𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 | 𝐃. 𝐃𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐙𝐎 |

CHAPTER 29.

~ Third Person Point of View ~

Hospitals.

This family was sick and tired of hospitals..they had been in two when it dealt with their family and they didn't want this to keep happening. Something had to change, but they didn't understand what it was. As far as they knew, Asia was beyond healthy. She took care of herself. So why in the world did she have a heart attack in the middle of Angel's living room?

No one was speaking. They were all huddled up, silently waiting–silently crying–to hear about what was wrong with their big sister. Everyone had their different theories, and even though all of their theories were all different, they all added up to one equal conclusion that they could all agree with: This was their fault.

Maybe if they had paid more attention. Maybe if they would have checked up on her more. Maybe if they would have stopped focusing on themselves and the drama around them, they would've realized that something was wrong. Very wrong. And they all resented themselves for it...and they wouldn't forgive themselves if something tragic happened.

Prayerfully, nothing tragic would happen.

"Do you think she's gonna be okay?" Malachi asked Deuce as they walked over to the vending machine.

Deuce shrugged as he punched the number in for what snack he wanted. "I don't know," he replied truthfully. "But, what I can tell you is that if something bad happens to her–you know the one thing that we don't want to happen—that this family won't be a family anymore."

"What makes you say that?" Malachi asks. "I mean, I agree, but I want to know why you think that as well."

Deuce leaned against the wall and looked down at his bracelet that he had gotten matching with Asia when the family took a trip to Cancun a few years ago that he never took off of his wrist and smiled softly to himself at the memory.

"I look at it like this," he says. "Before she came around, this family we have was just a group of friends who met up at our parents' basketball games. Then, when Rini had a party, that's when everyone else came into play–but most importantly, that's when Asia came into the picture. It was like she took us all under her wing and turned this little friend group into a family."

Malachi nodded. "So, you're saying she built this family in a way?"

"I'm saying she's the glue." Deuce clarifies. "She's the glue that holds this oddly dysfunctional family together."

Deuce didn't wait for Malachi to respond, quite frankly he didn't have anything else to say, so he walked away and sat beside Amour, resting his head on her shoulder.

Malachi stood there. He stood there and he thought back to a time to where he didn't have Asia at his side—and he couldn't think back to a time at all. Each core memory that he had, Asia was in each and every one of them, which made him realize, he couldn't picture his life without his aunt, and for the first time in a long time...he allowed himself to cry.

____

Jayson felt as if he had to get things straight with Amour. He didn't like the distance that had been between the two of them for the past few months, and was determined to get to the bottom of things and fix things between them as well. After hearing her outburst earlier during the family meeting, he finally took these few moments to understand where it is that she had been coming from, and he felt horrible about it.

Jayson wasn't the best at explaining his emotions or being straightforward about them either, but he also knew that Amour wasn't either, but she had always come forth about her emotions, not matter how hard it was for her to talk about them. The only reason she hadn't been coming forward about her current emotions was because she was afraid and also fed up, as well, which he completely understood. He hadn't been fair to her, now he just had to hope that he could get through to her and that she would accept his apology.