by Megan Smith
All I hear is the swooshing in my ears. Layla’s heart stopped; not once but twice. My best friend’s brain is swelling. I look down to my hands resting in my lap as the doctor finishes. I heard bits and pieces as I tried to focus on what he’s saying.
Surgery.
Blood coming out of mouth and ears.
Missing teeth.
Cracked ribs.
Broken jaw.
Collapsed lung.
Severe brain injury.
Possible rape.
“If there are any family members for Layla and Eli I’d suggest you give them a call.” Dr. Muslin says as he stands and pushes in his chair. “We’ll be speaking again with you soon.”
The door closes behind him and all that can be heard is crying. Jaylinn wraps her arms around me. How could this be happening to them? Who the fuck would be that twisted to beat them within an inch of their lives?
Eli has done so much for Layla and her sister Fallon. He opened up his home for them. By doing that they fell in love with each other. I knew a long time ago that they’d fallen hard; you could see it in their eyes. And Layla, my heart fucking breaks for her. Jaylinn told me all about her situation before she moved in with Eli. No one deserves to be treated like that, ever.
And now this. She’d just got her mom back and was living a stable life with Fallon only to have it ripped from her. Some people say that karma is a bitch but there’s not one thing that Layla has ever done to deserve the shit she’s had to endure. She has to make it…they have to make it.
Jaylinn
Cooper stands and pushes his chair in. “I’m going down for a drink, do you want anything?” He doesn’t really need a drink; I’m not stupid, he just needs a minute to himself, it’s how he deals with things.
I shake my head. “No, thanks, I need to call Layla’s mom to let her know what’s going on.”
“Are you sure? I could do it if you’d like.” Cooper shoves his hands in his pockets.
I wipe my eyes. “No, this is something I should do. You can explain what you saw when she gets here if she wants to hear it.”
He nods. “Yeah, sure. I, uh…guess I’ll call Eli’s sister and give her a heads up.”
“You sure? I could do it when I’m done.” I offer even though it’s the last thing in the world I want to do. It’s bad enough I have to call Layla’s mom, I don’t want to have to call both families. This shouldn’t have happened to them.
“No it’s okay. I got it.” Cooper tells me before walking out.
I reach in my purse and dig out my cell phone. I scroll to Mrs. Del Luca’s number and stare at it briefly before pressing the call button.
“Hey, Jaylinn, what’s going on?” She asks too cheerfully for this early in the morning.
“Hey,” my voice shakes. “Layla is in the hospital.”
She sucks in a breath. “Oh my God, is she okay?”
“You, um…you need to get down here.” I stutter.
“Jaylinn, is my daughter okay?”
“I don’t know.” I answer honestly. “We’re at Community Medical Center.”
I place my elbows on my knees and drop my head forward.
“Okay, let me get Fallon to a friend’s house then and I’ll be right there.”
“We’ll see you soon and be careful.”
I stare at a little black dot on the wall for what seems like forever. My stomach heaves. I take a few breaths but nothing calms it. I rub my hands back and forth over my stomach hoping to settle it. “Come on, settle down.” I whisper to myself.
Everything is suspended in time as we wait while our friends fight for their lives.
A while later Mrs. Del Luca arrives, she walks into the waiting room crying hysterically. Cooper still hasn’t returned. When Mrs. Del Luca’s eyes find me, she falls to her knees, her purse spills on the floor, but she doesn’t even notice or care. I crawl over to her and wrap my arms around her. MacKenzie, Hailey, and Hunter walk in just as I reach her. The girls take one look at us sitting on the floor, they both lower to their knees and wrap their arms around us as we sit on the floor crying. Hunter takes a seat in one of the empty chairs, leans forward and rests his elbows on his knees.
After a while we all wipe our faces. I sit on the floor with Layla’s mom, Hailey’s in an empty chair and MacKenzie has crawled on to Hunter’s lap.
“Where’s Mase?” I ask Hailey.
She nods towards the door. “Talking to Cooper.”
“Do you know who did this to her?” Mrs. Del Luca asks.
I shake my head but something deep down inside of me tells me I know who did it. The words that Layla said to me once repeat over and over in my head. “Laughing now but you’ll be crying later.” I don’t want to think it was him but who else would do this to them? What reason would they have? It’s not like they were trying to break in the club or anything.
I stand and start to pace back and forth getting more and more anxious. I can’t lose them, I won’t be able to handle it if that happens. “I’ve gotta go for a walk.” I open the door and practically run out of the room.
“You okay?” Cooper asks.
“Fine, just need some air.” I say walking past him.
I wander around the hospital for a while, my cell phone a ticking time bomb in my back pocket waiting for someone to call me back to the room. I stumble across a little chapel. No one is sitting in it so I walk in and take a seat in the back row.
I look up shaking my head. “So we meet again. You know I don’t pray or even go to church. I’m still not even sure I believe in God but I’m begging you, please, let Layla and Eli be okay. Let them make it through this surgery.” I close my eyes to fight off the tears. “You can’t take everyone I love away from me.”
I sit here for a while, feeling safe. I ask for forgiveness for everything I’ve ever done wrong, hoping and praying He’s listening. My eyes grow heavy due to the lack of sleep over the last month with everything weighing heavy on me. I lean forward, arms on the back of the bench and rest my head on them. My body yearning for rest, my mind fighting it.
Dreams.
I'm not sure I like them.
I'm not sure I don't like them either.
I do know I hate the ones that feel real. The ones when you wake up with your heart pounding, feeling like you can’t breathe, whole body trembles and your eyes are wet from your tears.
I place a hand over my rapidly beating heart. It’s thumping so hard. Reaching up with my other hand I wipe my wet eyes with the back of my hand.
I try to recall the dream that I woke from just seconds ago but I can’t. My mind is running in a million different directions; flashes of a funeral, a smiling baby, a wedding, a new house, baseball fields, Fierce, a death, another death, a broken heart and a black door.
My phone dings and startles me. I must have dozed off.
I freeze before reaching for it.
Cooper 9:44pm: I need you to come upstairs.
I send one more prayer up to God before wandering back into the hallway. I pass the cafeteria, a gift shop, lots of office doors and some bathrooms. I’m in no hurry to get back there. If it’s bad news this is just prolonging it, if it’s good news everyone can see them first because I’m not leaving two of my closest friends alone until they leave the hospital.
I reach the elevators and hit the up button. It dings then the door opens. I step in and press the number three. With each passing floor it gets harder and harder to breathe. The elevator dings and the doors open. I step out, turn the corner and walk to the room where my friends and my family are waiting.
“Please, God, please let them be okay.”
I take a deep breath and hold it until my lungs burn. I push the door open.
Cooper is bent over leaning against the wall, Mrs. Del Luca is rocking back and forth repeating the word “No!” Erin, who must have arrived after I left, is sitting in the corner with her face buried in her hands, and Mason and Hunter and holding their crying wives.
&n
bsp; Everything goes gray. I struggle to take a deep breath in. My throat is tight and when my eyes meet with Cooper for just a second I see the pain in his eyes before a black door slams shut.
One month later…
A couple is left in critical condition outside of club Fierce in Seaside Heights, NJ, early Friday morning.
Police received a 9-1-1 call from one of the owners of the club, Cooper Cahill, who found the couple after the beating. Eli
Sabatino, who owns the other half of the night club, and his fiancé were the victims.Sabatino and Del Luca were transported to Community Medical Center, Toms River, where they both remain in critical condition.
There are no witnesses or suspects at this time. Seaside Heights Police and the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office are asking for the public’s help in this investigation. If you have any information please contact them at 1-555-957-1000.
The police came by my room and asked me questions about that night once I woke up. I told them everything. We were together alone after Cooper left, had sex in the office and got engaged. They left shortly after and said they’d be in contact.
Police are no closer to finding the suspects of the brutal beating of the couple found last week behind Fierce.
A $10,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest in the beating.
Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office along with family and friends are asking for anyone to come forward with anything at all that might help the investigation.
If you have any information please contact the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office at 1-555-957-1000.
Not many showed up for the funeral. The funeral I only stayed at for a few minutes. I couldn’t be there, I couldn’t say goodbye. I thought I could do it, thought I was strong enough but I wasn’t.
I’m weak.
I’m angry.
I’m hurting.
Authorities have arrested and charged a 22-year-old Brick, NJ, man with attempted murder and first-degree murder.
Late last week the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office was given an anonymous tip that led them to Brian Hopkins. After he was brought in for questioning he confessed to the crime.
“An anonymous tip came in and we followed up with it hoping this would give us the lead that we needed.” Edward Brown, Seaside Heights Police Chief said.Through the interview, Hopkins told police that he was in a relationship with Layla Del Luca a few months back and it didn’t end well. Hopkins admitted that he went after Del Luca and Sabatino early Friday morning in an attempt to “rough them up.” Hopkins also confessed to being high on narcotics and alcohol that night which he claims “fueled his rage.”
Hopkins has been charged with attempted murder and first-degree murder. He is currently being held in the Ocean County Jail on $500,000 bail set by Judge Richard Paul.
Six months later…
“Eli?” Someone calls.
I roll over on my stomach trying to ignore whoever is bothering me. I hear someone breathing. I crack one eye open. Fallon is lying on the bed next to me.
“I’m sorry you’re sad.” Fallon whispers.
“Me too.”
“I’m sad, too.” She says getting a little choked up.
Fallon reaches over and holds my hand. “I know you are, squirt.”
We lay in bed for a while, me and her, just like she used to do with Layla sometimes. Fallon’s stomach starts to growl. She gets up off the bed and disappears for a few minutes only to return a few minutes later with pancakes and ice cream.
It’s the first time in a month that my stomach actually growls. I normally just eat because I know I have to or because someone is forcing me.
Fallon giggles. “Want some?” She asks scooping a spoonful of ice cream on a piece of pancake. Chocolate ice cream drips down her chin, she wipes it along her arm. This was always Fallon and Layla’s comfort food. Anytime you saw them eating it you knew something was wrong.
Fallon does the same thing again with the pancakes and ice cream, only this time I take her little hand and guide it to my mouth. The pancakes mixed with ice cream taste like heaven.
In the corner of my eye I catch Mrs. Del Luca leaning against the doorway. “Finally.” She whispers.
Fallon scoots over and pats the bed next to her. Mrs. Del Luca comes over and climbs in with us. The three of us sit there on Layla’s old bed eating pancakes and ice cream together.
After we are done, Fallon and her mom leave me to myself. Today feels different. I don’t know what kind of different but a good one. I get up and take a shower. As I walk back into my room to grab some clothes there is a knock on the door.
I quickly pull on a pair of jeans before yelling, “Come in.”
Fallon walks in holding one of my old Boston University t-shirts. “Can you wear this?” she asks shyly. Layla used to love sleeping in this shirt. I bring it close to my face and I can still smell her.
I smile and it feels good, so good. “Of course I can.”
Fallon sits on the bed while I put the shirt on.
“Fallon, can you help me do something today?”
She nods.
I’m stronger today than I was six months ago. I can do this, I have to do this, it’s time.
Fallon and I stop by the flower shop on the way to the grave yard. When we pull through the gates I start to get angry again. I don’t want to be here, I shouldn’t be here. It should be me in that damn box six feet under, not Layla. I follow the directions that Jaylinn texted to me and I spot Layla’s grave. I didn’t have the heart to ask her mom where Layla was, I should have known but I couldn’t bring myself to come here before now.
I sit in the car and look out the window. Fallon senses my hesitation. She unbuckles herself from the backseat, grabs the book she brought, climbs out of the car and walks a few feet towards Layla’s grave. This seven year old girl has more courage than I do.
Fallon takes a seat next to her sister’s tombstone and opens the book up. I sit and watch giving her a few minutes alone before I talk myself into doing this.
I take a deep breath and climb from the car. I walk around to the trunk and grab my guitar and the flowers I bought. I wander down to Fallon and Layla.
My breathing is labored with each step and my hands start to sweat. I miss her so fucking much. My heart is breaking all over again.
Her simple tombstone is surrounded by flowers and fresh cut green grass. My eyes tear up as I read her tombstone.
Layla Del Luca
March 16, 1993 – February 13, 2015
Always in our thoughts
Forever in our hearts
I wipe the tears away. Fuck, I knew this was going to hurt but I figured after so many months it wouldn’t that much. I was wrong, so fucking wrong.
I lean the flowers up against the tombstone then sit down and put the guitar on my lap. I wipe my hands on my jeans and string the cords. Fallon sets her book aside and watches me.
“I thought she’d like this.” I say to Fallon.
She smiles and nods. “Her favorite song?”
“Yeah.”
I string the cords to the same song I sung to her in my office the night of the accident, Ron Pope’s Last First Kiss. “We might have met as children…” I get lost in the music for the next few minutes. My voice cracks as the waves of emotion crash over me.
When I’m done I set the guitar down and let the tears fall. There isn’t any holding them back now. Fallon launches herself in my arms and together we cry. We cry for the loss of a person we loved more than anything in the world, someone who always put you before herself, someone who should still be here with us today.
Fallon and I sit here for a while after the tears have stopped. She picked her book back up and finished reading to her sister. When she was done I knew it was time to go.
“I’ll meet you back at the car in just a second, okay?”
Fallon nods her head. “I love you, Layla.”
I choke back the tears once again.
; When she’s made it to the car I stand and bend down so I can touch Layla’s tombstone. “I’m sorry it took so long to come and visit you.” I swallow the lump in my throat. “I’m not real good with this type of thing so I wrote you a letter.” I pull the letter that I’ve been writing over the last six months out of my pocket and place it near the flowers. “I love you, Layla. I always will.” I kiss my finger tips and then bring them to her name on the tombstone. “I promise I’ll be back soon to visit.”
Dear Layla,
I thought about you today but that’s nothing new. I thought about you yesterday and every day since you’ve passed away. When I woke in the hospital a few days after the accident I couldn’t remember anything about what happened. I had a hairline fracture to my skull, a broken nose and a dislocated jaw. Jaylinn came to visit me the day I woke up. She didn’t look like her normal self. I knew then that something wasn’t right. At first she wouldn’t tell me anything, said Cooper would be up later and he’d tell me. You know how I am; I had to know right then and there. I told her if she couldn’t tell me then to get out. It was wrong of me, I didn’t know it then but she barely left the hospital after the accident. After she stopped crying and me apologizing she shared with me what happened, the moment my life irrevocably changed. Your heart gave out on the operating table and they weren’t able to save you. I got angry and irritated. The nurses came in and had to give me medicine to calm down. All my readings were through the roof, they even had Jaylinn leave the room for a while. I wouldn’t let anyone else in to see me except her and Cooper.
You’re mom tried to bring Fallon up one afternoon but I couldn’t see her. It hurt so fucking bad and I just got more pissed off. You should be proud of your mom; she’s really stepping up to the plate with Fallon and she’s even emotionally supporting me through this now. When I first came home I was on strict orders for bed rest. She took care of me, took me to all my appointments and put up with my miserable ass.
