"Dad I am gay, and I can suspect other people who are gay. I am not stupid." She said, and Melody looked bewildered.
"Gay?" Melody asked and released her hand from her father's hold.
"How did you know?" He asked Madison not paying heed to Melody's question.
Madison looked at her mother. "As I said I just know. Plus, I did use to see you flirting with waiters and I knew mom knew too since she always criticized those same waiters." She laughed.
"Why did you never say anything?" Amanda asked.
"I am not one to pry. Dad seemed to be living life comfortably being married to a witch like you, well I guess I was also too caught up in my own sexuality that I didn't really care that you were." She shrugged her shoulders and gave her father a smile.
"I am confused," Melody said rubbing her temples. "So, dad, you are gay as well?" She directed the question to the man.
He then tried to explain further the situation where he had yet to explain. "Yes Melody, I am." He smiled and looked at his daughters once again one after the other. "It's nice that I finally have the courage to come out." He laughed then frowned when he looked at a stone cold faced Amanda. "I never meant for it to be this way." He heavily sighed looking at Amanda as the tears building up in her eyes were evident. "I never meant to hurt your mother. But it would be more wrong to continue living such a lie."
Still, looking at Amanda he walked over to her and cupped her cheeks and as the tears flowed down her face freely. He was a man of compassion and dreaded seeing ones close to him in pain. She then pushed him backward and tried to wipe her tears away.
"We are not getting divorced. Do whatever you want but please don't leave me." She pleaded looking at her feet. She felt small. Amanda was never one to beg for anything. Growing up she had everything handed to her and after marriage, she was treated so much better. Gregory was one true gem of a man. If only he didn't prefer the same sex they would have had a happy life together. Well that was what she thought. In her mind that was the only thing that could have made a perfect life for her. She didn't think what it was like for Gregory and her children, how much different they would have liked it.
"Amanda we have talked about this before. We have lived like that for the last thirty years. I can't trap both of us in a loveless marriage anymore."
She looked at him once again wondering how he just assumed it was a loveless marriage. She loved him even though she had strange ways of showing it.
Melody walked over to Troy and took his hand as he stood in a corner of the room looking at what was taking place. She needed comfort since she assumed that her parents were getting a divorce. It was quite obvious that her father wanted one and she never imagined her parents parting even though she always knew they were not happy with each other.
Madison was more relieved that her father was finally escaping the hold of her mother, at least she got one last dying wish which reminded her that she still had to tell her father about her illness.
"Daddy," Madison said after the room became very quiet. "I need to tell you something." Amanda took a seat again and was staring off into space thinking how much her life was falling off track within such a short period of time while Melody was leaning on Troy's arm letting everything sink in.
"What is it, honey?" He smiled and sat in a small space at the side of Madison's bed.
She took a deep breath and bit her lip. "How did you know, and I didn't?" Melody butted in at the worst possible time. Madison sighed and looked at her sister who was still leaning on her fiancée. She did have to cut the pregnant woman some slack.
"It was just a guess actually. I wasn't one hundred percent certain until I saw how dad looked at other men." She shifted her gaze from Melody to get father. "To be honest finding out about you was what gave me the courage to actually come out. I said to myself that if you were and getting away with it with mom that I could have too. I was certainly wrong."
There was a bit of silence before Amanda poisoned the room with her words once more. "It is all your fault." She shook her head looking at Gregory. "What would be expected? You are her father and if you act in such a way, much less her. She is everything like you. Even the nastiest of things." She shut her eyes and Gregory got up. He walked towards Amanda and stood in front of her.
As she opened her eyes feeling his presence in front of her, they were shut once more from the force that collided with her cheek. Gregory's hand shook, and he felt regret right after. Never did he hit his wife, but she was stepping too much out of bounds. "Never ridicule my daughter ever again." He warned as Amanda cupped her cheek and two single drop tears flowed freely down her face.
After the pain had worn she became furious. The slap was so sudden that her voice got stuck in her throat. "Never dare hit me, honey." She smirked and punched him square in the face.
"Mom!" She looked at the man stumbled backward. Amanda may have been a woman, but she knew how to defend herself even though she deserved much more than a slap.
She walked the few steps he had stumbled backward and grabbed him by the collar. "Do you want some more bruises?" She threatened and released his collar making him fall on his arse.
"Mom, would you stop!" Melody exclaimed once more as Madison put a hand on her chest. Melody then looked at Madison.
"Maddy, what is wrong?" She asked as Madison's fist clenched above her heart and her breathing became rapid.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Courtney leaned on the nurses' station and yawned into the palm of her hand. She had been on a thirty-three-hour shift already and couldn't wait to get some rest. She took a quick nap in the on-call room but that was not enough to give her the satisfaction she needed.
"You look terrible." Lindsey, one of the nurses said. She couldn't help but yawn once more before speaking.
"Well, thanks. How nice of you to say." Courtney said sarcastically.
"Let me rephrase that then, you look tired." Courtney rolled her eyes but was indeed too tired to have a smart comeback.
"You must be tired too." Lindsay shook her head.
"I just clocked in. Give me about three hours and I will get back to you." Courtney smiled and turned her attention back to the clipboard that she had almost forgotten about. Looking through her patient list, being an intern came with its disadvantages since she had to keep a steady check on each one of them. She had just done so but soon she knew she would have had to do it again. Her father's hospital policies were a real pain in the arse. But then again it was beneficial for the patients, so she couldn't have any objections.
She had a deep concern for each one of her patients. Getting too attached was always her downfall. Her pager went off and she checked only to start running into the specified direction of the room.
Reaching there she quickly saw that the patient was in cardiac arrest. "What happened?" Another doctor sighed as the confusion came to an end as she hit the door. "Time of death 6:47 pm." The familiar face of the patient's father sobbing in the corner made her heartbreak. Where was the rest of the family? She asked herself.
It all happened so fast she couldn't have explained what she saw. "Hanes. There was nothing we could do." Casey knew how much Courtney had concern for the patient and felt a tinge of guilt that he couldn't do more to save the patient's life.
He walked over to the sobbing father, who refused to leave his daughter's side, as Courtney just left the room feeling the depression of the place. She died in an unfulfilled life, was what ran through her mind.
Walking in an unknown direction she ended up at the nurses' station once more. Lost in thought and feeling as if eyes were on her, she looked up from staring at the floor.
"Hun, what happened?" Lindsey was still there and seemed concerned for her. "You are crying." She pointed out. Courtney didn't realize that she was. She touched her face feeling the wetness on her cheeks and used the back of her hand in an attempt to wipe them away.
Sniffling and feeling empty inside, Lindsey spoke once again. "I just
saw you running and now you come back a worse mess, a patient?" Courtney nodded and stared at the floor once more.
"You know you have to get accustomed to people dying around here. It is a hospital after all." Courtney shook her head.
"Can anyone sane get over death even though they see it every day?" The nurse took a deep breath.
"I catch your drift. This place can be depressing at times." She looked at the ceiling. "Only God knows what is best."
Courtney wanted to object but decided not to since she was too mentally and physically exhausted. If there was a God, people who deserved a chance wouldn't die so young.
"Yea." Was what she settled for. "It is just that she was so young."
Lindsey sighed, "You say that about all of them." Courtney shrugged.
Courtney did not notice that Amanda who caught sight of the young doctor, stood behind them at the nurses’ station. Her eyes teared as she listened to the news. Did her daughter really die? Thoughts ran through her mind of how much of a terrible mother she was. Exceeding to hurt her daughter in more ways than one but it was to protect her. But was it all worth it? She then regretted each hurtful word that she said. To both her daughter and the seemingly love of her life. She had rather for Madison to live and do what she wanted than not live at all. If only she realized that sooner.
As Amanda was about to walk over to Dr. Hanes, wondering why she wasn't informed about the terrible news as yet, but before her weak limbs could move, the conversation continued.
"Is there ever a time when someone should die?" She asked sarcastically.
Amanda felt her entire stomach swarm with displeasure. The news was still sinking in and it felt that she was trapped in a bubble of time where nothing made sense as yet.
"What room?"
"114."
Then, she was confused. Madison was in room 201. Was she misinterpreting something?
"You mean the patient who was in a coma for a month?" She nodded.
Lindsay took a deep breath, "That was to be expected, Courtney. There was a low possibility for her to survive." Courtney shook her head.
"Nothing is ever impossible."
"But there is no use fighting what is intended to happen."
Courtney rolled her eyes as she felt she was being lectured once more about a God she didn't believe in.
"Dr. Hanes, who are you talking about?" Amanda asked bluntly. Courtney was confused a bit as to why Madison's mother would barge into her conversation. "Is it about Madison?"
Courtney immediately shook her head. "Why would you think I was speaking about Madison?" Amanda swallowed, still feeling the hurt of hearing the words just said. Her tears started to build up as she felt relief.
"So, you were not speaking about Madison?" She wanted to confirm.
"No, is something wrong with her?" She shook her head.
"I don't know. The doctors are treating her now. I think she had a heart attack. We had to leave the room, so I know nothing else." Amanda choked out as there was still a possibility that Madison wouldn't have survived.
"Okay, why wasn't I informed?" Courtney said more to herself than anyone else. Before thinking, she sped walked to Madison's allocated room.
Reaching there she saw Madison on the bed, seemingly fine, as Dr. Jones walked out. "What happened?" She asked for the second time that night as Amanda was directly behind her peering into the room.
"The patient suffered a heart attack, but we were able to revive her. She had to be placed on a breathing tube as well though." He directed the answer more to Amanda. "Her ability to breathe is decreasing as her heart can barely circulate blood throughout her body. In other words, her time is rapidly decreasing."
"What do you mean by her time is rapidly decreasing? Is Madison dying?" Gregory questioned removing the bag of ice from his bruised eye, appearing behind Amanda with Melody by his side feeling that his heart sunk fifty feet under.
He didn't care what fight he and Amanda had moments prior, all he was concerned for was his daughter.
"Madison wanted to tell you herself," Melody whispered.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Madison felt soft fingers sliding through her hair. She barely opened her eyes to see who was around, not having the strength to deal with her mother, so if she were there, she was just going to pretend to sleep to ease her mind. But luckily for her, she saw the one person she missed. She immediately opened her eyes wide enough to see, as she met green, watery orbs. It broke her heart to see the love of her life cry, especially because it was her fault.
"Hi," Victoria said wiping away her tears with her free hand, not even trying to hide that she was crying. It didn't make a point, or she just didn't have the strength to hide how much her heart was breaking.
Madison tried to sit up, but as before, she failed. "Fuck," She said as Victoria held onto her and positioned her back in a comfortable, lying position. She hated that she had to be helped as if she was a child.
Victoria then took a seat again and Madison scanned the room seeing that no one else was there. "Where is everyone?" She questioned knowing that her mother might be lingering around somewhere pretending that she cared or maybe she dropped the act and finally went home.
"Your mom decided to head home to change and your father and Melody are getting something to eat." She said while grabbing Madison's hand. She sighed and rubbed Madison's palm with her fingers.
"How are you?" Madison smiled glad that they had some alone time. Instead, of speaking Victoria edged closer capturing Madison's lips into a kiss before parting and standing up pacing the room.
The kiss was unexpected leaving both women wanting more, but Victoria didn't think it was the time or place.
Madison bit down on her lip, looking at the beauty seemed stressed out. But her eyes couldn't have helped but wander down her figure, stopping at her long legs.
"Stop looking at me like that," Victoria warned. Madison didn't realize that she was staring so intently.
"Why should I?" Madison wanted to have the memory of Victoria plastered in her mind just in case there was life beyond death. At least she would have the memories to keep her sane through her lonely days.
"It is not the time." She stated and walked up again to Madison. "I did some research online about heart failure. You can get a heart transplant. That will solve everything." Madison sighed and felt her stomach churn knowing that she was soon to kill the little hope Victoria had about her survival. "Why aren't you happier about this?" She stressed putting her hands above her head. "I am sure it will work."
Madison shook her head as she stretched her hand out for Victoria to take, “my blood type is AB negative, it is too difficult to receive a heart transplant in my case.”
Victoria digested what was said before speaking, "Isn’t there anything else that can be done?" She asked her hope faltering. How could Madison explain the situation without crushing her love’s hope even further?
"I have come to terms with it," Madison said as her father and Melody walked in. He had a black eye and Madison couldn't have remembered right away how he got it, but when the memory registered in her mind, she realized that her father must have found out about her condition already without her getting a chance to tell him herself first. She took a deep breath as she saw the man look at her with those sorrowful eyes.
"Madison, why didn't you tell me?" He questioned trying to keep his composure and not break down in front of his daughter. He knew she didn't need more stress and it might just send her into another heart attack, one she might not have been lucky enough to survive.
She shook her head. "I wanted to but you and mom..." She paused and looked intently at his black eye, "your argument." She explained.
He nodded and walked over to her. Victoria got up releasing Madison's hand making both women miss the other's touch. "I can't believe this." He couldn't have helped but stress. "But I bet we can fix this. There are so many cures now. It is the twenty-first century and no amount will be too much for u
s to fix this." He blabbed, Madison closed her eyes knowing that she had to explain the same thing for the second time only minutes apart.
"Dad, money was never a problem. My body is damaged, not only my heart. It is too late." She felt the tears slide down her face.
Gregory wiped them away with his thumb and kissed his daughter's forehead. He was trying to be strong, but how long would it take before he broke down?
"I know we will find a way, honey. I know I haven't been a good father lately, but I want to be here for you."
"Where is Troy?" She asked trying to change the topic, not in the mood to make anyone more depressed than they were.
"He went to drop mom home."
"I can't believe this," Victoria said walking back up to Madison. "There has to be something that can be done. You can't just give up." Madison frowned knowing that it was no use thinking that something could be done.
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