my only one (COMPLETED)

chapter 66

Chapter 66:

--Mrs. Barakat’s point of view—

Feeling sicker than ever I managed to collect Max and take him back to my house just after Alex and Jack took off. Poor boy, such a dysfunctional family he has to deal with. “You ok Max?” I looked over at him, he was staring out the window his eyes glistening with tears. “Where did my mummy go?” he snivelled slightly. “Oh she just has something to take care of, but she’ll be home soon, and then you and daddy and mummy can live happily ever after” I smiled and sat down beside him. He smiled back but a tear ran down his face.

Suddenly my heart beat began to slowly increase, I sat back in the chair and tried to breathe properly but it wasn’t working. “Max, would you fetch me a drink please?” I said calmly. He nodded and sped off to the kitchen. I looked around the room hopelessly knowing it was time. “Here you go” he returned and handed me a glass of water. “Thank you” I attempted to smile but I was becoming too weak. “Max dear,” I whispered and he sat down beside me “I want you to make sure you’re good to your father, because I know my son, and there’s nothing he loves more on this planet than you and your mother” Max’s eyes widened with confusion.

“But, but my daddy’s” he began but was cut off by the sound of my breathing becoming deeper. “Also, be sure” I coughed and felt my eyes beginning to close over “be sure to tell your father I love him, and I couldn’t ask for a greater son” my heart beat was now slowing down rapidly. I used the last of my strength to look at Max’s face for the last time. “And Max, be sure you know, that I love you” finally I closed my eyes and breathed my last breath. “G-grandma?” Max spoke and nudged me slightly, but I was going, and seconds later, I’d gone.

--Max’s point of view—

Had grandma fallen asleep? “Grandma!” I said again but slightly louder. “Grandma, wake up!” but she wasn’t waking up. Then I remembered all those things I’d heard Uncle Jack say, about how she was ill. I scrambled away from the lifeless body I was sat beside and began to cry softly to myself. Suddenly, I remembered her last words, about how her son, Uncle Jack, was my father. I thought about what that could mean, or was she being literal, was Uncle Jack really my daddy? I burst out crying in confusion and headed for the phone.

I dialled Uncle Jack’s number and waited for an answer.

--Jack’s point of view—

I felt my phone vibrating and pulled the car over, slamming my foot on the break. On the verge of tears I answered the phone “Hello?” my voice croaked. “Uncle Jack! Uncle Jack!” Max’s voice screamed down the phone. “Max! Calm down, what’s wrong?” I wiped the tears that began to fall down my cheeks. “It’s grandma, she’s sh-she’s” I tried to make out what Max was saying but it sounded as though he’d been crying. “Alright, just chill, I’m coming down to Grandma’s now ok, ok bye Max” I hung up the phone to more of Max’s cries. Having to put Hanley at the back of my mind, I turned the car around and drove to my mother’s house.

There was so much anger in my thoughts, so much hate for Alex and unfortunately a lot of jealousy too. I couldn’t be sure whether Hanley would choose me over him or not, but I couldn’t let her slip away. I bit my lip and more tears dripped from eyes. I pulled the car over and ran to the door of my mother’s house.

“Max, max!” I called walking into the living room. “Uncle Jack!” he sobbed and ran into my arms. “What’s wrong? Where’s Grandma?” I hugged him tightly and he cried into my shoulder. That’s when I saw her. Sat in her chair, her mouth open slightly, her eye’s gently closed. Her face paler than I’d ever seen it before. “Mum?!” I screamed and ran over. “Max just wait in the hall!” I quickly looked over to him. “Mum?” I yelled and gently took her hand; it was stone cold and lifeless. “No!” I cried as my vision blurred from more tears. I attempted to check for a pulse but my hands were shaking fiercely. I pulled out my phone. I dialled quickly and held the phone to my ear. “Hello!? I need an ambulance, now!” my voice trembled with upset. I told the emergency line all the details and shortly afterwards an ambulance showed up.

They took her away immediately. “C’mon Max” I said pulling him into the car. “She’s dead isn’t she?” Max said quietly as we drove to the hospital. “I, I don’t know” I said truthfully. There was a chance, a slim chance there was some life left in her. Without another word we arrived at the hospital. “Mrs. Barakat” I said breathlessly to the first nurse I saw. She directed me to a room that I thought may have been flooded with doctors trying to bring her back to life, but it looks like I’d missed all that.

“Wait here” I pointed at the chairs outside the room and Max took a seat. I walked into the room slowly, and sat in the chair beside the bed. “Oh mum” more tears streamed from my eyes as I took her hand again. “Excuse me?” a nurse walked in. “I’m, I’m her son” my voice shook. “Is she.. um, is she” I looked up at the nurse and she nodded, a brief look of dismay on her face. “I’m sorry for your loss” she spoke softly and left the room.

I looked at back my mother, she wasn’t moving, and she wasn’t breathing. She was nothing more now than a soulless body laying a hospital bed. I dried my tears away. I was sick of crying now; there was only one more thing that I could think would be worth crying about. Losing Hanley. I’d already lost my mother, I had to find her before Alex, it’s what she would have wanted, I thought looking at my mother.

I rose from my seat and gently kissed her on the cheek. “Goodbye, mum” I tried to smile but tears were about to run down my face again. I left the room hastily without turning back. I looked over at max, I can’t believe how much he had suffered so far. “Is she dead?” Max looked up at Jack. I nodded and Max’s eyes began to shimmer. “Come here” I whispered and Max ran up to me. I hugged him tightly and wished that everything would turn out right. Max was once again crying into my shoulder. “Come on,” I looked at his face, it was wet with tears. “Let’s go home” I lifted him into my arms and began to walk out the hospital. “ok…” Max began but his voice went to quiet to fully understand. “W-what?” I looked at him in confusion. “Nothing” Max quickly said. “Ok” I smiled and continued walking to the exit, although I swear heard him call me dad, but that couldn’t be right, no one’s told him I’m his father, had they?