Trey "What is it, Candice?" I grit out, my patience wearing thin. "T-Trey, it's M-Mom. She's not okay," she says, her voice trembling with hysteria. My stomach plummets as the gravity of her words hits me. "What the hell are you talking about? What do you mean she's not okay?" I leap to my feet, the room suddenly feeling too confined as I pace back and forth. Kiara's concerned eyes follow my movements, but the weight of the news from my sister renders me momentarily speechless. "She was drinking a lot, and we got into this huge argument. I don't really remember what triggered it...Oh yeah, It began with something about you, and then somehow William got dragged into it. Something about him turning her sons against her. I don't know," she begins to ramble, her words a jumbled mess of distress. I clench my fists, trying to contain the surge of emotions. "Get to the point. What. Happened?" I demand, my tone bordering on a snarl. I turn on the speaker so Kiara can hear the unf
Trey The flight stretches on longer than expected, offering only a brief hour layover—a compromise I had to settle for given the urgency. Kiara throws up several more times, amplifying the worry that had already taken hold before we boarded the flight. As we navigate the airport in haste during the inconvenient layover, my thoughts are overwhelmed by the fear that time is slipping away, that Mom might pass before I can reach her. The haunting notion of never seeing her or hearing her voice again weighs heavily on my mind. Once we finally arrive at the hospital, my concern deepens. Kiara may need to be admitted before the night is over. I've never seen someone so sick, it can't just be a stomach bug. What if it's something more severe? The unbearable scenario of losing both my mom and the love of my life plays out vividly in my thoughts. In the waiting room, we encounter Candy, Jeremiah, and unexpectedly, William. Candy is knocked out, Jeremiah is engrossed in his phone, and
Kiara I enter the hospital room to discover Trey standing silently by Maggie's side, his gaze fixed upon her. He still hasn't slept at all, evident from the stubble shadowing his jawline. It's a rare sight; Trey typically shaves diligently each morning. Despite the dark circles under his eyes and his tousled hair, the stubble oddly suits him. Three days have passed since the accident. Maggie remains motionless in the hospital bed, surrounded by an array of monitors and machines. Her chest rises and falls with each breath, synchronized with the steady beeping of the monitor tracking her heartbeat. Multiple scratches mar her face, and stitches line the right side of her forehead. She appears beautiful and serene, as though she's peacefully asleep and could awaken at any given moment. There's still hope she might. The doctor explained she had to undergo brain surgery for an intracranial hemorrhage. But here's the good news: things are looking up. They've successfully stopped the
Kiara "Let's focus on you right now. If you don't eat this sandwich, it's going to get cold," I tease gently, hoping to lighten the heavy atmosphere. "The thought of food makes me sick," he replies, his voice heavy with exhaustion. "Yeah, me too," I admit quietly. "Oh well, maybe you can just eat it later then." Ten minutes pass, and he succumbs to sleep. I continue to stroke his hair, overwhelmed by a surge of love. I love this damn man so much. I'd do anything for him, even if it means bearing his pain for him. There's a soft knock on the door, and I glance up to see Candice entering the room. She settles down across from us, her expression etched with concern. "How's he doing?" she inquires. She has spoken to me a few times in the past couple of days, mostly about Trey or her mom. Surprisingly, it's made me realize that I've missed her, despite her being a total pain in the neck the last few months. But I guess this situation is bringing us closer together again. She's leani
Trey After calling Jeremiah, he and William rush to the hospital, and we all gather in the waiting room. Despite my efforts to remain hopeful, a sense of dread settles over me. Deep down, I can't shake the feeling that something is terribly wrong with Mom. As we sit anxiously, the doctor emerges, his expression stoic and unreadable. Instantly, my heart sinks. I know what he's about to tell us isn't good news. "I'm sorry to inform you that your mother's condition has deteriorated significantly. The bleeding in her brain has led to irreparable damage, and she is now in a vegetative state. In such cases, we must consider the quality of life and the likelihood of any meaningful recovery. It's a difficult decision, but at this point, we must discuss the possibility of withdrawing life support. This means that you and your family will need to decide when the appropriate time is to remove the medical interventions that are currently keeping her alive. I understand this is an incredi
TreyNow we stand around Mom’s bed deciding when we're going to take her off of life support. Jeremiah's voice trembles as he speaks, his eyes fixed on her still form. "Trey, do you think she'll wake up?" he murmurs, barely audible over the hum of the machines. I shake my head, the weight of reality settling heavily on my shoulders. "I don't think so, Jeremiah," I reply softly, my words heavy with grief. "The doctors said her condition is irreversible. Keeping her on life support is just prolonging the inevitable." As I glance at Mom lying motionless in the bed, a lump forms in my throat. It's hard to accept that this may be the last time I see her alive, but I know we can't keep her here like this, it would be selfish. We have to make the decision to let her go, to end her suffering and allow her to find peace. Kiara squeezes my hand to let me know that she's here, and not somewhere violently throwing up in a trashcan like she was when I had that complete breakdown yesterda
Kiara "How are you feeling today, Ms. Black?" My OBGYN, Dr. Meadows, asks in a kind, sympathetic tone as she steps into the exam room, her eyes scanning my weary face. "Like complete shit," I confess bluntly. "Even with the Zofran, I can barely keep food down. I feel weak and exhausted all the time, and my breasts hurt so much, it feels like they're on fire." Taking a deep, frustrated breath, I continue, my voice trembling with emotion, "We just buried my fiancé's mom a month ago, and he's barely eating and sleeping a lot when he's not at work, so I'm trying to be there for him while also hiding the fact that I'm pregnant by pretending I have some kind of virus. Of course, he's worried about me and I want to tell him the truth, but how the hell can he possibly be happy about a baby when he just watched his mom die right in front of him?" By the time I finish talking, the words sound strangled in my throat as tears relentlessly stream down my face. The image of seeing Maggi
Kiara "When are you going to tell him?" Candice's voice comes through the speakerphone, filled with excitement. "You know how hard it has been to keep a secret this long? I've already bought some cute, little booties for my niece or nephew." I roll my eyes playfully. "I told you I don't want my baby to be bougie." "I promise I shopped at a local baby store." "Okay, fine. Show them to me." She holds up a tiny pair of cream-colored booties in the camera. "Oh my gosh, those are so fucking cute!" I can't help but squeal. The thought of my baby wearing those in just eight months from now fills my heart with a profound sense of joy. I can do this. I have the support. I know at least I have Candice and Trey. Strangely, maybe even William. He's become a constant presence since Maggie died, stopping by almost everyday to check on us, and of course gets a free homemade meal. As for my parents, I'm not sure how they'll react parents will react, but I'll tell them after I tell T