Regret

For the most part the house was silent; there hadn’t been much true life in it for quite some time. Everyone was home, but no one would have guessed since there was no connection between any of its residents. You could call it a family but the only thing they shared was a blood relation. It seemed as if they never conversed and they never shared their feelings. The only bit of hope that this broken home contained was a soft beat emitting from the basement. This music symbolized one last breath of a dying family. Believe it or not, the one listening to it was a teenage boy. Everything about him seemed so bland and dead, except when his music was playing. When it rang out around him a new glow overwhelmed his body and he couldn’t hide it.

This slight moment of tranquility was stopped abruptly when the father of the house shouted downstairs at his son to turn it off.

“Of course I have to turn mine off, but when you and Mom want to listen to your bullshit jazz music the whole family has to suffer” his son muttered back.

“Excuse me? What did you just say to me young man?! You better watch your mouth when you’re talking to me!” his dad bellowed.

“Well its physically impossible to watch my mouth, so maybe if you had correct grammar then I would listen to what you say” he sarcastically replied.

“If you’re going to be such a smartass then maybe you should find someone else willing to take you in, and trust me, that will be hard to do.”

“Well then fine I’ll just get out your hair and out of your life.”

The young man pushed past his dad and headed for the front door. He whipped open the door and made sure to slam it as hard as he could behind him. Hot tears began to roll down his cheeks as he got into his car. Knowing that music would be the only thing that could calm him down, he plugged in his iPod and started the engine. With no idea where he was going he tore out of the driveway and squealed his tires as he burned off down the street. All he could think of was getting as far away as possible, so he headed for the highway.

As he flew down the highway his tears slowly subsided and the music began to sink into his skin. Overtaken by his anger and the beat of the song he failed to pay any attention to his surroundings. Lost in a world of thought he was overwhelmed by mixed emotions when suddenly the sound of squealing brakes brought him back to reality. Finally noticing the red light, it was too late. He saw a minivan turning out in front of him slam on their brakes. Knowing the inevitable outcome of his actions, the boy tried to jerk the wheel and avoid the van. While doing so he lost control of the wheel and his car veered off the side of the road, flipping and rolling as it did.

The house was still and silent, the young girl sat in the family room coloring while her mother did laundry, and her father lay in his bed. The man knew that he had overreacted earlier and laid there solemnly, deep in thought about the fight that occurred. A loud ring interrupted the silence, and the mother made her way to the telephone to answer it. After a few brief seconds on the phone, the woman began to weep and sank down against the wall. The news of her son’s accident had instantly broken her heart and sent her life into a downward spiral. He was in critical condition, relying on life support to keep him breathing. She informed her family of the tragic news then they immediately left for the hospital.

When they arrived the doctor informed the parents that his heart was not working on its own and that life support was the only thing keeping him alive. A small machine next to the cot confirmed their worst fears and showed a flat line across the screen and a low buzz that indicated there was no heartbeat. Doctors had already tried to shock his heart and jumpstart it but it did not work. After he heard this about his son, the man broke down and cried and screamed. The sight of his son revealed the repercussions of the argument they had been in. He knew that it was his fault for what had happened. If only he wouldn’t have yelled at him earlier. All of this took place because of a small fight, and it was all his fault.

Surrounding the hospital bed, the family wept and prayed together, trying everything they could, but no matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t will him back to life. Almost like a sign from heaven, a song slipped through the static of a small radio sitting on the nightstand. Without a doubt, the father instantly realized that this was the same song his son was playing at the house when the argument broke out. Based off of how frequently he heard the song being played, he knew that it was his son’s favorite. He turned the broken knob slightly to increase the volume. In remembrance of their lost loved one, the family remained quiet and listened to the song. Near the end of the song they noticed a small repetitive beat that did not fit with the rhythm. They simultaneously peered over at the heart monitor and could not believe their eyes. Small peaks on the once flat line started to appear meaning that he had a heartbeat! Now tears of joy and hope filled their eyes as the beat became stronger and stronger, and their son regained life.

It was a true gift from God that the boy had not only survived, but regained consciousness after being pronounced dead. After this miracle, the family was never the same. Looking at them now, no one would have guessed that they once lived in a broken home. There was a constant happiness that filled all of them, a happiness only acquired when living with no Regret.