Clouds ☁️ Joe Sugg

Chapter 36

Chapter Thirty Six - Love Will Keep You Strong

*Mari*
6 am is a bit early to be knocking on someone's door on a weekend.

I groggily sit up in bed. The sound of the doorbell alerting me awake.

Especially when you have a daughter that's been in and out of the hospital. And the others boyfriend is in the hospital. And you're son's hanging out with druggies because he thinks it'll make him cool.

"Mommy?" Rosie yawns from the door way of her bedroom.
"Mhmm." I say.
"Who's at the door?" She rubs her eyes. Her teddy Mr.Snuggles clutched in her right arm.

"I don't know, but mommy is gonna take care of it. Go back to bed sweetie." I say, lightly ushering her to bed.

"Wokay, wove you mommy." She sleepy crawls back into her bed.
"Love you too sweetie." I tuck her in and kiss her forehead.
The doorbell sounds again.
I'm coming I'm coming! I chide the person. In my mind of course.

I fling open the door to reveal a disheveled Cali Good.

"Um... Mrs.Good?" I stammer. At a loss for words.

She whips her head up at the sound of my voice.

"Please, Mari, call me Cali." She says, voice croaky.

"Come, come in." I finally muster some composer.

She slides in passed me.

"Is you're daughter in?" She asks, her soft steps signaling to me she's following right behind me.

"Rosemary is asleep upstairs...." I begin.

"I meant Eliza." She cuts me off.

"She's at the hospital. With Joe." I stammer out.

"Why?" I ask.
That's when she burst into tears. My composer crumbles.
What do I do?
Do I comfort her?
What are you supposed to do to comfort you're crying boss?

"What's wrong, Cali?" I say, rubbing her lower back.

"My boy, my baby boy!" She whimpers.

"He's gone, Mari, he's gone." She cries.

"Hush now." I say.
"It was too late. The impact killed him. He had no pulse when they got to him. He...he was gone." She says, her body begins to contort into uncontrollable shaking.

"What did I do wrong? For both to die?" She continues in a hew of nonsense rambles.

"I thought I did everything right." She says.

"It's not your fault. James committed because of bullies. Not you, Cali. You were a wonderful mother to both boys." I say.

An hour later and Cali's done uncontrollably sobbing.

"It'll be okay. I'm sorry for you're loss of you're boy." I coo.

She abruptly stands up.

"I....I...I should go now. My lawyers coming over and.... Thank you for listening. "
She says heading towards the door.

"Anytime." I say.

"Oh, Jaime left this for Eliza." She stops abruptly, facing me in the door frame.

"I'll make sure she gets it." I say.
"Stop by anytime you need too." I continue.
"Thank you." She says turning to her car.

"Bye Mari!" She shouts before fully backing out of the driveway.
I give her a wave.

I sigh looking down at the little perfectly sealed envelope with Ellie-bug neatly written on the top.

"Wonderful." I murmur, thinking how am I gonna tell my daughter her only friend died.
-----------------------------------
"Good morning mom." Eliza says startling me.
"Good morning, Sweetie. How's Joe?" I ask.
"He's doing great! The doctors say his vocal cords are recovering wonderfully. He should be out in a few days." She rambles.
"That's wonderful news. You hungry?" I ask, slinging open the refrigerator door.

"No, just stopped to grab a shower. Went out to breakfast with Zoë." She says, pouring her a glass of orange juice, and heading up the stairs.

"Hey, Eliza?" I say in hopes to stop her.
"Yeah mom?" She says, stopping in the door frame of the kitchen and turning around.

"Can we chat a minute? I got some uh news for you." I say, licking my lips.

"Sure but it's got to be quick, I promised Joe I'd be right back." She says, sliding into one of the island chairs.

"Well, Mrs. Good was here this morning..." I stop.

"What did she want?" She asks.

"She asked if you were around." I say, looking down at my folded hands.

"Oh, what for?" She quizzically asks.

"It's about Jaime..." I stop again. Gosh why is this so hard.

"What about him??" Concern showing on her face.

"I'm sorry." I say, sliding the envelope towards her.

It's the best I could do.

She flicks open the envelope.
Moments later and her body begins to shake. Tears gleaming down her cheeks.

"No no no no no!" She slams down the letter, standing abruptly, knocking over the stool.

"I won't believe it. This can't be happening!" She shrieks.

"Does anybody know how to be quiet when people are trying to sleep." Groans Alexander.

"Hush, Alexander!" I chide, pulling Eliza into my arms.

"It'll be okay my sweet girl." I coo.

She breaks down and cries harder.

"What? Did her precious lover boy die? Thank the lord." Alexander snidely remarks.

"Alexander Lee Perez! Room now! I'll be up in a few to have a few words with you!" I angrily say.

"Whatever!" He remarks before stomping up the stairs.

"This is all my fault." Eliza croaks, falling to her knees.

"Now you look at me Eliza Marie. Things will be okay. This is not you're fault. You will pick you're head up, and stand strong." I say.

"I lost my best friend mom." She clenches her hands into fists.

"Now you listen to me Eliza. You will pick yourself up off this floor and be there for Joe. You honor Jaime by living your life. You hear me. Love. It's the most powerful form of healing. Go get you a shower and get back to Joe. Because honey as long as you love. You will be strong. Now, get up. Wipe those tears and go love." I say, grabbing her hands and pulling her to her feet.

"Thanks mom." She says, throwing her arms around me and squeezing me in a tight hug.

"Remember Eliza, Love will keep you strong. I Love you." I say, turning back to the kitchen sink.

"Love you too mom." She says, walking out the kitchen door and up the stairs.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Well... That was a chapter. Dropped a banger on ya didn't I.
Before you say, "why did you have to kill off Jaime?"
Well because I had too. It was only a matter of time after his brothers passing. It was the tick of the bomb. His brothers death.

But go ahead cry it out. Eliza did.
More Joliza to come though as the chapters swindle down.
All the love!
~Stay Gold Suggaros!
-Ashley