your pov
i arrive into my mother's room with tommy and the nurse, and the doctor asks "ah, the family members?"
"yes" i reply, with concern in my voice.
"i'm sorry"
a look of confusion grows upon my face, i don't understand, her heart rate monitor is fine? she's alive, what's wrong?
"but she's alive?" i say
"well, technically, yes. allow me to explain, your mother suffered a stroke, due to the brain cancer her brain started internally bleeding, and now it is in a worse state than before"
"but shes alive"
"she can't understand you, she can't recognize you, she can't move, she is essentially what is referred to as a vegetable, or a quadriplegic."
"so she's brain dead?" i reply, my vision is blurring, i find it hard to stand and my knees begin to give out, tommy pulls me over to a chair to sit down.
"yes, i'm terribly sorry"
"wel-" i can't get any words out.
tommy grabs my hand and holds it "what are the options?" he asks.
thank you. i say in my head.
"she can either live the rest of her life, mute, unable to move, in a wheelchair, not being able to do anything herself, or we can put her out of her misery, and pull the plug."
i sit in shock.
it's over.
it's really over.
i have no one now.
i stand up and walk out of the room. i need something to drink. i need a drink.
i make my way to a vending machine and pull out my wallet and i drop it and spill out my coins everywhere. as i bend down to pick them up, tommu approaches.
"y/n, stop, stand up, let me help"
he picks up all the coins and puts a few into the machine.
"which one do you want?"
i stare at him in astonishment. a look of awe upon my face. the kindness, the beauty of his soul. driving here so late at night, being at my side, helping me when he shouldn't even feel obligated, he has no reason, no responsibility to do so.
yet he does.
we make direct eye contact for over a minute, my mouth hanging open slightly, tears forming.
"y/n?"
i hug him. tighter than i've possibly hugged anyone in my life. tighter than those paper bracelets you get around your arm at a carnival. i hug him as if i won't let go, as if i don't need to let go.
i love him.
i love him so much.