Shattered Part II (complete) ✔️

Shattered Part II - 98

Mr and Mrs Whitehall are standing beside my mother. I move over to them. "Hi, Mr and Mrs Whitehall. Thank you for coming today."

Mrs Whitehall pulls me into her arms. "You can call me Miriam. Or Mom. Whatever makes you feel comfortable."

At the mention of 'Mom' my heart skips a beat as I look over at the woman in the bed looking unlike herself in the bed. Her face is pale and there's bags under her eyes.

My eyes move back to Mrs Whitehall. "Can I call you Miriam for now?"

"That's fine. We need to spend more time together. Now, that you're apart of this family." She looks over at Aspen. "I would love to spend time with that cutie as well. What's her name?"

A smile spreads across my face as I look at my daughter. "Aspen Katerina Donoghue."

"That's an amazing name." She looks around at my family. "Welcome to the Whitehall family, Eliza. We're lucky to have you in our family now."

"Thanks," we go silent for a moment and then I blurt out. "Sorry we didn't give you more notice about this. It was a last minute decision."

She places her hand on mine. "Don't worry about it, Eliza. Amadene and my son told me that it was a last wish of hers to see you marry Chad. I'm glad we put our trip off this week and got to see Chad and you get married. That dress looks amazing."

"I'm glad you like it. When I was younger I made a wedding book and this dress was in it. Chad found it and bought it for me. I was surprised to see it when Kat bought it into the hospital this afternoon."

"Chad's good with surprises. I'm guessing he put this room together for you as well."

"He did."

Nina and Chloe walk over to us. "Excuse me," Chloe says. "Can we talk to you, Eliza."

Miriam looks at the girls and then back at me. "I'll give you my number later and we talk, Eliza."

"Sure," I step away from her and find a private area in the room. Turning towards them I say. "Thanks for being here."

Chloe crosses her arms. Her eyes narrow as she looks at me. "I had no choice to be here. Mom is dying and you're holding a celebration for yourself. You're the most disrespectful..."

Slap, I look at my hand and see that I was the one to strike her.

"I'M NOT DISRESPECTFUL. MOM WANTED TO SEE ME MARRY, CHAD."

Chad quickly moves over to me. He wraps his arms around me. "Eliza, you need to calm down."

"NO, I'M SICK OF BEING TREATED LIKE THE BAD GUY. ESPECIALLY, WITH THEM." I scream. Tears begin to fall down my face and I bury my face into Chad's body.

"GET OUT!" Chad yells. "None of you are allowed near Eliza. She shouldn't be treated badly on a day that should have been special for her."

Kat opens the door and she looks at all of her siblings. "You heard him. I'm done with you, too. I have given you all the benefit of a doubt. However, you keep proving to me that you're all 'fucking' selfish." She waits for them to walk out the door. Then she closes it. "Mom, Dad, Miriam and Danny. I'm sorry for the language."

Miriam shakes her head. "I know all about family drama and I knew that girl was up to something the way she was looking at Eliza."

"Eliza, Kat." Mom calls out. "Can I have a word with you?"

"Yes," We say in unison.

Miriam looks at us. "I'll see you girls later." She walks out the door with the rest of my family.

"Girls! I know that you both don't want anything to do with your siblings right now. However, when I pass I want all my kids there. Put your difference aside for this one day for me, please?"

"Yes, Mom. We can do that. Once you're in the ground then we won't have anything to do with them."

"Kat," Mom hits her arm lightly. "You girls are the best thing that happened to me. I'm lucky to be your mother." She touches Kat's face and then mine. She looks into my brown eyes. "And your mother/Aunt, Eliza."

"You will always be my Mom. I love you."

"I love you, too." She looks over at my daughter. "I'm so proud of you, Eliza. You got married and had a gorgeous baby in one day. Can you do something for me?"

"Anything?"

"Next year on this date I want you to marry, Chad. Celebrate Aspen's Birthday and your wedding anniversary. Remember this. I don't want you to remember the day I died."

"Mom," I say.

"Also, I don't want you to cry at my funeral. I want you to celebrate my life. Play feel good songs. And have fun. Don't drink and drive."

Kat turns her attention to me. "We will celebrate your life, Mom. Just the way you want. What is Dad going to do after you're gone?"

"I'm not sure what he'll do. I think he might need you girls more than ever. If he does something else. Trust him and his decisions. He will come back to you."

Kat and I spend hours talking to Mom as we also watch over Aspen who's asleep in her crib.

Waah, waah, waah, Aspen begins to cry. Standing up I move over to her. "Hello, Aspen." Picking her up I say. "Do you want something to eat?" I pull my top down and reveal my breast to my daughter.

It takes a couple of tries before she latches onto my nipple and starts sucking.

Kat looks at her and says. "I should be at home doing the same to my daughter." She kisses Mom on the cheek. "I will be back in the morning to see you, both."

"Bye, Kat. I love you."

She hugs me. "I love you, more." Lowering her voice she says. "If anything happens call me. I know you're going to need me."

"I will. Can you send Chad in. I don't want to fall asleep without him."

Kat walks out of the room.

Looking across the room I watch as Mom falls asleep in her bed. The heart machine shows a steady rhythm which makes me happy.

I don't want to see the machine flatline. Then I know that my Mom won't be here with me anymore.

My mind takes a dark turn as I'm holding my daughter.

"Eliza," the door opens and Chad steps in. "Are you okay?" He moves to my side and wipes the tears off my cheeks.

"No, I'm not. I don't know when I will be. At least I have you with me. That's the one thing I'm going to cherish while I go through hell."

He takes my hand. "I'll be by your side while you go through it. We're a team. Please, don't forget that, Eliza."

"I won't." Once Aspen is finished I burp her. Then I change her nappy before putting her back in the crib. "Lay with me, Chad. I want you to hold me as I go to sleep."

Author note. 1 more chapter and then there's the Epilogue left of this story. I hope you've enjoyed this story.