A Miracle

Short story- a miracle

The days flew by faster than she could count, she was smiling every time someone walked by but that wasn't how she felt, she felt sad, alone, desperate. She lived alone, in a one-bedroom apartment with the railroad tracks right outside her window. They screeched the same time every day, 6 a.m. and 5 p.m.
She had a daughter, she was four. The young girl was named, Eriah, she had those curly pigtails and those wide eyed chocolate eyes that captured you, she was an innocent. Eriah danced, she loved to dance for her mother in the small living room or the kitchen while the mother, Taylor, was making dinner.
Eriah knew nothing of the hard ships, Taylor went through only that things were much harder during the week than the weekend. Taylor worked as a waitress as a local dinner that received lots of old men trying to get drunk on soda or orange juice, luckily it only happened once.

On a regular tuesday day,Taylor walked through the front door, realizing it wasn't locked, to see Eriah laying on the floor. Eriah wasn't in the normal sleeping position, she was in an awkward scary position. Taylor threw her bag onto the floor and ran over to her and picked her up, small amounts of blood laid on the corners of her lips and Taylor panicked she didn't know what to do. She placed Eriah down and grabbed her phone and dialed the 9-1-1 service only to find that when she called that were already sending an ambulance her way, someone reported a break in.
Taylor who was panicking tried feeling for her daughter's pulse, but she couldn't feel one, she wanted to feel one to know her daughter was alive. Soon enough the ambulance siren sounded off. Taylor picked up her daughter and rushed out of the apartment and down the stairs as fast as she could, she wouldn't let this be the end.
Once down the three flights of stairs Taylor looked at the EMT guy and said while shaking, "help her..." The EMT gently grabbed Eriah and placed her down on the stretcher and a team of then lifted her up into the ambulance. Once again the EMT looked at Taylor and said, "you coming?"
Taylor nodded and got in and held her small child's hand. In doing so the EMT started putting a mask on her and started talking to himself.
The drive seemed to take so long for Taylor she just wanted her child to live that's all. Eventually they reached the hospital and Eriah was rushed to the ER but Taylor had to stay back. Panic once again over took her and she sat down and placed her head between her hands.
She sat there for what seemed a millennium but in reality it was only an hour. The doctor walked out and said, "Taylor?" She looked up, her eyes rimmed red and said, "yes?" he sighed and said, "she is in a coma." Taylor let out a muffled cry and said, "w-when will she wake up? What happened?"
The doctor frowned and said, "she was hit we think by the scans we saw and well her body shut down to protect her. We don't know when she will wake up." Taylor nodded and then said, "I see. May I please see her?" The doctor nodded and said, "yes, but we must ask or rather I must ask you go home and get rest." Taylor nodded and said, "alright, doctor." He nodded and said, "follow me."
Taylor followed the doctor to room 605 and Eriah laid motionless on the bed hooked up to oxygen and tubes to keep her alive.
Taylor walked to the chair next to Eriah and sat down then whispered, "hey baby girl, it me, mommy." Tears fell from her eyes and soon she knew she would have to leave to the apartment. There then was a knock at the door. Taylor looked at the door and her frown deepened as she said, "Isaac, what are you doing here?" Isaac, sighed and said, "I am here to check on my daughter." He looked passed Taylor to look at Eriah and said, "how did this happen?" his voice was tense and cold, he hadn't had a relationship with Taylor since four years ago after the birth of Eriah. Taylor sighed and said, "she unlocked the door, she must have thought it was me."
Isaac sighed and said, "why did you leave her alone?" Taylor looked down and said, "I went to the store to get her medicine for her cold, and food for our bellies. She wanted to stay home and she didn't want to move, you blame me for this. Don't you." Isaac nodded and said, "you know better, Taylor." She looked away and then the doctor said, "Time to leave folks." Taylor looked at the doctor and said, "take good care of my baby." He smiled and said, "of course."
Taylor then walked out of the hospital room and looked at Isaac and said, "stay away from me and my daughter and everything will be just fine." He frowned and said, "and since when do you get to tell me to stay away from my daughter?" Taylor sighed and said, "just stay away." She then walked away from a not so happy Isaac.
Taylor walked home, only realizing she was much further out than she thought. Next to her, driving ever so slowly, was Isaac who said, "let me drive you back." Taylor laughed and said, "you, drive me?" she couldn't think of the last time he had been generous enough to actually care about her. She sighed and said, "fine, only this time." He nodded but something else was in his eyes, something that just wasn't right. It wasn't anger, sadness or revenge, it was love.
Perhaps he had seen through the barrier Taylor put up and saw through the lies he set, maybe he could fix the mistake he caused. Taylor got into his car and he took off towards her apartment, the silence ever so deadly. For Taylor.
Taylor then blurted out, "what happened to us?" Isaac's mouth twitched and he said, "mistakes, Taylor. I made mistakes. And I wanted to protect you from them but I didn't realize I would end up hurting you instead." Taylor frowned and said, "you didn't just hurt me, Isaac, you hurt Eriah." He nodded and said, "I know that more than anything in the world, oh lord I know. Taylor I missed four years with my baby and you." Taylor nodded and said, "look Isaac things happen, maybe not for the best but things happen. I became a mother at age twenty. I dropped college to take care of Eriah. I rented a hotel. I became a waitress. Things happen okay Isaac."
He nodded and said, "I understand, Taylor." He then parked in the parking lot and said, "lock them doors Taylor, alright?" She nodded and said, "thanks for the ride home." He nodded and Taylor got out of the car and he rolled his window down and said, "I don't live far from here, if you need me to come over to watch her just let me know." She nodded and took it in and thought, 'him in my apartment? He is so implying something more.'
She smiled and said, "I will if I have to. Go home Isaac." He nodded and they left on their separate ways.
Taylor walked up into her apartment and sighed. She turned the lights on and picked her purse up then walked out and closed the door. She walked to her car and pulled all the groceries out which was only five bags and a jug of milk, 1%, and of course it was bad. Rotten.
Taylor walked up into the apartment and placed everything on the counter. She walked over to the door and shut it and locked it making sure she heard the click sounding off. She smiled at the sound and the walked over to the bags and put away the cereal, bread, peanut butter, jams, and the rest of the stuff she got for her little girl and herself to eat during the week and weekend.
Taylor emptied the milk jug gagging as the horrendous odor filled the sink. Why would she empty it when she could just though it away? She used them as water bottles, she would take them when Eriah and her would go camping, it was the easiest way to bring water and a large amount of it too.
Taylor then turned the sink on and rinsed it out with soap twice even three times then dried it off. She then pulled out the fabreez spray and sprayed the apartment to make it smell like she didn't just dump a full gallon of spoiled milk. She smiled then felt warm tears trickle down her cheeks, her little girl laid on a hospital bed and she didn't know when she would see those beautiful eyes of her daughter.
Taylor numbly walked over to her bedroom and sat down on the bed and fell asleep, she just wanted to be with her child that's all she ever wanted was to be with Eriah no matter what, because she loved her daughter more than anything else in the world.
By the next morning Taylor was up and getting dressed as fast as possible, she received a phone call that Eriah was talking. Taylor grabbed her purse with everything she needed in it, her phone, wallet, and keys. She walked out of the apartment, locking the door and then bolted down the stair well and ran to her car. Many people stared at her like she where crazy but when she looked at them, worry and happiness in her eyes they all looked away.
Taylor drove to the hospital wishing she could go faster but of course the speed limit on the high way was only 65 which is a reasonable speed but of course no one ever went that fast they were as slow as turtles! Then again most of the people in that town were elderly people.
Taylor soon enough reached the hospital and once inside she saw Isaac. She crossed her arms over her chest and said, "have you seen her? He shook his head and said, "no I haven't doctors are trying to figure out why she started talking." Taylor covered her mouth and said, "my baby..."
Isaac looked at her with sad eyes and said, "everything will be alright." Taylor frowned and said, "no it won't, my daughter is in a coma!" He sighed and then a doctor came out and said, "she is awake." Taylor ran passed the Doctor and into the room to see Eriah awake and smiling. Taylor walked over to her and said, "oh my baby girl." She giggled and said, "mommy!" Taylor hugged her and said, "How do you feel?" she continued to smile and said, "good."
Taylor sighed and then Isaac said, "Hey there buttercup." She giggled and said, "daddy!" he nodded and kissed her forehead and said, "you happy to see me?" she nodded her head viciously and said, "always!" Taylor and Isaac both laughed and then Taylor said, "excuse me." Eriah nodded and then Taylor left the room and went to the first floor and walked outside.
She sat on the bench and caved into the tears. She was happy that her small itty bitty child was more than safe and okay and she would be able to go home.
Taylor smelled the scent of rain and wished it to come sooner so she could be drenched and no one would know she was crying, or would they? She went to stand up when she heard Isaac say, "no need to get up just yet." She looked up at him and said, "why is that?" he sighed and said, "they are running tests right now to make sure she is cleared to go home." Taylor nodded and said, "alright." He then sat next to her and said, "will I ever see you again after this?" Taylor snapped her head over to him and said, "what?"
He sighed and said, "I said-" she cut him off and said, "I know what you said, idiot. Why?" He sighed and said with sadness written in his eyes, "I miss you, that's why." She laughed and said, "are you kidding me! You missed me? Yet for two years you stayed away? Do you know how hard it is to be on your own, raising a child! No you don't!" he sighed and said, "listen, I didn't mean to..." he stopped and said, "you know what, we will talk about this when your cooled down." So they sat there in peace and quiet and she said, "yes we will see each other after this but don't get too comfortable."
He smiled and said, "lovely." She then stood up and left him on the bench, he was a crazy unpredictable man and even now she didn't know if she should ever trust him again but it was worth a try.
She then walked into the hospital room and signed all the paper work so Eriah could go home. By the end of it, she was glad to go home with her daughter. And as for Isaac maybe they would work out as well, just maybe.

End.