Chapter 25: Downhill

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I missed him beyond words. I slept past my alarm and missed saying bye to Harry, though I vaguely remember him leaning down to kiss me bye before he left. When I woke up it was nearly noon, and I couldn't remember the last time I slept in this late.

I walked into his kitchen and on the counter were his keys and a note.

I didn't want to wake you, seeing as I kept you up so late. Miss you. Miss your smile. Miss the way you taste, but most importantly I miss your bum.

be home soon, make sure to lock up, come back whenever you want.

x Harry

I couldn't help but laugh and roll my eyes. I walked over to his coffeemaker, turning it on and making some coffee. I opened up the fridge and got out the leftover bacon and some toast and butter.

I ate everything quickly before heading to the room and calling my mom as I changed into an old pair of jeans, and quickly stealing a band tea from Harry.

"Hi mija, are you still coming over?" She said in Spanish,

I slipped my shoes on, walking over to the bathroom to wash my face quickly and brush my teeth, I felt frazzled and was doing everything out of order, "Yeah mom, I'm heading there in a bit. I just woke up."

"That's a surprise. Is Harry coming?" She chuckled softly, coughing a bit too long for my liking.

"Mom, are you okay?" I tried to keep my voice calm.

"Yes mija, I'm eating pan dulce. Now don't change the subject, is Harry coming."

"No mami, he's in New York." I mumbled with my toothbrush in my mouth.

"Mmm, I miss him."

"You saw him once!" I giggled.

"He made an impression." I could feel her smile and she coughed again.

"Mom, are you sure you're okay?"

"Margarita stop, I'm fine. In fact I want to go out for dinner tonight, your treat."

I laughed grabbing my bags and the house keys, "Oh my treat? That easy?"

"I was in labor for 48 hours with you Margarita Santiago."

We both laughed, "Okay, okay you and Becca pick a place. I need to stop at my apartment to grab more clothes and I'll be there soon."

"Margarita, what do you mean? Aren't you home?"

My eyes widen and I stay silent on the phone. I know I'm a grown ass woman, but my mom knowing I spent the night with Harry was not the conversation I wanted at the moment."

"I was out, I had to run errands."

"Maggie, I heard you brush your teeth."

"Mami, there is so much traffic, I'll see you soon, pick a place, love you!" I hung up quickly and shook my head, locking up Harry's house.

When I got to my moms house she was asleep on the couch and Becca was calling me over to the kitchen, her finger in front of her mouth telling me to stay quiet.

"What's going on?" I whispered.

"It's mom, she's been coughing up a lung all night. She wouldn't let me call you, and even threatened Charles when he called to check up on her last night."

"I knew it, she was coughing really bad when I called. So I'm guessing you want me to convince her to go to the doctor."

She nodded, biting her lip, "I'm sorry Mags, but she never listens to me. I had to convince her that it was her idea to put her medicine in the weekly container so she wouldn't forget."

"I know Becks, it's not even that. I just hope she's okay. Even a cold is bad for her."

I felt my shoulders tense, and instantly I missed Harry. I wished he was here, somehow, I knew he could help me convince her.

We went to dinner at Olive Garden, which is my mom's favorite. She gets the same thing everytime, the Tour Di Italy, so she can have a little bit of everything. We are on our third breadstick basket when I finally get the courage to bring it up.

"Mami, can I make you an appointment with Dr. Rice?"

"Why? I'm fine Maggie."

I take a deep breath, trying to keep my cool, "Mami, you've been coughing non stop all through dinner. Please."

"No. I don't want to. I'm fine." She avoided my gaze as she began coughing again.

I stopped our waiter and asked him for a hot tea, to which he gave me an understanding nod to.

When she finally stopped coughing she turned to my sister, "Becca do you want to share dessert with me?"

"Mom, please don't change the subject."

"Margarita, ya! No more. I am not going and that's that." She raised her voice and I felt the eyes of people around us.

"Mom, please don't make me force you to go." I said calmly, because she knew I could. While her cancer was bad, I was legally put in charge of all her medical decisions and we hadn't changed it since then.

"You wouldn't even dare." She began coughing again, but this time, it didn't subside, and her face began to go pale.

"Mommy? Mommy are you okay." I felt myself start to stand, my voice shaking.

"Maggie, she doesn't look okay." Becca ran to her side and panic began to fill my body. My mom began to collapse and Becca caught her in time.

"Mom!" We both yelled, I rushed over to help Becca hold her up.

"Someone call 911!" "Is there a doctor here?"

I kept hearing different voices yell out around me, but all I could concentrate on was giving my mom cpr. Becca and I quickly laid her down, and I began everything that I was taught.

The rest is a blur. And now I'm sitting in the hospital waiting room with my face in my hands. Waiting for some kind of answer. I hadn't cried. I couldn't remember the last time I spoke other than yes or no responses to the paramedics and doctors. I had sent Becca home to get my mom comfy pjs as she hated the hospital gowns and I knew she would complain once she was awake.

She's alive, that's what's most important.

I stiffened as a hand was placed on my back, I looked up to my left to see Charles, and I instantly bent over into his arms crying, and once it started I couldn't stop it. I hated this feeling, of being in his arms again, while in a hospital, it felt traumatizing.

"Baby, they need you to go over the DNR. I know it's hard, but it's what your mom wants. You need to sign it off."

I looked up at Charles as he stared at me. It wasn't until this moment that I fully had taken a look at his face. The deep purple bags that resembled mine under his eyes. We had fought all last night and only stopped when Becca called to let us know my mom might not make it through the night.

"I know Charles, I heard you the first twenty times." I snarled at him.

"Maggie, please don't start, I'm just trying to help you."

I looked away from him, chewing on my lip, "Just go get the form. I don't need them to explain it to me. It's not the first time I've had to sign it. Please."

He left and came back shortly with the form, holding it out to me. I didn't want to sign it. I wanted them to bring her back every time, no excuses. I didn't want to lose my mom. I couldn't move, I felt my lip tremble and then the tears came. They way they had been for a while now, without any warning.

Charles knelt in front of me and placed the clipboard in my lap, handing me the pen. I signed it shakily, the feeling very robotic. He took it from me, placing it in the chair next to me, before taking me in his arms so I could cry.

"I love you." I whispered and he whispered it back.

"I called Harry, he's on his way home." Charles said softly into my hair.

"What?" I said moving so I could sit up.

"I figured you wouldn't call him. He said he didn't need to stay until tomorrow night, that he could do whatever it was here. I helped him book his flight because Jeff was threatening him."

"He was what?!" I felt my face turn red and Charles grabbed my face softly.

He spoke so softly, "Maggie, breathe, he's a grown man. That's not your concern right now, your concern is Rosa, that's it."

I nodded and he wiped my tears, I whispered softly, "Why do you always save me?"

"Because I love you endlessly, no matter what, you know that." He half smiled, a small flash of pain in his eyes. I placed my hand over his, offering him a smile, because it's all I could offer.

"Miss Santiago?" I heard a nurse call, Charles removed his hands from my face, but I clinged to the one I had my hand over and he laced our fingers together.

"Yes, that's me. Is my mom okay?"

"She's stable, they are currently working on removing fluid from her lungs. I think she's been sick for a while, but wasn't making it known."

I bit my lip as guilt took over me. I hadn't gone to see her in weeks. She sounded fine on the phone and I took it as a pass on going to visit as often as I previously had been. I felt tears falling from my eyes and I just nodded.

Charles cleared his throat and spoke for me, "Will she be on medication? Can it affect her current stability?"

"Is it fine if I answer him Miss Santiago?"

I nodded and she proceeded, "Yes, through an IV, and depending on her recovery maybe some at home. If she goes home, that is. Mrs. Santiago is very weak from her previous cancer treatments. Her body doesn't respond the way it used to to illness. But I can promise you we are going to do everything in our power for a speedy recovery."

"Thank you doctor." Charles smiled and I nodded.

"Miss Santiago, some Benadryl will help you relax a bit, okay? And I'm going to send my nurse to check your blood pressure okay? I know this is a lot for you."

"Thanks." I manage to get out, reaching back for the chair and sitting down.

Once she leaves Charles sits next to me and holds my hand again, "Maggie. I know what's going through your head. This isn't your fault."

"I wasn't there. I would have caught it."

"Maggie, no. You were living for the first time in your life. Please don't make me sit here and have to explain to the woman I love, how her falling for someone else completely changed her life for the better."

I turned to look at him, and bit my lip. I simply just nodded and turned when I heard footsteps approaching us. I never felt so relieved to see my sister, yet pain filled my chest as I saw her red swollen face. Charles stood up still holding my hand as she got closer. Becca dropped the bag and instantly hugged Charles. As much as she fought him, and didn't like him as my partner, he had been the constant male in her life since my dad left. I let go of his hand so that he could hug her properly. I reached into my purse and pulled out my phone for the first time. I had missed calls and texts from both Anita and Harry. I opened Harry's text first.

H: I am on my flight right now. I'll be there soon baby. I'm so sorry.

I felt relief seeing it was just two hours ago, meaning he only had three before he was in LA again.

M: hurry.

I excused myself and walked to the cafeteria to grab some coffee for myself and Charles, dialing Anita.

"Maggie, are you okay? Charles told me, I'm in your apartment getting clothes. He gave me the spare. Do you need anything specific?" She sounded frantic and I could hear her rummaging through my things.

I just started crying, and she soothed me over the phone, "Hang in there Mags. I'm coming, okay? Harry's coming too. You have us all there Mags. Okay?"

"Mhm." Was all I could get out as I bought two coffees from the machine.

It wasn't okay though, nothing felt okay.


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