**(Edited)**
Gemma's POV
"GEMMA SABRINA ASHTON!" I hear time I step foot into the apartment door and shut it behind me. I quickly hand my mom the plastic container full of leftovers and walk away but that doesn't stop her from coming up behind me and turning me around. I place my flowers on the countertop as she looks at them and back at me. I love them, they are a perfect mix of pink and red roses.
"That boy is not your friend! I saw you kiss him and he slapped your ass! I want details and don't lie to me I've been up all night waiting on this!" She tells me as I look over at the clock and see it's already 11:54 at night. I guess time really did fly away when I was with him. We just talked though, and I opened up and kissed him and it was perfect.
One thing for certain is that Brody Theo Kingston is one catch of a man and I happen to enjoy his company and I think he's intriguing.
"Mom it was a date and it went well" I tell her while grabbing a class of water. After dinner, Brody and I watched TV for a while before washing dishes and sitting down to the dull noise of the TV in the background and all we did was talk, until I ended up on his lap and we made out for a solid hour. I feel for the first time in a long time, that a guy respects me and wants a relationship that isn't about lies and looking good together. Brody makes me feel good about who I am and he makes me happy.
I'm finally happy, the happiest I've ever been. Even if I had to cry and get hurt to get here, he makes me so happy.
"Gemma! I want details!" She squeals sitting down on the barstool as I lean over the countertop.
"I like him a lot. More than anyone ever before. He makes me feel different and when I talked to him he just listened and smiled. He asked me to be his girlfriend and we are just going to keep it quiet right now." I tell her grabbing a vase and filling it with water. I set the flowers in it as she looks at them. I love these flowers, Christian never bought me flowers except one time after I asked him to. Brody did it without hesitation and he left the price tag on them without knowing it and these were over a hundred dollars.
"They're beautiful Gemma, he knows your colors" she tells me as I smile. I love pink, white, red and a light blue color but I love these because they came from him.
"You like him a lot don't you?" She asks as I nod and look down at my hands.
"Who else would I have spent four hours making dinner for?" I ask as she smiles and walks over and kisses my head.
"Gemma you're the smartest woman and I'm so proud of you. I know that Christian was hard for you, and I don't want that happening again but if you truly feel that Brody's special than he's worth it. By the way, Brody is like a total football players name." She tells me making me laugh as she rubs my shoulders.
"You look happy Gem, and I haven't see you smile this big in a year. Don't go through your life wondering what if. What if I dated him? What if I fell in love? What if I didn't? That's so much worrying and stress. Honey, it's like my cancer I'm not wondering what if I die? I'm wondering what if I see Gemma get married before I die. I don't want you to regret not doing something. I know Christian hurt you, but I don't think that Brody would do that to you. He seems like a truly nice young man. If you don't open up you are never going to be satisfied with someone else and it takes time. This might have something to do with your sperm donor, and Christian but Gemma not all men are bad and I just want you happy." She rasps out to me and when she ends tears are formed in my eyes.
"Mom you aren't going to die" I whisper to her as I hug her into my arms and rub her bald head. I will never be able to live with myself if she died. I love her so much, I couldn't function without her.
"Is that really all you got out of my empowering speech!" She scolds as I shake my head and look at her. She's right, just because I have had bad experiences with men, doesn't mean that all are bad.
"Thanks mom" I whisper as she smiles and kisses my head.
"No go to bed, I know you have a big day tomorrow and I'm so excited to see the drafts for the palette, mascara, lipstick, eye liner, everything!" She smiles as I shake my head no.
"You aren't seeing them yet Patricia!" I tell her using her full name that she hates. She slapped me on the butt last time I called her that and she was in her bed doing chemotherapy.
Not surprisingly she slaps my butt, "You little bitch!" She scolds while smiling and laughing at me. I know she's joking because we call each other bitches all the time.
"They better be good then!" She scolds as I nod and smile.
"Goodnight Patricia the bitch!" I tell her running to my bedroom as she laughs and flicks me off.
"Love you mom!" I yell as she yells back, "I love you Gem!" as loud as she can making me smile. I really do love that lady and I'm glad she's my mom. She's the reason that tomorrow I'm opening up to Brody and he's going to know everything. I'm ready, I know there's a risk of getting hurt but I'm taking it because I believe my boyfriends worth it.
~~~~
The next morning I wake up to my alarm. I go into the bathroom and take out my invisible teeth liners I wear at night to keep my smile in line, while then brushing my teeth. I wash my face, and tie my hair in a messy bun on top of my head before throwing on a large sweatshirt over my tank top and shorts.
With slippers on my feet I walk into the kitchen and start to make breakfast for my mom, her favorite is a vegetable and cheese omelet. I get out all the ingredients before I hear her alarm ringing through the very quiet apartment since New York's not super alive right now. It's always awake though, there is never a dull moment in the city.
I don't hear her cut it off for a few minutes so setting down the egg mixture I walk through to her bedroom door. It's so good to have her back here sleeping in her own bed.
I knock before entering to see her still sleeping. I walk over to the alarm and cut it off before gently pushing her, "Mom come on, you're coming to work with me today to see everyone again" I tell her smiling as I pull her covers down. When she doesn't wake I shake her again and she still doesn't move.
"Mom?" I yell as I shake her again and she won't wake up. "MOM?!" I scream at the top of my lungs before tears form in my eyes. She can't be-, she's not.
I run out of the room and sprint to my front door before opening it and running to Brody's apartment door.
"BRODY PLEASE?!" I yell banging on the door as hard as I can for a solid five seconds before I see him fully dressed. My face is covered in tears and I have no doubt I look horrible but I'm not concerned about how I look. I want my mom to be okay.
"Mom, she won't, she won't wake up" I rasp out sobbing to him as he sprints past me and into my apartment. He goes to the first door that's her room and shakes her as I watch him. Before I can stop my crying he grabs her into his arms lifting all a hundred and fifty pounds of her.
"Baby, run to my apartment grab my keys and lock the door. Right now" he demands as I run and grab his truck keys and lock his door. While I'm locking it I see him walk out of my apartment holding my purse, a pair of shoes for me and keys with my mom asleep as he locks the door.
He carries her to the stairs and I follow behind him wiping my tears as we make it to the lobby and garage as he sprints and I follow him. It doesn't even phase him as he runs with her and to his truck. I unlock the doors as he pushes her into the backseat and grabs me putting me in the passengers seat before speeding off. He's taking us to the hospital and he's not even asking questions.
He places his hand on my thigh as I cry, "Baby, we'll get her help" he tells me while rubbing me and although it's soothing, I'm in tears.
I wipe my tears while leaning back shaking my mom praying she wakes up. I can't hold my cries as Brody puts on his flashers and tries to speed through the traffic but the only thing that happens is a car wreck from early this morning I'm assuming, is backing the traffic up.
"What the fuck?!" He yells at the driver in front of him before unbuckling his seatbelt. He opens the door and runs directly into traffic before seeing the big mess of cars backed up. I cry as he walks down the road trying to see everything.
"Brody is she going to die?" I ask while holding her from the passengers seat as he runs to the back door.
"No, she's not. Get in the drivers seat and meet me when you get to the ER. I'm taking her right now, I can run it, it's only a mile." He tells me as he grabs her and before I can say anything at all he's grabbed her into his arms and is running down the lanes of traffic with her in his arms.
He's the one, he's my husband. It hits me as I see him sprinting in Giant's sweatpants, Nike shoes and a hoodie. He was probably going to football practice and I messed it up. But when I see him my heart flutters, he's the one. I'm going to marry him, anyone who can stop what they're doing and help my mom in her most vulnerable while treating me with respect and care, is good in my book. But Brody, he's perfect and I know he's different and I know it's because in going to marry him.
I cry as I see him turn the block yelling for people to move and then I lose sight of him from how fast he's going. I can't help but cry as I move to the drivers seat.
I sob in my hands as the horns continue, and I can't hold my composure. I'm going to lose her, I am. I called her a bitch last night and I shouldn't have, I shouldn't have. I messed up, I didn't even give her the makeup line I wanted to and she's already not waking up.
I love her so much, we slept in the same bed for eight years, we washed out faces and brushed our teeth together, she's my best friend.
While waiting I check my phone for anything and all I have is a text from the samples director telling me that packaging for the product and palettes are being made. The line is officially being made and she's not even here.
I cry for thirty minutes waiting in traffic until it starts moving again and I can drive. It only takes me a few minutes to get to the hospital. I park the hugest truck I've ever sat in before jumping out of it and locking the doors. I run into the ER, and I don't see Brody or my mom.
Sprinting to the front desk I rasp out, "My mom just came in Patricia Olive Ashton-" and I get stopped by one of the nurses.
"Kingston, let her back" they tell each other before in let back. Brody, they know Brody.
I sprint back still in my pajama shorts, while I now have on my tennis shoes and sweatshirt. I follow them as they let me into a room and I wait. I don't calm down until I see Brody walk in and I immediately stand up and hug him as tight as I can.
"Thank you so much" I whisper into his ear as I hold his hair and cry into his neck. He rubs my back as he holds me.
"Gem, she would've died if I didn't run her here. She's having brain problems." He tells me as my sobs break out.
"How?" I ask as he rubs my back. He lifts me up and sits me down into the private waiting area as he shuts the door.
"I told them who I was and demanded they take her. They just rushed her into surgery, she apparently had a seizure that was so bad she couldn't wake up. That's all I got before they pushed me out of the room and rushed her away. The nurse came and got me and told me you were in here." He tells me as I cry into his hoodie. I cry for a solid thirty minutes as he holds me.
"Baby, she wouldn't want you like this and you know it." He tells me as I stay still and smell his neck. I quickly remember his football practice as I pull away, I can't mess his life up with my problems.
"You have football, here's your keys. I'll be fine, I'm so sorry, go." I tell him handing him his keys as he stuffs them in his pocket and grabs me back.
"I called coach and told him my neighbor needed me to rush her to the hospital. I lied and told him that she was elderly, didn't have anyone and I found her." He tells me as I nod.
"I have the morning off, I still have to go this afternoon." He tells me as I hold him. He's gave up his morning football for me.
"God, Brody. What would I do without you in my life? What did I do before you?" I ask as I rub his face. He grabs tissues from beside him and wipes my face before leaning down and kissing me softly.
"It's okay, she's going to be my mom one day and I want her to be okay." He tells me making me laugh as I sit quietly. He's already talking about marriage and we just met. I know he's going to be my husband though, and I hope he thinks I'm going to be his wife.
We wait for two hours and sit together as he rubs my back and tells me how okay it's going to be.
"Ms. Ashton and Mr. Kingston?" I hear behind us as the door opens. I look over at the doctor immediately as he takes the seat in front of us. He's her cancer doctor, why would he be doing her surgery?
"Can I speak about this with Mr. Kingston present? He bugged his way into information earlier but he's legally not allowed to know without consent." He tells me as Brody starts.
"We're married, she left without her ring, and we haven't turned in the marriage license yet. We got married two days ago." He tells him as he nods and congratulates us. Even though we just met two days ago and are not and will not get married anytime soon. I want to wait a while before that happens but him doing this makes me happy.
"I assume she's told you about her condition" he tells me as I nod, "She said the immunotherapy was working and that she felt better than she had before. She told me she was clear to go yesterday and then today she won't wake up." I tell him as he shakes his head.
"Gemma, I'm assuming she hasn't told you yet for her own reasons but I have to tell you. The cancer has spread, it's in her nasal cavity, brain, and blood. We recommended her to stop the chemotherapy weeks ago before it killed her, she was in so much pain but she obviously hid it around you. She's not on immunotherapy because her body is so weak. I've told her before that she could go anyday and I'm hoping the next treatment we try works but if it doesn't, she's going to pass away. I'm so sorry you found out this way." He rasps out as I quit breathing.