So Close To Complete Serenity

Chapter 1
         Serenity awoke to a horrible feeling in her chest. She felt as if her heart was beating so quickly and so hard that it would soon pop out of her chest.
         Pain erupted in her lower stomach. She felt as if her entire body was going to explode, never had she felt such horrific pain before.
         Serenity placed her hand to heart and tried to calm herself. She tried to breath normal but it was like her body ignored what she wanted and needed. She tried to stifle her scream but the pain was so harsh that she couldn’t stand it any more. Her pain echoed throughout the house alarming everyone.
         Seconds later her mother and brother came barging into her bedroom. They ran to her side, her mother grabbing her hand.
         “Devin, take her down to the car.” Eden ordered.
         Devin did not hesitate to pick up his sister and rush her out to the car.
         “You’re going to be okay Seney. We’re going to the hospital right now.” Devin whispered into Serenity’s hair as he carried her down the stairs.
         Eden draped a blanket over her daughter before closing the door. Devin sat in the back seat with Serenity. He held her close, afraid of what could happen if he let her go. Eden sat in the driver’s seat and raced them all to the hospital for the second time in this month.

         Serenity heard the beeping of the EKG machine monitoring her  heartbeat. She slowly opened her eyes and looked around the white hospital bedroom that always bothered her eyes. She felt a warm hand underneath hers. She automatically knew that it was her mother’s. She looked down to see Eden's hair covering her beautiful features. Dark curls splayed over Serenity’s white blanket.
         Serenity couldn’t help touching her mother’s dark silky hair. She always loved playing with her mother’s hair since she was a little girl. It was soft and Serenity loved the way it felt in her hands.
         “Ma,” Serenity whispered. Her voice cracked and sounded hoarse.
         Eden raised her head up slowly. She gave Serenity a sleepy smile. “Hey m’amor,” Eden was ecstatic to see her daughter awake. She tried to hold back her tears but she was so overwhelmed. Last night was one of the most horrific moments that she has ever had throughout Serenity’s existence.
         “Please don’t cry ma, I’m alright.” Serenity reassured her mother. She wiped Eden’s tears away and gave her mother a reassuring smile.
         “We were so scared mi’ja. I thought…” Eden couldn’t finish her sentence. She didn’t want any of this to be real, to be true. She was grateful that he daughter's heart beat and she couldn't ask for anything more.          
         This was the most terrible hospital visit they ever had. On the way to the hospital Serenity kept on screaming something that Eden nor Devin could understand. A lot of strange things were happening as they drove Serenity to the hospital, but Eden had no time to delve into the matter. She was more concerned about getting her daughter to the hospital.
              She was terrified for her baby girl and prayed to a God that she thought was long dead. She prayed every day that her daughter slept. “Do you want something to eat?” She didn’t want to talk to Serenity about how she thought her daughter wouldn’t make it this time.          
         “I just want something to drink.” Serenity murmured.
         Eden smiled down at Serenity. She pushed her daughter’s hair back from her face. She kissed Serenity gently on the forehead and inhaled her warm, lavender scent. How happy she felt to have her daughter so strong and alive.
         Eden got up from the wooden seat that was next to Serenity's bed and walked down to the cafeteria. A few minutes after Eden left Devin came into the room.
         “Hey little sister,” he yelled when he saw Serenity sitting up in her bed and gazing out the window. She smiled when she heard her brother yell. He was always the loudest and the most obnoxious but she was more than happy to hear his loudness today.
         “Hey big bro,” she answered as loudly as she could. Her voice was scratchy and low.
         Devin came over and gave her a hug and kissed her cheek before sitting down on the chair her mother just vacated.
         “How are you feeling Seney?” Seney was Devin’s nickname for her since she was born. Devin couldn’t pronounce Serenity so her called her Seney instead. The name just stuck to her and she loved it.
         “I’m alright I guess. I’m not dead yet so that’s bonus.” She joked.
         “God, you scared the shit out of me and ma last night. I thought someone was trying to kill you or something when you screamed.” He leaned back in his chair and played with his shirtsleeve not wanting her to see the tears that were threatening to come out.
         She did try her best not to wake up the house but the pain was just so...unbearable this time. She remembered feeling as if she were lit on fire. 
         Devin looked up, leaned forward and punched her, gently but still hard enough to make it hurt.
         “Ouch,” she yelped rubbing her upper arm where he hit her. “What was that for?”
         “I was having the best dream ever until you woke me up?”
         Serenity giggled. No matter how bad a shape Serenity was in or how bad a mood she could always count on her brother to three sixty the mood and make her happy.
         “You were dreaming that you finally got a report card with no F’s on it?”
         Devin blew her a raspberry and she laughed.