model call || h.s

38.

I'm really, really sorry that I keep delaying the chapters. Very sorry! 

Here's thirty-eight. It's heartbreaking. It's difficult to get through. I cried while writing. Enjoy. I love you.

P.S: I'm sorry, again.

They slept for a few good hours, peaceful hours. A couple of minutes after three a.m, Nora's phone began vibrating on the bedside table. It took her a minute or so, but once the second call came in, she groaned and turned over. Groggily, she answered it and her brother's frantic voice had her immediately sitting up. "Nick..."

"She's in the hospital, Nor—it's mom. It's bad..."

"No...no, she was—I just saw her, Nick, she was fine a few hours ago!" Harry began to stir awake. "She was fine, so what's wrong? What the fuck happened?"

"Nora?" Harry sat up, concerned now. "Baby, what is it?" She put her hand on his knee as Nick continued to explain what was going on.

"I don't know, dad called me about an hour ago and told me. I'm in a cab right now, on my way there."

"Where is she? What hospital?"

"Manhattan General," He answers, "Last time I talked to dad, he said she was still unconscious..."

"What about Lara and Eric? Where are they?"

"There. Lara told me to call you, she's a mess. Nor, you have to get there." Harry was slipping out of bed now, shuffling around for his clothes.

"I'm coming—I'll be there soon."

"I'll see you there." Nora hangs up the phone, and fearful tears begin to fall from her eyes.

"It's my mom." Harry nods.

"I know." He helps her off the mattress. "I'll call a driver."

"You're coming?" He looks at her like she's lost her mind.

"Of course, Nora." She bites her lip and nods. She throws on a pair of jeans and a cut-off flannel of Harry's while he slips a t-shirt on over his head and runs a hand through his bed head. "You okay? Are you ready?" She wipes at her tears.

"Mhm." He takes her hand and together, they hurry downstairs. Once they're safe inside the awaiting black SUV, he wraps his arm around her. His lips stay pressed to her hairline for a good few seconds before she leans closer into him. "I'm so afraid...I'm so scared, Harry."

"I know, angel...I know." No more words are spoken until they get to the hospital. Harry keeps his hand locked around hers as they walk inside and as the elevator takes them up to the fourth floor—the Intensive Care Unit.

"Hi, my mom is here..." Nora says, sniffling. "Samantha Dodson?" The receptionist nods, solemnly.

"She's in room 47, right down this hall. You're family is there now." Still hand in hand, they hurry down the corridor until they come to her room. Lara sees her and stands up first. The two sisters hug for a long time, then Nick, Eric and Elijah take their turns greeting her and Harry.

"What's going on? How is she?" Nora asks as she moves to her mother's sleeping side.

"She's hanging on." Elijah chokes.

"What happened? She was fine tonight...how did this...why is this happening?" Harry hates the sight of her tears and the brokenness in her voice.

"Her organs are shutting down. The cancer has spread." Eric answers for the rest of the family, seeing as how Elijah, Nick and Lara are unable to do so.