Surviving Love (15 page)

Zoe’s leg is shaking wildly under the table and she’s fidgeting with her fingers resting in her lap. I, too, am freaking out, knowing the news won’t be good, but I try to keep on a strong front for Zoe.
 

“Hi, I’m Dr. Burgess and I’ve been treating Connie for the past year. You’re her family?” A short older man with white hair and glasses appears through the door, instantly getting our attention.
 

“Yes, I’m her niece and I’ve been caring for her lately,” Zoe replies softly.
 

“Zoe, I assume. Connie has been talking about you a lot.” The doctor smiles as he takes a seat and we follow his lead. Zoe looks like she’s going to be sick.
 

“Well, as you already know, Connie is fighting with her illness. Tonight, she’s had a major setback, and unfortunately, she will need to stay here until we can get her stabilized again.” The doctor starts running through her symptoms as Zoe sits quietly, taking in the overwhelming information. From the moment he’s said Mrs. Fields will have the maximum of a couple of months left to live, I tune the conversation out. I don’t want to think about her dying.
 

“How did she get here?”Zoe asks, her voice is still as quiet as night. “I mean, she was home alone and I was at work. How did you know she needed help?”
 

“Connie was able to dial 911 before she collapsed. They were able to trace her location and the paramedic found her unconscious on the floor.” The doctor clears his throat and continues, “This is the time for you to keep Connie as content as possible. I’d make the calls to other family members and friends because they won’t have long with her.” Zoe gasps slightly then nods as the doctor continues. “She woke up momentarily when she arrived at ICU and told me she wanted to go home to be with her family. And we can help you with that. We can set up home healthcare to make her as comfortable as possible for her final transition. I just wanted to let you know, so you’re prepared to handle this kind of request. Here is the information for home healthcare.” He hands her several brochures and business cards.“And as soon as she’s stable enough, we can have her moved.”
 

Zoe says nothing, just nods to the doctor. He stands and shakes both our hands before exiting the room. Zoe gets to her feet, tucking the information in her pocket. She’s trying to be strong.
 

When I stand to meet her gaze, her brave front disintegrates. Her hands come to her face as she cries into them. Her body is racking from the sobs and my heart aches to comfort her. I don’t think; I only act. Before I can stop myself, I pull Zoe against my chest. I pull her in tightly, and for the first time since Presley’s death, I get the nerve to hold a woman in my arms.
 

Chapter 14
 

Zoe
 

The room is dark and quiet. There’s a slight glow coming off the machines hooked up to Aunt Connie’s body, faint beeps echoing throughout the room, tracking her vital signs. I stand at the threshold of the room, stunned and shocked at the sight of her lying in the hospital bed. She looks like she did when I left her this afternoon, but now she has tubes coming out of her body.
 

The room is small with only a recliner type chair in the corner and a TV mounted on the wall. Drake stands behind me. He has not let me go since I broke down after we talked to the doctor. The pained look on his face was unnerving, but when he pulled me close to his chest, I felt the warmth of his body and let the comfort of his arms soothe me. Drake didn’t move; he only held me tighter as he rubbed small circles in my back with one hand and cupped the base of my head with the other. I wrapped my arms around his waist and held him to me, relishing in how good it felt to have him here.
 

When we left the room, Drake kept one arm around my shoulders as he led me past the nurses’ station and into Aunt Connie’s room. Now, we both stand at the threshold, his hands resting on my shoulders as I summon the nerve to walk closer to her sleeping body.
 

I’m about to take a step when Drake’s phone vibrates in his pocket, successfully pulling me out of my trance.
 

“It’s Darcie,” Drake whispers and I nod my head to him before he leaves the room for a moment to take the phone call.
 

I finally step inside the room and move to the chair next to her bed. She looks so normal, almost like she’s sleeping. I go back to what the doctor has said about notifying other family members and how much I don’t want to do this, but I have to. I owe it to Aunt Connie to tell her daughter and granddaughter about her current situation. It’s on them if they come to see her before she dies. However, I have reservations about calling my own mother, Aunt Connie’s sister. I don’t want to speak to her or see her, and if she’s still with Fred—that’s the last person I ever want to lay my eyes on again. I’m not sure I can face her or any of them.
 

I pick up Aunt Connie’s hand and hold it between my own. Her skin is warm and soft inside of my hands. I feel the tears resurface when I look at her sleeping face.
 

“For you, Aunt Connie. I will see them for you,” I whisper to her, knowing the grief my family will put me through the moment I speak to them.
 

Drake comes back to the room and moves silently to my side. He hesitates momentarily then places his hand on my shoulder again. We spend the rest of the evening staring at the woman we love as a mother, who is battling to stay alive.
 

***
 

Four days later, with the help of home healthcare, I am able to get Connie home and comfortable. Drake has been visiting the hospital after work to check up on us, and every night, he’s brought me something to eat, knowing I haven’t had the opportunity to consume much. The very gesture is heartwarming, but it scares me as well. It terrifies me how much I enjoy him
being around and helping me. What frightens me the most is how I feel when he’s not around—I actually miss him. So much so that he’s always on my mind.
 

Drake meets me at Connie’s apartment when the paramedics transport her back to her apartment. I’ve never seen her so happy. She loves this little place. It’s her peace, and if that’s all she wants in the remaining days of her life, then I will grant that to her.
 

I pull the blankets over her body and get things situated in her room. I pull the table over closer to her and organize magazines and her medicine.
 

“Drake and Reggie are coming over to hang your TV in here,” I say as I finish straightening her things. “They were supposed to come over yesterday, but things got busy at the bar. Are you okay with them doing that?”
 

“Yes, that will be fine.” Aunt Connie readjusts herself in bed to sit up a little straighter. I move to her side and help hold up her frail body so I can adjust the pillows behind her back. “Zoe,” her voice is quiet and a little sad; it breaks my heart.
 

“Yeah?’
 

“I don’t know where I’d be if you weren’t here, honey. You’re the only family who wants me in their life. If it weren’t for you and Drake, I probably would have died years ago.” She’s holding back her tears, trying to stay brave for me, but now it’s my turn to be the strong one. It’s my turn to care for her.
 

“Do you mind me asking what happened between you and Rebecca?”
 

Connie clears her throat and struggles to find the words. “Well…” She clears her throat again and I hand her a glass of water. She takes a quick drink and continues. “About a month after you and Sophia graduated high school, I went to Wisconsin to visit. We planned a shopping trip to purchase things for you two to have in your dorms. When I arrived there, I asked where you were and noticed they were avoiding telling me something.” Connie takes another sip of water and clears her throat again. “Your mother proceeded to tell me about you and Fred being involved in a sexual relationship.” All the blood leaves my body. The very mention of his name sends chills down my spine, making me want to run and hide. I hate that man, but worse yet, I hate my mother. “Then Rebecca and Sophia proceeded to tell me about your past…you know, with gentlemen.
 

“I was appalled at their behavior and the callous way they could treat you. Virginia told me she kicked you out of the house, and when I tried to defend you, they…well, it hasn’t been the same since.” She finishes her glass of water and I take it from her, placing it on her bedside table.
 

“You…you defended me?” My head is flooded with confusion as to why she felt the need to stand up for me.
 

“Because no one bothered to really question Fred as to what happened. Virginia just took his word for it and swept the whole thing under the rug like she does with all of her problems. They never considered the fact that you’ve never had a reason to lie. You’re a very honest person, and they refused to take that into account. That’s what I said to them and neither your mother nor my daughter agreed with me. You know them; they’re always sticking up for one another, have been since they lived with me. And Sophia, well, she just does what they say.” She relaxes back into her pillow and closes her eyes. Moments later, Aunt Connie’s asleep.
 

I move from the room and start cleaning up the kitchen. I’m in emotional overload right now. How Rebecca, Connie’s own daughter, would mistreat her because she was sticking up for me… It sickens me how crude they can be to someone who’s shown them nothing but kindness their entire lives.
 

I start taking my anger out on the kitchen floor. After sweeping it, I pull a bucket from under the sink and fill it with soap. I fall to my hands and knees then begin to scrub. I scour the linoleum as hard as I can just to extract the fury my mother has always instilled in me. The water is hot, but I let it singe my skin as I dip the rag in the water and slop it onto the floor. I scrub away all the pain, anger and dishonesty my mother hemorrhages from me. I scrub it away until my arms burn from overexertion.
 

I didn’t even hear them come in, but when I stand up, Reggie and Drake are standing in the living room unhooking the TV. They both nod to me as they trail down to the bedroom and place the TV onto the wooden stand. Next, they both lean behind the TV, hooking up the cords in their proper place. Before I know it, Connie has a working TV in her room. Sounds from the kitchen cause me to exit the bedroom to find Darcie and Delilah stuffing food in the fridge.
 

“Hi, guys. What are you doing here?” I ask as I watch them empty bags.
 

“Drake told us what’s happening with Mrs. Fields and we decided to help out a little,” Darcie says as she hands Delilah some fresh fruits and vegetables.
 

“You guys didn’t hav—”
 

“Stop it,” Delilah demands, holding up her hand and interrupting me. “This is the least we could do. We love Drake and Mia, and we know how important she is to him. We’re a family. This is what a family does.” Delilah comes to my side and pats me on the arm. “Just let us know what we can do and we will help as much as we can.”
 

I nod in acceptance as words get strangled in my throat. We move in silence together as we finish putting the groceries away. Delilah chops up some vegetables and puts together a quick salad for me. I am blown away by the generosity of this family. I hardly know these people. Yes, we’ve spent some fun, drunken nights together, but they know very little about me and I, them.
 

I didn’t even know people like the Evans exist. The people I have been raised by and the people I’ve surrounded myself with over the last four years have never shown me this kind of love. The thought terrifies me because I can see myself falling in love with this entire family. And that’s dangerous for me. It’s been four years since I detached myself from my own family, and if I get close, the possibility for rejection is inevitable. Breaking away from them may be harder than it was when I left my real family.
 

After finishing my salad, I head to the bedroom to check on Connie and thank Reggie for moving the TV. I stand just outside the door and listen to Drake and Connie’s conversation.
 

“…Mia is fine. She likes her new daycare a lot.” Drake is sitting on the bed with his back turned to the door. His body is blocking Connie’s view of the doorway, giving me a better ability to eavesdrop. “Don’t worry about us. We will be fine.” His voice is very quiet, and it’s hard to understand what he’s saying.
 

“Well…that’s not going to happen. From the moment I met Presley, I’ve done nothing but worry about you and Mia.” Aunt Connie’s hand moves and I think she’s holding his, but it’s hard
to see from this angle. They don’t say anything more so I make my way into the room to see if Aunt Connie needs anything.
 

Drake stands from the bed and moves to my side. Since the night at the hospital, he has no problem being around me and is comfortable talking to me. Every once and a while he will even pull me in for a hug or sling his arm around my shoulder.
 

“Well, I should go and check on Mia. I left her alone with Jake. God knows what curse words she’ll be speaking by the time I pick her up.” Connie chuckles to herself and watches as Drake comes to my side.
 

“Call me if you need anything, okay?” he says to me, and before I realize he’s doing it, Drake pulls me into his strong, warm arms and wraps me in a hug. I close my eyes and inhale his comforting smell. He lets me go and leaves, his family following behind him.
 

I forget Aunt Connie is in the room until her voice breaks my trance. “I see you and Drake have gotten close.”
 

I turn on my heels and move to the chair beside her bed. Her tired eyes meet mine and the faint smile on her face makes me smile in return. Her skin is ghostly and her hair is thinning, however she looks peaceful and content. “Not really. We just became friendly when you were admitted to the hospital.”