could still feel the panic as all of my air reserves were used and replaced with chlorinated water. I would scream but only more water rushed in. I rocked back and forth trying to keep myself together. I closed my eyes and blocked everything around me out, focusing solely on pushing the haunting memories out of my head. I could feel someone holding me and whispering things to me in what I assumed would have been a soothing manner, but my brain couldn't process the words.

Somewhere in that time my body drifted off into a dreamless sleep needing some time to process what had happened without my conscious thoughts getting in the way.

I was awoken by the sunlight streaming in through the open window. I blinked a couple times before pulling the covers over my head to shield my sensitive eyes from the sun.

"Jessica?" I heard the curtains shut and I slowly peeled the covers from my face recognizing the voice.

"Dad." I said as I finally saw his face. He sat down next to me and I instantly wrapped my arms around him. The comfort that enveloped me made my body relax into his.

"Hey baby girl." He rubbed his hand over my back. "Joseph called me last night. He was really worried about you." He said pulling away from me. I missed the calming feeling that faded away as soon as his arms weren't around me. I hugged myself and nodding. "You look a lot better today, how are you feeling." He talked softly like he was speaking to an abandoned puppy that would bolt and panic at any sudden movements or sounds.

"Yea." Was all I could think to respond with. I didn't feel like I couldn't breathe anymore so I guess that meant I was feeling better.

"Ok. Well Joseph asked me to give him a call when you woke up. He said he had something important come up or he would've stayed." My dad said getting up from the bed to retrieve his cell phone from the dresser across the room.

My mind started to panic when it saw him getting up. I jumped forward with wide eyes. I opened my mouth to say something but no words came. He turned around when he heard me moving. "Hey it's ok sweetheart I'm not going anywhere just getting my phone." He soothed when he saw my wide panicked eyes.

I nodded as relaxed back into a sitting position. I watched him type in some numbers and then bring the phone to his ear. He said something and then seconds later he was hanging up the phone. "He's on his way." I nodded keeping my mouth shut.

My dad continued to make small talk with me, completely avoiding the whole almost dying thing altogether until Joseph opened the door to my room. My dad shut up as soon as Joseph was in the room. I held eye contact with Joseph until he sat down on the bed next to me. He pulled his leg underneath him so that we were sitting face to face. He pulled my body into his chest molding my body into his. The calm feeling that engulfed me when my dad hugged me before was nothing compared to the feeling I was having right now. I wrapped my arms around him and buried my head in his shoulder.

"Are you alright?" He whispered. I nodded and hugged him tighter to me. He sighed and pulled away. I tried my best to keep myself from pouting and acting like a child, but I couldn't help being disappointed at the loss of contact. "I need you to tell me what happened Jessica." He looked me straight in the eye. His expression wasn't his normal icy cold it was stern and serious.

"I-.." I trailed off tears coming to my eyes. I then looked over at my father who was looking at me curiously concerned. I bit my lip and looked down. Joseph seemed to catch the hint and asked my father to give us a moment. I could tell that my dad was hesitant by the way he opened and closed his mouth. Joseph stared him down until the door clicked shut down behind him.