Adopted by Liam Payne - *Editing in Progress*

Chapter 40

I sat in the chair, her cool hand in mine. Tears were dried on my cheeks along with makeup. I knew what my mum is going through, but I didn't think it would get this bad as soon as it did.

"She's a fighter." Ryan said, resting his hand on my shoulder.

"It's too soon." I cried, turning to him and he engulfed me in a hug.

He didn't want me to know that he was crying. Ryan is the strong one of the family, the backbone, but at this time of tragedy, he even couldn't hold back his tears. He's just as broken as I am.

Liam came back from Florida with me on a last minute flight, but he can only stay for a few days. He took the girls to get something to eat, neither one of us wants Maci to see this. He's been gone for nearly two hours. I wiped my swollen eyes once again and leaned forward in my seat.

The only thing that I could do is pray. She's been unconscious ever since I got to the hospital. Ryan says that they were put grocery shopping when she collapsed. She had a stroke. I honestly don't even know how to handle all of this right now.

"Hey." I hear Liam's voice enter the room and it snaps me out of my trance.

"Hey." I croak softly.

"I took them to my mums house. I need to be here right now and they don't need to see this." Liam says and pulls me out of my seat. He sits down and pulls me onto his lap.

I rest my head on his shoulder and shut my eyes. I'm exhausted. I take some deep breaths and grab Liam's hand; he strokes my hair gently. The numbness began to set in and I do everything I can to shake it off. I squeezed Liam's hand once again, tighter than before.

It's the only thing I can do right now to not completely break down. I look up at him with tired eyes, "could you get me some coffee please?"

He smiled with a nod, "of course."

I move away from Liam so he can go. My head hurts, my eyes hurt, and I'm exhausted. I don't think that I can do anything, but lay here. My attention turns sharp when I see my mother stir lightly in the bed. Her eyes open, they look tired and glossy.

"Danielle." She whispers, barely audible.

I stand with new found energy and lean over the bed, "mom. Please don't leave us. I don't know what I will do without you."

Her lips curl into a small smile, "my sweet baby. You have to understand... It's my time to go..." 

Tears fall out of my eyes and I have trouble trouble trying to accept the fact that maybe, it is time for her to go, but I don't want that to be true. I grab her pale hand once again, "I don't want you to go."

"I love you." She looks at me with the same small smile. 

"I love you too." I cry.

Her breathing is shallow. Liam walks back in the room with my coffee and sets it next to me in a hurry, noticing that my mother is awake. He almost looks excited, until he sees my face. As hard as it is to accept, I know she's gone.

I kiss her forehead and watch as her eyes close and she takes her final breath. Her heart monitor slows until it's nothing by a straight line and I go numb. Completely numb. I can't feel my body and I can't hear a thing. I can't feel Liam pull me out of the room as a rush of nurses fill it. 

I can't feel my legs give out and everything goes black.

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I know this chapter isn't long, and I know I haven't been updating that much. I've been busy with school, but now that the swim season is over, I should be able to update more. The only downfall is that I have to write from my phone.

I finished this chapter up on a computer at school. I know it's sad, but I hope you enjoyed it.

llBatwomanll