From My Enemy To My Love (boyxboy) ✔

Chapter 71

A/N:  I'm aware that this chapter has more exposition moments than it should, but this part of the story hits too close to home.  My dad died from lung cancer (he didn't smoke, it was caused by years in the mines.  Grandma Kinsington doesn't smoke either but she was exposed to the chemicals made to use the plastics before they knew about safety regulations).  It was too hard for me to write this going into too much detail.  That is also why this chapter is told from Chet's POV and not Vincent's.  Vincent's POV would be too painful for me.

Chet Watakeekul

For a brief moment, I wondered if she was gone already, but the machines she was hooked up to still beeped the same and she still breathed. Vincent took my hand. When he opened the door, several pairs of eyes turned our way. Vincent's father looked at us, not in a threatening way, but in a desperate manner.

"She's sleeping again," Vincent said.

Mr. Kinsington pulled Vincent's mother with him as he went back into the room. Aiden closed the distance between him and Vincent and hugged him. Vincent froze a moment before his arms slowly wrapped around his brother.

"I wish they had told us sooner," Aiden said quietly. "We could have had more time to say goodbye."

"Thank you for calling me," Vincent said. "Thank you for giving me that moment with her."

Jasmine had tears in her eyes as she watched the brothers.

I stepped up to my dad and said quietly, "Thank you for coming. Your timing was perfect."

"Thanks for letting me know, son. None of us at work knew she was sick. It's going to come as a shock to a lot of people."

Aiden and Vincent drew apart when their mom came out of the room. She looked at all of us before she approached my dad. "Margaret signed a do not resuscitate order with her doctor. If she's not going to live..." Her voice broke off and tears appeared in her eyes. She blinked them away and took a steadying breath. "If she's not going to live long, I think she would like it best if she were at home. Could you find out if that is possible and what we need to do to make that happen?"

She wasn't speaking to my dad as if he was an employee. Her tone was genuine and respectful.

"Of course," my dad said. Jennifer nodded at him and walked back into the hospital room. My dad went to the nurses desk.

One of the nurses brought a few more chairs into the room. Aiden and Jasmine went into the room. Vincent started to go in, but paused when he saw I wasn't following.

"I'll be right there. Just give me a minute," I said. He nodded and went into the room. I walked down to the end of the hallway. I sent Trevon and Alex a quick text to give them an update. When that was done. I called Vincent's work to let them know what was happening. Jessica told me that Vincent could have the next several days off and to keep them updated. When that was done, I went back to the room. Jennifer was just exiting with my dad. The two of them went to the nurses station.

I went inside and stood by Vincent. Greg didn't give us anymore grief about being there. He sat next to his mother and held her hand. Her eyes were closed. Her breathing was shallow.

I had thought something might be wrong with her, but I thought it would be something that they could fix like with Mateo's grandpa. All those times she asked me to keep my promise about taking care of Vincent now made sense. She already knew she was dying when she first had me promise her.

One of the nurses came back in with Jennifer and my dad and explained they would transport her back to the house. It was decided she would stay in the living room in the hospital bed.