Chapter 20: Failure of presence

Gail White, Jayden's mother, had abandoned both him and his younger siblings with their father twenty years ago. Sarah Lane, their aunt, who was a young widow, became their guardian twelve years ago after the death of their father. She took them in as her own, caring for them and never relenting in showing support the best way she could for all three.

They had all grown to regard her as the mother they never had. Sarah had a weak heart all her life, and it had gotten worse during Jayden's trial two years ago. However, because of the pressure on the ground, Sarah kept the illness to herself, only speaking about it when Jayden was in prison after passing out at work.

Jayden wanted to be there for her just as she had been there for him and his siblings, but he failed. He would go on to spend over a year in prison while his aunt rutted in the hospital ward, her condition deteriorating with every day that went by. When he came out of prison, and he visited her in the hospital, she couldn't