"That Day" by Jessica P

     Screaming, crying, phone calls, and fear filled the house at 3:47 AM. Drowsy and confused I lifted my head up from my pillow and dragged my sleepy self out my bedroom into the hallway where I see tears streaming down my mother’s face. Downstairs my grandma was rocking back and forth mumbling so many words but the only one’s I was able to understand was, “Oh God save him! Save him please!” I continued to walk down the hallway into my parents bedroom where my mom was now being held by my younger brother; both crying. I asked what was going on and the response was not what I wanted to hear. I could barely understand my mom through her sobbing. “Y-y-your dad, he w-was in a car accident on the freeway. He ki-ki-killed someone in the accident!” I heard no more. My mind blanked out and my body froze. Who died? How did this happen? Is my dad okay? How is he?! Tears started running down my face and I went to hug my mother and my brother. Everything was going on so fast I didn’t know what to do. I immediately ran back to my room and threw myself onto my bed and cried into my pillow. I prayed and prayed and cried out to God. Why did this happen? Why him? It was the beginning of Christmas break, a happy time. Well this year won’t be so happy. I wiped the tears off my face and just sat there. Stone cold and numb. It felt like I was there for hours, just sitting there. My mother came into my room and told me how my dad was on his way to work and he was in a car accident. She didn’t know how he was but there was someone dead. She was contacted and my father was being taken to the hospital and they were on their way to meet him. She and my brother went, I stayed. Something about events like these I can’t bear to interact with people, so I stayed and just started to think. I turned off my light and laid my head back on my pillow and explored my mind. I thought about my mother’s broken smile and my brother’s puffy red eyes. I thought about how the accident could have happened. I thought about that happy man, my father; what could have he done to deserve this. Most of all I thought about the night before, how when my dad got home at 7 PM from work. I didn’t even go downstairs to say hi or eat dinner with my family because I was too busy with homework. How could I have done that? What if my father didn’t make it and I never got the chance to sit down and have one last meal with him and tell him how much I love him. I cried and soon fell asleep. 9 AM came around and I felt a soft paw on my belly and a meow. My cat decided to walk over me and greet me to wake me up. I smiled and petted her but then that smile disappeared as I remember what had happened earlier. I grabbed my phone quickly to see if i had gotten updated on any news about my dad. I did. My mom sent a text saying, “Papi is in the hospital but he is okay and will be okay. If all goes good he should be home by tonight. Don’t worry. He loves you very much. See you soon.” “Oh thank God,” I thought. Chills ran through my body and still worry filled me. I forced myself to relax and go throughout my day and eventually my dad came home. My mom and my uncle helped my dad through the door and sat him down on the couch. He was silent and still and was like that for a few days. He struggled to eat and didn’t want any visitors. I couldn’t recognize him. He wasn’t that happy man I once knew. About a week in I felt completely disconnected from my dad. Everything I tried to do to be in contact with him was difficult and he wouldn’t talk much. One day he called me into his room which was odd at this point. I sat down next to him and he spoke to me for about two minutes but those two minutes were all that I needed to know that same dad I had last week was still there. He apologized for being so distant and so upset at himself. He explained that the woman that died in an accident was extremely hard to deal with even if it wasn't his fault. He blamed himself and can't cope with the pain. He told me he still loved me even if it looks like he can't love at all. Walking back to my room I realized some things needed to change in my life. I could have lost my father in that 3-car accident but I didn't and that happened for a reason. Family is important and should come first in so many ways. I know my life was busy but I’d choose family over anything else. We as humans are never promised another day to live. We walk about of our house expecting to come home that night but out there in the world we are each a tiny spect of the population. Hundreds of specs leave this earth each day due to tragic or natural events. If someone you loved dearly left this earth what would be your first thought? Would you have regrets? I would have extreme regrets if i had lost my dad that day. It’s a miracle I didn’t. So, before I didn’t have a strong bond with my family, and although these difficult events are hard to cope with, there are positives. I learned not to take family for granted and I learned to treat them as if I were never see them again.