River had just come over, and was about to take me to lunch while I was on break from my classes, when I got a phone call.
"Hello?" I said into the phone. I remember it perfectly, my father's solemn voice as he spoke to me.
"Your mother's in the hospital." I almost fell backwards, and River immediately walked over and helped me to sit on my bed.
"I-is she okay?" I responded after a moment.
He didn't answer my question, but instead said, "Are you busy? Can you get over here right now? It might be one of the last times you get to see her." I cleared my throat, and tried to hold back my tears.
"Yeah, kind of, but it's okay... I'll be right over, Dad," I responded.
"Alright," Was all he said in response.
"Wait... Just in case, can you tell mom... I love her?" I asked quietly.
"Of course, sweetie. See you soon," He said. Then, with the click of a button, a quiet little beep, he was gone.
I sat there for a minute, the phone shaking in my hand. River took it from me and put it down, coming to sit next to me. He took my hand in his, rubbing my wrist with his thumb. Tears spilled down my cheeks and into my mouth, but I didn't care. I didn't wipe them. I didn't even move, other than to bury my head into River's neck. He hugged me tightly, making me sob.
He didn't even ask me what was wrong, just let me cry. Maybe he heard the phone call, or maybe he just knew what happened, or maybe he just wanted to let me cry.
After a while, he stopped me, whispering into my ear.
"Lucy, Lucy, baby. Stop crying. You're gonna make yourself sick." He rubbed my back as he said it. I took my shirt sleeve and wiped my tears, my face sticky with salt water.
"We have to go see my mom..." I said. Without another word, he pulls his car keys out. Leaving me on the bed for a moment, he grabs me a sweater, and then takes my hand, walking me out the door. We drive to the hospital in silence. Tears still drop down my face every now and then, and I don't even try to wipe them away. When we get there, he and I walk in together, hand in hand.
"It's gonna be okay," he whispered to me, kissing my forehead after we'd asked for her room number. But I knew it wouldn't be. I knew that because I've been through this before and as strong as my mother is, after her hospitalizations, it's never been okay.
When we got to her room I turn to River, barely able to breathe.
"I..." But he shook his head, lightly pushing me in there.
"You have to. I'll go with you," he said. We walked in together to find my dad, his face red and tearstained, sitting in a chair, holding my mother's hand. That's when I broke down again. River came to my rescue, and I buried my head into him as he rubbed my back to calm me.
"Lucy," a raspy voice said, incredibly quietly after a minute. I turned around, wiping my face. River squeezed my hand.
"Lucy baby, please don't cry. It's my time, you know that. I'm ready to go, honey. I have been for a while," my mother said, although it was barely audible. I knew it was true, she had been ready to go for a while, slowly declining with every day. I just hadn't expected it to be this soon.
"Mom... I'm not ready for you to go," I cried to her. River pushed me closer to her bed, and using all of the energy she could muster, she took my hand in hers.
"I know, baby. It'll be okay, though, okay?" I shook my head. I couldn't even tell you how upset my beautiful mother looked, like she knew how badly I would be taking this.
"Honey, you have to understand that I've been sick for a while. If I could stay with you forever, Lucy, I would. But I just can't. I love you so much, Lucy. Never forget that." I didn't cry that time, because somehow, I did understand. I knew that she had been suffering, year after year, day by day, she'd come home from work in pain because of this disease. I just needed to let go. Something I didn't understand at the time. Now, I have more practice with that.
"I love you, mommy," I said, leaning down to kiss her cheek.
"I love you too, baby girl." And that was it.
A/N: Sad chapter, but the Thanksgiving chapter will hopefully lighten up the mood at least a bit.
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Memories (River Phoenix FF)
Fanfiction"Our hearts will beat for each other, forever and always. We'll love each other as much as we love our own children, and we'll be together forever." When a girl meets the guy of her dreams, but is gone before she realizes... {My amazing cover was ma...
