Right Kind Of Wrong

by Christina Marie

  He looked at me, “Yes Tabitha I did. I’ll fuckin’ remember not to come here next time” He said in a snide way.

  “Morgan John! Don’t speak to her like that!” His mom whisper yelled across the table.

  “Apologize son.” His dad leveled him with a stern look.

  Morgan pinched his eyebrows together and put his arm around my shoulder, “Sorry. I’m just ready to get home and relax.” He said, then kissed my temple.

  The waiter brought our food and apologized for the wait, even though others before us were still waiting for their orders. I expected Morgan to devour his pizza but he didn’t, after only one piece he said that he was full. “I think all the water and protein shakes I drink have made my stomach shrink.” He said with a laugh.

  While we finished our meals he excused himself to go use the restroom. “He’s grouchy.” His mom said with a chuckle.

  “College is a big adjustment, being a freshman walk on doesn’t make it any easier. He’s adjusting.” Richard told her.

  About fifteen minutes passed before Morgan sat back down beside me, “Sorry bout that, I think twenty people stopped me. You about ready?”

  “Yep! I need to go get my vehicle. I’ll just follow you back to the dorms.”

  “Nah, I’ll take you back to it tomorrow, it’s fine where it’s parked.” He said with a smile.

  Richard waved the waiter down to pay, “Not when you’re with this guy!” He tilted his head toward Morgan and smiled. So instead of paying for the meal he handed the waiter a fifty-dollar bill. “Sir that’s…”

  “Your tip.” Richard patted the guy on the back before walking away. We followed behind Katherine.

  Outside they both hugged Morgan and told them how proud they were of him. Katherine wiped tears away and hugged him again, “You be sure to get some rest, I worry about you.” She told Morgan.

  “I will momma.” He hugged her tightly before she backed away. They each hugged me then walked over to their car.

  “Babe will you drive? I’ve got a killer headache starting from all that noise in the restaurant.” Morgan asked.

  “Yep! I’ve got some Tylenol if you need a couple.” I said as I opened the pickup door.

  “Yeah, I’ll take a couple. I’m so ready to crawl into bed with you.” He said and kissed me before shutting the driver’s door and walking around to the passenger side.

  I dug through my purse for the Tylenol and handed them to him. He dumped a couple out and tossed them into his mouth. “Ahh, I’ll be glad when they kick in.”

  “How far to your dorm?” I asked as I backed out of the parking stall.

  “About twenty minutes, fuck I’ve missed you.” He leaned over and placed his hand on my thigh.

  I smiled, “I’ve missed you too.”

  “So you’re going to apply for college here, right?” Morgan asked.

  “Planning on it, they’ve got a really good dance team too.”

  “How’s everybody doing back home? I hardly ever get a chance to call anybody, after practice I’m usually so tired I make it back to my bed and crash.” He said with a laugh.

  “Everybody is doing good, I’m sure they all understand that you’re busy.”

  “Busy is a fuckin’ understatement. College is gonna be a rude awakening for a lot of you guys.” He said with a sigh.

  “I know.”

  Morgan was silent for a few minutes, “We need to talk, Tabitha.”

  I glanced at him out the corner of my eye, “About?”

  He blew out a breath and wouldn’t look at me, “Turn here.”

  Neither of us said anything else in the short distance to the dorm building. Once inside I told Morgan I was going to shower before going to bed.

  “I’ll be right here.” He said as he stripped his clothes off, except for his boxers. The sight of his body made me stop. His six pack abs, tanned skin, the prominent V muscle that pointed to his cock. “Go shower Tabitha.” He said with a grin.

  “Right…sorry.” I turned and rushed into the bathroom. It was then that I realized that I had no clothes to wear since my bag was still in my vehicle at the stadium. I shrugged my shoulders before stripping out of my clothes and getting in the shower.

  Wrapped in a towel I walked out of the bathroom, Morgan was stretched out on the bed watching TV. He looked over at me and smiled, “Drop the towel.”

  I raised one eyebrow at him, “Ask nicely…” I grinned at him as I walked toward him.

  “Please, drop the fuckin’ towel and let me see your sexy body?” He said and set up on the edge of the bed and winced slightly. I stood in front of him and stared down at him. Morgan reached up and slowly pulled the towel apart then let it drop to the floor.

  “Do you still have a headache?” I asked before he leaned in to kiss my stomach.

  “You know what they say cures those?” He responded. When his tongue circled my belly button I placed my hands on his shoulders then slid them up to his hair. I tugged gently, “Easy.” He whispered. Slowly he moved his hands over my body, I waited with anticipation as he trailed his fingers toward my center. Before he could do anymore he shoved me out of the way and grabbed the trashcan beside his bed and started to throw up.

  “Morgan!” I jumped on the bed beside him and rubbed his back as he continued to be sick.

  “The pizza,” he dry heaved and spit into the can, “I didn’t think it tasted right. Fuck I’m so sorry.” He said and spit again. “I’m gonna go shower.” He tried to stand up and wobbled slightly.

  “Morgan!” I helped him gain his balance. “I’ll get you some water, lay back down.” I told him. A couple of minutes later I sat down beside where he was lying on the bed and handed him the bottle of water. “Can I borrow some of your clothes? I left my bag in my car.”

  “Sure, damn’it I’m never eating there again.” He grumbled after taking a couple drinks of water.

  I climbed off the bed and went over to his dresser, pulled on a pair of his athletic shorts and one of his t-shirts. “Do you need me to take to the hospital?” I asked.

  “For fuck sake, Tabitha, it’s the god damn pizza! When I get out, we really need to talk.” He practically yelled at me. After resting for a few minutes he stood up from the bed and went into the bathroom. I stood outside the door and listened to make sure he was okay, when the shower turned on I decided to sit on his bed and watch TV. After about twenty minutes I got worried, so I knocked lightly on the door, he didn’t answer so I knocked again.

  “Morgan?” I called out. The only sound I could hear was the shower running so I pushed the door open. Steam billowed out of the small space, “Morgan?” I said his name again and still didn’t get a response. When I walked in and pulled the shower curtain back I shook my head and laughed quietly. He had sat down on the shower floor and fell asleep with his head resting against the shower wall. “Hey sleepy head, the beds a lot softer.” I joked but he didn’t respond or even blink open his eyes. I shut the shower off and he still didn’t move or wake up, “Morgan!” I knelt down beside the tub and gently rubbed his arm. “MORGAN!” I yelled but still…he didn’t move. His lips weren’t their normal pink color, they were starting to turn ashy colored. “Oh my GOD, MORGAN!” I shook his shoulder and his head lulled off to the side. “Morgan! Morgan! Wake up!” I screamed and shook him again. “Help me! Somebody HELP ME!” I screamed as loud as I could. “HELP HELP!” I screamed and started crying. Phone…get your phone! I rushed out of the bathroom and grabbed my phone off the nightstand and called 911.

  “Nine one one, what’s the location of your emergency?” the dispatcher spoke in a robotic tone.

  “I…I don’t know. I’m at the dorms with my boyfriend and he’s not waking up. Dorm number 601! He’s not waking up--hurry!” I cried to the dispatcher.

  “Ma’am, I need you to calm down. Can you find a pulse on him?” The man asked me.

  I fumbled with my phone trying not to drop it, and with a shaky hand placed two fingers against his neck. �
�I…very faintly! —HELP ME!” I screamed again.

  “Ma’am, I have units dispatched. Can you tell me what he was doing?”

  “He…he got sick when we got back here. He was complaining of a headache after the game. Morgan, please wake up!” I was sobbing.

  “Ma’am, what is your name?”

  “T-Tabitha,” there was a knock on the dorm door so I rushed out and pulled it open. There stood two of the guys that lived in the same dorm. “He’s…he’s in there.” I cried and pointed to the bathroom and rushed in behind them.

  “Tabitha the ambulance will be there in just a few minutes. Can you give me more information? You said he was complaining of a headache after the game, is he a player or was he involved in some kind of altercation outside the stadium?”

  “No. I mean yes, he’s a player, a running back; He’s…not…waking –up!” I started to hyperventilate. The two players hoisted him out of the shower and carried him out into the bedroom. One covered him with the towel so that his private parts weren’t exposed.

  “Tabitha is there somebody there?” The dispatcher asked.

  “Yes…his teammates!” I recognized them from when we approached Morgan after the game.

  “Okay, can you put me on speakerphone so I can instruct them on the correct way to perform CPR, please?”

  I about dropped my phone in the process, “Okay!” I yelled.

  The two guys had already started doing chest compression on Morgan and the other one waited to give breathes. “His mom is a nurse and mine’s a doctor,” the guy that was waiting to give Morgan a breath said into the phone. The dispatcher still instructed them on what to do. I counted each compression quietly as hot tears spilled down my face.

  “Why isn’t he waking up!?” I sobbed. His lips were now blue and his body showed no signs of life. “Morgan!” I grabbed his hand, there was very little warmth to his body. I felt like I was going to be sick, but I couldn’t let go of him. I started to say every single prayer I knew, begging God not to take him from us. “I love you Morgan, please wake up! I love you too much, wake UP!” I continued to tell him that I loved him as burning tears fell down my face.

  The two guys switched and the other one started doing the thirty count chest compressions while the other waited to breathe into his mouth. “Come on Morgan!” The one pressing down on his chest yelled. Two paramedics entered the room and quickly took over.

  “Tabitha I’m Brody, I’m one of the other running backs.” He spoke softly. The other one was pacing back and forth running his hand through his hair then left the room while talking on his cell phone. “That’s Zander, he’s a tight end.”

  I couldn’t say anything; all I could do was clutch on to his shirt and cry. One of the EMT’s pulled a large black bag over to where he was knelt down, my eyes widened when I seen the paddles that were about to be used to shock Morgan. “Oh GOD!” I cried.

  “Come on, lets go wait out in the hallway.” He pulled me up and tried to get me to leave the room.

  “No!” I tried to yank my arm from his grasp but he was much stronger than me.

  “Tabitha! You don’t want to watch this…trust me.”

  The high pitch squeal of the device charging made me go weak in the knees and the pulsating shock sound followed by the paramedics talking about shocking Morgan’s lifeless body again…and my world went black.

  Chapter 20

  “What?!” I heard Claire scream from downstairs. “No! NO!” She screamed over and over. I bolted out of bed and ran downstairs. She was leaning against dad’s chest and sobbing while holding the phone to her ear. Dad looked over the top of her head, tears filled his eyes, Claire continued to sob even after she had disconnected the call.

  “What’s goin’ on?” I asked. Vi stood beside me looking more worried than I had ever seen her.

  “Is it… Tabitha?” Vi asked with a shaky voice.

  Tabitha had driven three hours to go watch Morgan play in a home game, so we were both worried that something had happened to her. Dad swallowed hard then shook his head, no. “Lets go into the living room.”

  Claire sniffled and more tears rolled down her cheeks as she walked on shaky legs next to dad. Vi and I sat down on the love seat; she reached for my hand and squeezed it tightly. Dad wiped his eyes as he paced in front of us, “There’s been…Morgan…he’s… fuck!” his hands were shaking and he couldn’t continue with what he was trying to say.

  “What about Morgan?” I asked, a knot formed in my throat.

  Dad sat down on the coffee table and started to cry, “He’s gone.”

  “Gone?” Vi and I asked in unison.

  Dad nodded his head, “He—he passed away.” Then dad started sobbing.

  Vi and I sat there in shocked silence, “No…” Vi breathed out on a choked sob. I put my arm around her shoulder as she began to cry.

  Tears blurred my vision, “Is Tabitha okay? Was it a wreck?” I finally asked.

  Claire shook her head, “She’s…fine. She found him in the shower at his dorm.” She told us.

  “We need to go be there for her.” Vi said then blew her nose and tossed the Kleenex into the small trashcan.

  “Do his parents know?” I asked.

  Dad nodded his head, “They hadn’t been gone but about and hour and a half when they got a call from the hospital. They’re on their way back. If you two want to go get changed we’ll leave in about ten minutes.” He told us.

  Vi and I rushed back upstairs to our rooms. I threw on a pair of track pants, a t-shirt, black Addidas shoes and my baseball cap.

  Not even ten minutes later we were on the road to Wilson University. Vi tried calling Tabitha but she never answered. “I can’t even imagine what she’s feeling.” Vi wiped tears off of her face.

  “Do they have any idea at all what happened? You said she found him in the shower. Did he fall in there?” I asked.

  Claire sniffled, and then told me what one of his teammates had told her when Tabitha had him call her.

  I drew my eyebrows together, “Those are all signs of a concussion. What the fuck, is their coach a total idiot?” I asked. How the fuck could a coach or staff member or even another team member not notice Morgan wasn’t acting like his normal self?

  Vi fell asleep against my shoulder, I stared out the window at nothing but darkness as we cruised down the freeway. Memories of Morgan and I growing up together flooded my mind. Dad cleared his throat and looked at me in the rear view mirror. “Did you call Julia?”

  I closed my eyes because it never even crossed my mind, “No, I’ll call her right now.”

  Since it was late it took a few extra rings before she answered her phone, “What’s wrong?” she said when she answered.

  “Uh,’ I scrubbed my hand down my face and swallowed hard, “We’re on our way to WU, Morgan—he…”

  “What Vance…what’s wrong with Morgan? You’re already on your way? Where’s Tabitha? Oh god is she okay? Did they have a wreck?” She was firing questions off so fast I couldn’t answer each one.

  “Morgan is dead.” I told her and felt my eyes fill with more burning tears.

  The line fell silent, “What did you just say?”

  “You heard me, I can’t say it again.” I choked out.

  Her sobs filled the line, “What happened?” Julia cried.

  “We aren’t one hundred percent sure, but it sounds like he had the signs of a severe concussion.” I said and closed my eyes; more tears fell down my cheeks. “I’ve gotta go, I’ll let you know more when we are back.” I told her.

  < < < > > >

  For the next two hours we rode in silence, Dad held Claire’s hand as she slept and Vi remained sleeping against my shoulder.

  When we made it to the hospital, a sick feeling hit me. I wasn’t prepared to do this, to walk into the hospital and look at one of my closest friends one last time.

  I woke Vi up and dad softly brushed his hand down Claire’s cheek to wake her up. “I…I don’t know if I can g
o in there Vance.” Vi told me.

  “We need to be there for Tabitha and his parents. I’m not ready for it either.”

  The sliding glass doors whooshed open, the florescent lights made me squint from the brightness. Dad and Claire held hands as they walked in front of Vi and I to the nurse’s station. “We’re here for the Morgan Green family.” Dad told the nurse. She gave him a sympathetic look before leading us to the waiting room where everybody else was.

  You could literally feel the sadness when you entered the room. Morgan’s mom was sitting beside his dad, crying on his shoulder. I scanned the room for Tabitha and found her sleeping with her head on the lap of some guy. Katherine heard the door click shut behind Vi and looked up. A sob escaped her as she stood up and made her way over to us. Dad and Claire hugged her then took turns hugging Richard. “I can’t believe this!” Katherine cried as I hugged her. “He…he’s really gone, my baby boy is gone!” Her knees started to buckle so I guided her over to a chair. Vi sat beside her and held her hand as more tears were shed.

  “How long has Tabitha been asleep?” Vi asked quietly.

  Katherine wiped her nose with the floral handkerchief, “The doctors had to give her some medication. She was shaking so bad, oh God, the poor girl thinks she did something wrong.”

  I looked over my shoulder and Claire was rubbing Tabitha’s arm while quietly talking to the guy currently being used as a pillow. The waiting room door opened and another college aged guy walked in with bottles of water and Styrofoam cups of coffee. He greeted Vi and I with a quick head nod as he walked past us over to where Richard was sitting next to dad talking.

  I bowed my head and clasped my hands, memories of Morgan and all of us growing up together flooded my mind. Then the memories of how bad I had hurt him by having sex with Tabitha surfaced. Our friendship was slowly mending back together. After he graduated and Tabitha went to stay with her dad for the summer, him and I started talking more. We avoided talking about ‘it’ happening and tried to move on. Deep down I knew he would probably never forgive me. I quickly stood up and stormed out of the waiting room. It felt like I was suffocating in there. Nobody tried to stop me and nobody followed me out of the building. When I got outside I bent at the waist and put my hands on my knees and took numerous deep breaths. I leaned against the side of the building and slid down, the bricks snagging against my clothes like Velcro. My entire body shook as I finally started to break down, Morgan was gone and died with a pit of hatred against me buried deep inside of him. I cried like no man should probably ever cry but I couldn’t hold it in.