Midnight Study Sessions (TeacherxStudent) [Under Editing]

35 ~ This Time, It's Different

Dedicated to @madana5                        

125k+ reads 👏🏾😭. Slow and steady

It all happened so fast...

A l i n e   was breathing. Slowly, but still breathing. Her skin was that of the snow covering the ground, cold and white. And she was as limp as the clothes that loosely hung over her body in his arms.

Lana was shaking as she dialed 911, her voice trembling as she tried to explain what was going on. 

But Elijah was as still as his mother was. He held her in his lap, watching her. Praying she'd wake, move, even blink. But she didn't. So instead he held her and watched her to make sure, she was at least still alive. 

Lana remembered a dark-haired woman rushing into the room. And when she looked up she realized it must've been his sister Evelyn. A relief flushed through her as she remembered Elijah telling her she was or was about to be a doctor. 

The ambulance rushing to the hospital, the admission, everything went by in what seemed like a matter of seconds. Lana realized they must've done this a couple of times before. There was something both comforting and sad about almost every doctor and nurse knowing the West family. 

But this was the longest part. The most uncomfortable and tense. Waiting in the empty waiting room for the doctor to arrive and give his prognosis. 

"Elijah, Evelyn, it's been a while. How are you?" the doctor asked when he finally arrived. The all sat up straighter when he entered, except Elijah who was slouched over and didn't seem to notice him walk in until he spoke.

Elijah didn't respond but his grimace was written with the words: 'how the fuck do you think I am?'

The middle-aged doctor coughed and looked to Lana for a second "...Would you like to talk in private?"

"She stays" Elijah demanded

Lana stood up "It's fine, Elijah I can--" he grabbed onto her hand before she took a single step. Lana sat back down silently when he wouldn't let go. She was staying whether any of them liked it or not.

"Okay.." The doctor started, clearing his throat "I was made aware you were concerned about your mother's treatment"

"What I'm concerned about is why you aren't doing anything," Elijah said, his eyebrows narrowing

The doctor nodded before continuing "As you know, multiple sclerosis is progressive degenerative" he said "Which means--"

"I know what that means" Elijah snapped

"So then you understand. There's nothing we can do" the doctor continued and after a pregnant pause and a skim through his notes, "Many patients live for a number of years afterward but..."