A Family Brought Together

A Family Brought Together

The ring of childhood shattered.
Frantic, desperate;
A game of catch turned sour in my stomach.
The baseball hit above his eye.
Ace's world went black.
Medi-evac, Harborview, come quick;
Rapid firing of digits and dial tones,
Frantic, desperate;
Then waiting, we'll go together.
The four of us disbelieving,
Firing down the freeway as fast as the wheels will roll.
Talking about nothing, about everything, it was only a baseball.
The smells of sick, injured, medicinal, and white swirl together.
Inquiring at the desk, no names yet, but a description match.
Shaking we wait together.
The family of Achiile-Ray-Doe please follow?
The name is foriegn, but the uniform looks to us.
His mother is not here to give his proper name.
Tears press forward in a stream as we follow the uniform,
To a private room.
Why? It was only a baseball.
Ace is in critical condition.
The surgeons are doing all they can.
Did you see this happen? Even they disbelieve It was only a baseball.
His mother and aunt are here now.
No more Achille-Ray-Doe.
Just talk about nothing, about everything, tears for Ace.
The surgeons come with sadness, they cannot stop the bleeding.
Brother and aunt hold mom while she screams a low guttural sound.
The room whails with her. It was only a baseball.
Ace is has been moved to another floor.
Machines whirring and click to give him breath and pulse.
Same sick, injured, medicinal smell;
His mother will not leave his side again.
Frantic, desperate she remains still.
Outside the waiting room fills.
Family gathering together disbelieving.
More arrive each minute, until there are no more pillows or blankets.
We are on the floor, saving the chairs for the elders.
We each take turns in Ace's room.
Each not wanting to say goodbye, 11 years is too short.
False hope in whirring and click.
A long sleepless night.
Crying and sharing, we hold each other up.
Talking about nothing, about everything, about Ace.
The morning brings with it a decision.
The whirring and click stop.
A family mourns together.
Fear, sorrow, belonging, joyous memories,
Disfunction and fueding have been forgotten.
In death our family came together.
A life too short, yet long enough to teach the lesson,
Family is the structure that lives are built upon.
Ace was the angel that united us, taught us.
We will all miss him.