Ａｌｍｏｓｔ Ｙｏｕ

chapter nineteen : i love you

AN: Sorry for the laggy responses! I've been reading and making sure I'm not getting any of the cancer information wrong. I want to be as respectful as possible. It's a cancer that has affect those in my personal life. Please always feel free to message me if you feel I've interpreted something wrong. Thank you for all the reads and love on this story.

I laid in bed taking a deep breath, inhaling Rosie's sweet scent. I was curled up with her in my arms, and I don't think I had moved from this position since getting home seven days ago. I hadn't worked, I hadn't showered, I hadn't done anything but sulk.

I felt someone sit on the bed, and I peeked up to see my mom looking down at me, "Maybe we can try food today?" She asked softly, tracing my cheek and I shook my head a bit.

"Mommy, I love him." I said, crying. My head turning into the pillow, pain radiating through my chest.

"I know baby. I know." She said softly, leaning forward and soothing me.

Harry's POV

I sat on the front porch steps of Maddy's house for the third time this week. I rested my eyes in the palm of my head, trying to find the courage to get inside, but I couldn't. I couldn't grasp on to the fact she was dying. I couldn't accept she was giving up.

I heard the door open behind me, footsteps following, and when I looked to my side, it was Greta, lowering herself on the step to sit next to me. She handed me a tea, and I took it, giving her a small nod.

We both just looked ahead, letting the silence fill in the space. She blew gently at her tea before taking a sip. She swallowed and licked her lips, taking a deep breath before speaking.

"It doesn't get easier you know. I thought...when she first told me, that if I just yelled at her, ordered her...she would start treatment again." She shook her head looking over at me, "Then I thought the silent treatment would work."

"She's too headstrong." I said softly at her and she nodded.

"You know, for a while, we thought it would be like what happened to me. I also had it, right after I gave birth to her. Just like her with Rosie, but mine never came back. It was devastating when it happened. And she just knew."

I nodded blowing at my tea and taking a long sip, "I just...God, I'm so in love with your daughter, Greta."

We both looked at each other and she looked at me with tears in her eyes, "I know, Harry. I'm sorry, I feel like I made this mess when I told you to take her away that weekend. I just...I wanted her to experience something other than Eric. I wanted to know that..." her voice cracked, and she covered her mouth, "I just wanted her to know love was so much more than just that. I also selfishly wished you could change her mind."

She looked down at her tea and cried quietly, as I took in her words. I felt more tears fall from my eyes and I looked away, staring out onto the street.

Madeline's POV

I felt someone lay behind me, their arms wrap around me and Rosie and it didn't take long for me to know it was Harry. My fingers lacing into his instinctively.

"Baby, you smell." He whispered, chuckling a bit and I did too, crying a bit.

"I know, Rosie keeps telling me I do." He kissed my shoulder softly and I cried more.

We both laid in silence for a bit, before he took a deep breath, kissing the back of my head, "When did you find out this time?"

"The night we made lemon bread. That was the phone call I took out back. It was my doctor letting me know I had cancer cells again." I said softly and I felt him nod, his breathing steady.