Teach Me How To Love

24~

Mom has been on life support for a week. No progress has been made at all.

Every time the doctors take her off life support she flat lines. It's so heartbreaking. I can never stay in the room.

"Honey..." My dad said, walking out of moms hospital room. He sat in the chair next to mine and grabbed my hand.

"We have to let her go." I could hear how broken he was when he spoke. He didn't want to let her go. He didn't want to lose the love of his life.

No one wanted to lose her.

Especially not me.

"What if she recovers dad? We can't just give up on her!" I screamed, tears flowing freely down my face.

Dad pulled me into his arms but I couldn't bring myself to hug him back. I was too numb.

"She's already gone..." My dads voice cracked and he held me tighter. I knew it was true. She'd been gone since the night they put her on life support. We were all just hoping for a miracle.

Madi had been staying with Amber for the past week and I really missed my little girl. But I knew I couldn't have her here. She wouldn't understand and I don't want her to see me this way.

"Bella?" Caleb reached his hand out to grab mine. I grabbed his hand and stood up slowly. Dad walked into the room and I knew it was time.

We had to let her go.

Mom laid on the hospital bed. Lifeless. Only breathing through a breathing tube that had been put in her mouth. It wasn't her breathing. It was all air from a machine.

Her bruises had faded and she looked like my mom again.

Except I couldn't see her brown eyes. I can't look into her eyes and I tell her I love her.

Mom will never get to hold Madi again. She will never get to play with her, or babysit her. She'll never get to hear her voice again.

"Wait." I said, as the doctors came into the room. "Madi needs to be here."

"Bella..." Caleb started.

"No, Caleb. Madi loves her nana, it's not right for her to not be here. She deserves to say goodbye."

Caleb nodded and without another word left saying he'd call Amber to meet him somewhere.

I sat next to dad, who didn't seem to be paying attention to anything but mom.

He stared at her as tears ran down his face and he held her hand tightly.

"We've been together since we were fourteen." He said. "No one thought we'd be together past high school." He laughed softly. "Your mom would get so angry, she yelled at everyone who doubted us, even lost a few friends."

I half smiled. Moms attitude was the same even in her teens.

"We got married when we were twenty. Had you at twenty five. She was so excited to be a mom. I was freaking out and she was already buying clothes for you. She said she knew you would be a girl as soon as she found out she was pregnant." He looked at me. "She really loved you Bella."

I nodded as more tears pricked my eyes. "I know, dad."

"Mama?" I turned around and saw Madi standing in the door way. She looked scared and I started to question whether or not I made the right choice.

Madi rushed to me and curled into my lap.

"Hi papa." She said weakly to my dad. He half smiled at her and turned back to mom.

"Hi nana." She whispered, leaning forward to look at mom.

"We have to say goodbye to nana, angel." She looked at me for a moment before nodding and sitting on moms bed.

"I'm sorry you have to go nana." She said. "I love you, I'll miss your cookies." I tried to control the tears that were threatening to escape.

Madi carefully kissed moms cheek and sat next to me again.

The doctors came in again and we were all told to stand in the front of the room. Caleb held Madi and she rested her head on his shoulder.

Dad gripped my hand and nodded at the doctor.

Within seconds, the beeping monitor turned to a long, heartbreaking, unending, tone.

And my mom was gone.