Wouldn't You Like to Sit Next to My Darling Dear

     “But Isabella my sweetie pie, I never wanted to see you laying on a slab.” Nathaniel Darlington  utters with a whimper just before he crashes onto the floor of the morgue. He lays in a waking state of complete denial for anything, anything at all. The shock settles over Francis gently, while staring at his brother whom he'd once joyously referred to as Nate. “Nathaniel, Nathaniel can you hear me?” Francis was called to the fifth floor of the hospital two hours after Nate's collapse six floors below, and now he sits in front of Nathaniel waiting for a response.
     Francis puts his hands into the form of a bowl, and settles his head into them with a sigh. “These fucking green curtains are making me want to puke!” Francis yells in complete disappointment with the confused thought - I can't believe Isabella left you like this, with a heart attack. “Attacking the center of my nerves is this stare you're giving me Nate.” Francis couldn't take it for another minute, he had only been in the presence of Nathaniel's glare for about one quarter of an hour, and this was maddening him. “What do you think about Isabella's death, Nate? Nate! What about the kids?” at the harsh prompting Nathaniel only mirrored the ignorance of anything, anything at all.
     “My dear brother, I can't see you like this, not now. I have to refuse your weakness, and leave you alone here.” Francis scoffs with cowardice as he denies the extension of his visitation with his only brother. Nathaniel starts to twitch for a moment, and harshly exhales back into stillness. It could have been the green curtains or teal sheets that had shown in a blur on the antiseptic flooring which made Francis bid such a hasty retreat, but it was the thoughts of the picnics he had enjoyed with his brother, brother's wife, and their children.  
     “I'm going to kill her, the fucking bitch!” Francis screams at his steering wheel as he swerves into oncoming traffic for the last collision of his life. Cars piled up over a trip to retrieve soon grieving teenage students from school. So much tan opulstry is turned into a mar of unclean-able ripples. Minutes later a life light helicopter flies off without the D.O.A.s, and Francis is still crushed in the wreckage.  
     Suzy Darlington is the youngest of three siblings, and her older brothers see her crying on the steps of her School as they walk up. “Suzy it's all right, I don't know where mom and dad are, but we're here.” Daniel attempts to comfort Suzy. “Mommy forgot me!” Suzy replies as the tears continue to stream down her face. The oldest brother Brian sits on the steps of the School and puts his arm around Suzy “Well we're here, so you don't have to worry, it is sort of a long walk back home though.” “You guys walked here to come and get me.” Suzy quivers. “Of course, we had to. How couldn't we? After noticing you weren't...” Daniel is quickly interrupted by Suzy “I love you Brian.” “Huh! I came too.” Daniel quaffs. “Actually Suzy, it was Daniel's idea to come and get you.” Brian affirms. “Yeah, well it was also Daniel's idea to put bubble gum in my hair. Why do you think I'm wearing this stupid rainbow  stocking cap in the middle of May?” Suzy inquiries with disappointment.        
     “Suzy's only thirteen, what are we going to tell her?” Brian exclaims in a question to his aunt. “Remember Brian, Isabella wasn’t just your mother, she was my sister as well. I told you boys this separate because of Suzy's fragility.” Daniel couldn't speak as he balled into his hands half covering his face, then he rages with his hands wildly thrashing about his head and his body squirming on the floor. Suzy runs into the large living room of the three story Darlington house and shouts “What the Hell is going on in here!?”
     “Suzy you've been told not to use that sort of language.” says Jessica (Isabella's sister). Daniel rises to his knees, and while exhaling snot he screams in a growling tone “Mom and Dad are fucking dead!” Suzy yells and runs away toward her upstairs bedroom. “Daniel what have I told you?! It's only your mother who's passed away.” Jessica proclaims and Brian with an astonishingly calm standpoint states “This is quite a pickle. I just wonder, being that I've heard everything you've said, what are we going to do with mama dead and father incapacitated?” “I'm going to stay here with you children for the time being, Brian.” says Isabella's sister.
     Having known their mother and uncle had both died for almost a week the children had been out of school and wanted nothing more but to see their father. “I'm sorry child, but the doctors say your dad is still in no condition for you to see him.” Jessica told Suzy as she attempted to comfort her with a sobbing hug. Daniel, attempting to quell Brian's recent bordering homicidal behavior said “This is no time for any more violent behavior.” “Oh what are you worried that I'll slash your face again Daniel, after all mama's always said you were the handsome one?” Brian questioned.  
     At the hospital Nathaniel was still refusing to speak, and the doctors' attempts to question and comfort him had no effect. “We're going to have to let your children see you some time soon Nathaniel.” the doctor warned. The doctor didn't want a repeat of Jessica's visit, to which Nathaniel responded with simple inaudible flailing, and Jessica had been in fright ever since.
     Two weeks go by, and only one assault with a deadly weapon in the Darlington house since the death of Isabella and uncle Francis. The blue and red drapes which gave a purplish effect seemed to no longer give any comfort to Suzy who once loved them so. Suzy had began to talk less and less, everything the dear little Darlington girl said grew more cryptic by the day.  
     Jessica had a somewhat successful visit with Nathaniel, if you consider a woman talking to a man that acted like a spongy wall successful. The doctor had decided to send Nathaniel home barring that he could stand his children picking him up with his sister in law (who swore to stay with them while Nathaniel was recuperating). Nathaniel's retrieval from the hospital was scheduled for two days after Jessica's visit, being that his insurance plan found that acceptable.
     The kids were ecstatic to see their dad, yet he just sat there saying nothing. The doctor took Jessica outside of the day room and told her “Well I suppose considering the circumstances, this has been a successful enough visit for you to take him home, and we just can't afford to keep him here any longer.” Jessica responded “If that's the way it's got to be, I'll definitely be there for them, they're the only family I have left.” Jessica and Isabella had lost their parents as young children as well. “Um kids are you ready to get your dad and get out of here?” Jessica asked returning into the day room. “We'll fetch a wheelchair, and there's just a few papers we'll have you sign quickly.” the doctor said while motioning to a psyche technician.  
     Nathaniel sat in the wheel chair as slowly as possible, and Suzy screamed “Daddy if you don't say something right now, I'm going to kill myself!” Nathaniel turned to his daughter, and for the first time in over two weeks he spoke “Oh my darling dear, mere birth itself is a suicidal action.” “Would you like me to help you out father?” Brian asked while grabbing hold of the wheelchair and giving it a push toward the exit.
      
Short Story by:
M.E.L.
 
(accompanied painting entitled Blood Lillies also by M.E.L.)