Meet the Howlters

Truce

YEAR: 2044

[Delilah's POV]

"Fiona!" I screamed.

Everything around me seemed to fade as I watched my baby girl go down. Guests stood and stared, bridesmaids and groomen stood in formation, speechless; no one knew what to do.

I broke away from my dad's grips, dropped my bouquet, and ran over to my unconscious daughter. I fell to the floor and started cradling her as I cried.

"Fiona, baby, wake up," I sobbed. "Someone call 999!"
"Fiona, daddy's here," Joe whispered as he joined me.
"Give her to me," dad said as he picked her up.
"Dad, where are you taking her?"
"Inside. She needs to get out of the sun. Dan, keep Delilah away,"
"No! I need-I need to be there for my little girl,"
"Winston, take Dil's inhaler and keep her breathing,"
"I wanna help..." he said.
"No, cause you're gonna be running all over the place and we don't need another person in the hospital. Joe and Winnie, stay here with Dil,"
"Okay," they said.
"I-I need to be with Fiona," I cried.
"No, honey," Joe said, trying to hold back his tears. "Your dads are going to get her to a hospital and she's gonna be okay. Okay?"
"No! Not okay! I need to be with my daughter!"
"Let's get you inside," Winston whispered. "Come on Dil," he said, helping me up.

The two helped me up and brought me back to my hotel room so I stopped making a scene. Winston eventually went back downstairs and told everyone to go home.

"My baby girl's gonna die," I sobbed.
"No, she's not," Joe said.
"This-This is all my fault..."
"Stop talking like that,"
"I had cancer and, because of my shitty genetics, now my daughter has it too,"
"We don't know anything, Delilah. It's hot outside...maybe she just wasn't drinking enough and passed out. She'll be okay,"
"Dil," bear said, walking into my room. "The ambulance is gonna be here soon. Do you wanna go with her or meet her?"
"Go, please," I said. I quickly stood up, ripped my veil out of my hair, and ran downstairs, leaving bear and Joe in the dust. "Dad!" I called. "Dad, where are you?"
"Banquet hall!" he yelled. I picked up the front of my dress and stormed into the barren room.
"How's she doing?"
"She's breathing. How are you holding up? Any shortness of breath? Light headedness?"
"No, I'm fine," I sighed. "This is all my fault,"
"Don't say that, Delilah. We don't know what's wrong with her,"
"I just want my baby girl to be okay,"
"I know, princess,"
"The ambulance is here," Louise said.
"Okay, come on baby," I mumbled as I picked her up.
"We'll take her, 'mam," the EMT said.
"May I sit in the back with her?"
"Yeah, of course. Come on," he said.

I got into the truck, sat next to her, and held her hand for the entire ride. The EMTs put an oxygen mask on her as they monitored her heart rate for the duration of the ride. When we arrived at the hospital, they rushed her into the emergency room, where doctors took over.

"Who are you?" the doctor asked.
"I'm her mother,"
"By adoption or birth,"
"Birth,"
"What's her full name?"
"Fiona Louise Howlter,"
"Where's the father?"
"On his way,"
"Okay, Mrs-"
"Miss," I corrected.
"Miss Howlter, has anything like this ever happened before?"
"To her? No,"
"Is there history if anyone in your family randomly passing out?"
"Just me,"
"How often?"
"Just a few times when I was a teenager,"
"Ever find out why?"
"I had cancer..."
"What kind?"
"Sarcoma,"
"Okay, we're gonna go run a few tests and-"
"You're not gonna wake her up first?"
"Miss Howlter, considering her age and all the blood work we need to do, we think it'd be best of she remained asleep. We just inserted an I.V. and if her heart rate starts to drop, we'll do everything we can to wake her up,"
"Okay..."

***

After about an hour, my family and Joe joined me in the waiting room. We sat there, for hours on end, waiting for Fiona's results. Around eight o'clock, her doctor called Joe and I in.

"How is she?" I asked.
"Miss Howlter," he sighed. "This isn't going to be easy to say,"
"Oh god," I whispered as I tightly held Joe's hand.
"She has stage one sarcoma,"
"Oh my god," I cried. I clung to Joe and cried into the crook of his neck.
"May we see her?" Joe asked.
"Of course," he said. "I'm Dr. Roberts. I'll be your daughters doctor,"
"Joseph Taylor," he mumbled.
"She's in here," he started. "I should tell you that, she's still asleep," he said as he showed us into her room.
"My poor baby," I cried. I pulled up a chair, took a seat next to her bed, and held her hand. "I love you, baby girl. Don't ever forget it," I whispered. "Mummy's sorry that you have to go through this...she really is... We're going to do everything in our power to get you into surgery as fast as possible. You're only at stage one, princess...we can get you through this..." I whispered to her. "Are either of us a match for her?"
"You are but, considering how you already needed several surgeries and since there is the small chance of you still having the virus, we think it'd be best if you didn't do it,"
"What about me?" Joe asked.
"I'm afraid you aren't Mr. Taylor,"
"What about Jess?" Joe suggested.
"No, she is not allowed near our family,"
"Then I don't know anyone," he sighed. "I'm gonna go ask your parents if they know anyone," he kissed the back of my head and walked out with the doctor.
"I love you Fiona," I sobbed. "Now, the night, is coming to an end... Ooooh..." I softly sang. "The sun, will rise, and we will try again... Ooooh... Stay alive, stay alive, for me..." I cried while singing. I continued, "You will die, but now your life, is free." I started removing her earrings and replacing them with mine. "Take, pride, in what is sure, to, die... I, will fear, the night again... Ooooh... I hope, I'm not, my only friend... Ooooh..." I removed my bracelet and set it down on her bedside table. I looked down at my tattoo and cracked a smile. "Stay alive, stay alive, for me. You will die, but now your life, is free... Take, pride, in what is sure, to, die..." I took my bow out and stuck it in her hair. "Stay alive...stay alive, for me..."