“Babe, she’s ready to go,” Zayn spoke firmly to Jessica as she dodged his eyes. After four and a half years of being piped with needles and drugs, the journey had come to an end. The nights of crying from the agonizing pain and the loss of friends due to hospital visits. All she had in her was her faith that no matter what, she would be okay. The biggest journey was for her mother. How could she ever lose her sweet baby girl?
“I can’t let her go, yet.”
“Look at how much pain she’s in, babe. We can’t be selfish, yeah?”
Jessica placed her hand on the glass window that separated her from her child. She let the tears fall on her sweater as she saw her ill daughter. It was as if she became a test animal for the doctors. She had no hair, her veins were visible in her paled olive skin, her eyes were dark and hidden. Her cheeks were puffy from the steroids they gave her. The scars that surrounded her body showed all of the surgeries. All of those times held her down in the operation room, due to frantic tears. All of those bone marrow transplants. All of those days in chemotherapy. Landon slept right next to her on her bed. He was about to lose his sister, his best friend, the one he’d known since birth. They were about to lose their daughter. They were about to lose a fighter.
“Zayn. Why is this so much harder for me than it is for her?”
“I know it hurts, baby. She’s holding on for you. We need to let her go.”
“She’s my baby girl, though.”
“She’s been in so much pain for over four years. It’s time.”
“I know, babe.”
She looked at her daughter attached to tubes and with her shirt slightly lifted as Harry sang them to sleep. His tears were visible as he studied the Malik’s little girl. The scar just above her right hip was almost identical to Zayn’s. Even Harry felt the pain that was fused within her, he’d take it away in an instant if he could. However, he was just Harry Styles. A retired boy band member and an uncle to the child. He couldn’t remove the pain, but he could show his remorse. He had to show that he cared, because in his heart he was just as helpless as she was. But he had a different kind of struggle, he had to witness the death of a child. A child he tokened to his family after her birth. No matter the blood or genes, she was his niece and he needed her there as much as her parents.
“Jess,” Zayn began,” look at me.”
She turned her body around slowly, not wanting to miss any of the last minutes of her eight year old daughter’s life. She wanted to be there to the very last second; the last breath.
“Let’s take her to Hawaii. Let her go in peace.”
“But the plane ride, Zayn. Isn’t that a little too dangerous?”
“We’re taking the kids.” Jessica was clearly razzled by his abrupt tone.
“Malik, she needs treatment.” Now was her time for a stance.
“This isn’t the time to argue about this,” his voice going up a little before looking around at the worried hospital attendees.”I’m taking my kids and that’s final. I won’t have her die in a hospital with people poking at her like she’s an animal every five seconds.”
“Zayn…”
“No, you listen to me. I love my children more than you give me credit for. I’ve let you make the decisions for her, but now it’s my turn. She’s going to leave the way she wants to. I love those kids in a way I’ve never loved anyone or anything. Can’t you see that this is killing me too?” She couldn’t even take in the words of his speech. Every word filled her body with fury and she had a lot to say as well.
