Wherever You Go [Katy Perry Fan fiction]

Chapter Seventy Five

[Two Weeks Later]

"Yeah, everything's fine, honestly." I held the phone to my ear with my shoulder as I stirred around the metal spoon in the coffee cup. "Drinking coffee and ordering us around, sounds about normal to me. I promise, if there are any problems at all, I will call." I throw the spoon into the empty sink, cringing as an irritating crashing sound then echoes through the kitchen. "Straight away, of course." I roll my eyes at her persistency, but smile to myself at her sweetness. Mary melted my heart. "Alright. I love you - both of you - I'll call you later on tonight."
I took the phone away from my ear and giggled to myself as I ended the call. I suppose when I get old enough to have children of my own I'll understand the worry a mother must feel when one of her children is sick. Mary's heart was so warm and kind that it was hard to ever get angry or upset with her, and in situations when things were difficult, she was always the one to calm everybody down and somehow, make everything seem better. It was one of her best qualities. One of the things that made her such a good mother when I knew her as my own.
I knew that it was difficult for them to fly back to Miami. If Mary had it her way she would be here for another two weeks, but my mother most certainly wouldn't allow that. Having them around too much drove her insane sometimes, which I understood.
I carried the cup of coffee in one hand; a plate of buttered toast in the other.
"Morning," I greet my dad as I pass him on the stairs. He's mid way through tying a black tie around his neck, matched perfectly with his navy blue blazer, trousers, and crisp white shirt.
"Don't you know it's bad luck to pass on the stairs," he smirks as he dashes past me in a hurry. His pale cheeks were flushed red as though he had been rushing around all morning, and I laughed to myself at his comment.
"Good morning Sammie, how are you Sammie?" I mimicked him very sarcastically.
He turned to face me with a humoured smile. "Good morning, love," he says. His green eyes return to his reflection in the mirror, as he adjusts the tie around his neck. I could see him debating in his mind whether or not it went with the suit he was wearing, and I laughed to myself at the concentration on his face. He turns back to me again, "am I good?"
"You're good!" I reply, before continuing up the stairs.
I reminded myself to keep as quiet as possible. I knew that Luke and Louis were still sleeping, and mom possibly could be too, so I crept along the hallway floor, cringing every time I stepped on a creak in the floorboards.
I slowly pushed open my mom's bedroom door, peering my head through to see if she was awake. The room was silent, and filled with the most radiant of sun beams as the daylight spilled in through fifteen foot, double windows that stood at the furthest end of the room. The cream curtains were pulled back, and the sight of the Los Angeles ocean was enough to take your breath away every single time. The sun reflected off the gloss furniture, and in the middle of a mess of the cleanest, white linen sheets you could imagine, laid a tiny figure curled up comfortably, black hair spread out so prominently over a pillow.
I decided against the idea of waking her up. She looked far too peaceful, and I didn't want to be the person that ruined that. Her features were much softer when she slept. Just to see her, laid there a few meters away from me, sleeping, peaceful, alive, was a blessing. Two weeks ago, I thought that there was a good chance I would be waking up every morning in mourning. That I would have to wake up, every single day, and for a couple of seconds I would forget, but then I would remember that my mom wasn't in the next room, nor was she downstairs, nor was I going to be able to see her smile that day - or any day for the rest of my life. My heart was torn at the thought of having to live my life without the person who gave me my strength. So I'm sure you can imagine that seeing her just laid there, breathing, was the best thing I could ever see.
I placed the coffee and breakfast I had made for her down on the side table next to her bed. Her body was still very weak at the minute from her operation, and so the thought of her tracing up and down those stairs in our home made me anxious. I would much rather be at her beck and call - or her slave, so she much rather prefers to call it - until her body fully recovers.
"Babe," I hear a light whisper.
I turn around with a sigh, disappointed that I had woke her.
"Don't worry," she smiles sweetly, "I was already awake."
"Oh," I smile, pushing the fallen piece of hair away from my face and tucking it loosely behind my ear. I lift my head to the sight of my mom struggling to sit herself up. I heard her wince in pain, and her eyes screw together as she bites harshly on her bottom lip in agony. That was her way of being discreet. The one thing my mom absolutely hated was me seeing her in any kind of pain. She knew what I was like. I worried too much. Sights like that were enough to bring me to tears, but these past few months had allowed me to toughen up in that way. I had to, for her.
I knew that the last thing my mother needed was to be worrying about me. Her main focus needed to be on herself and her recovery. Every night for the past two weeks had been different for my mom. Some nights she managed to sleep, some nights she was awake crying in pain, others she was too uncomfortable and ended up sitting downstairs watching television for the majority of the night, but she never complained. These past couple of weeks though, had been better. She just, sort of got on with it.
She spent just under a week in hospital after her operation. It was still touch and go for the first twenty four hours after, but her determination made sure that she got through it. The doctors told us that they had managed to remove all of the cancer from her stomach and that her next, and final stage was her remission. That was kind of the beginning to the rest of our lives.
"Did you sleep well?" I ask her curiously, as I did every morning.
She smiles in return, as though my question was on queue. "I did, actually. Probably the best nights sleep yet." My mom pulls back the covers that were wrapped around her, and patted the empty space of the bed beside her. "And you even made me breakfast." She says as I climb into the bed beside her. "Darling, you really have been incredible. I honestly can't ever thank you enough for everything you've been doing for me."
"Hey," I shrug off, "no thanks is even necessary, mom."
The smile on her face quickly fades, and she looks at me in dismissal. As though I had just said something to her so offensive. She shakes her head and wets her lips with her tongue. "Sammie, you've been my rock. Not only that, but you saved my life. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't even be sat here right now." I felt something fidgeting beside me, until suddenly the warm skin of my mother's hands becomes locked within mine. "I'm putting everything on the table here. When I found out I was pregnant with you, when I was eighteen years old - the age that you are now - I sat on a bench on my own and asked myself how I could have let this happen. I remember asking God why he was choosing now to give me the challenge of becoming a mother. But, my god, it was the best thing that he ever did. I've been through my fair share of crap in my life, and every single time Sammie, you've pulled me through. God knew I was going to need you with me through my journey in life, and that's why he gave you to me when he did. My beautiful girl."
I was looking down at our hands when I saw the tear fall off the end of my nose and land on my wrist. I quickly wipe my eyes with my free hand. "It's a bit early in the morning to be getting all soppy, don't you think?"
She laughs a cute laugh, and I join in, feeling the most happy and at ease that I had in a long time.
"But..." Mom then says, and I close my eyes.
"Don't say but," I whisper, "don't ruin it, please."
"Sammie," my mom sighs. I look back up into her blue eyes and see them staring back at me with so much love and devotion that I couldn't bare to look away. She gives my hands a slight squeeze, before bringing them up to her lips and leaving a soft kiss on the back of each hand. "You can't continue to put your life on hold, sweet heart."
I instantly pull my hands away. I knew where this conversation was going to go, and I didn't like it. I knew what she was going to say, and I knew what she was trying to do, but I wasn't ready to leave her yet. It just wasn't the right time. My family needed me.
"Honey, don't-"
"I know what you're going to say," I tell her, at the same time as I shake my head in denial. "And it's not happening."
"You have spent the past couple of months here, focusing everything on me and-"
"-and getting you better, mom. That was my priority."
She smiles, "and you are the best daughter in the entire world for that. For everything you have done."
I felt my bottom lip quiver as she spoke, until I couldn't stop myself from beginning to sob into my t shirt. "So why do you want me to leave?"
My mom looks at me in question. She brings a hand up to my cheek, using her thumb to wipe away the tears from underneath my eyes. I felt hurt, and slightly angry that she could even suggest that right now, but there wasn't a chance I could let her know I was angry with her.
"Sammie, I don't ever want you to leave. I would have you here, right where I can see you, for the rest of your life if I could," she chuckles lightly, returning her hand to my hand and grabbing it tightly so I can't pull it away. "But that would be selfish of me. You've spent the past two months putting your entire life on hold to get me well again, and you have! Look at me! The doctors have told us I'm in remission, and I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you. Now, the next stage in your life is to begin your journey to your future. The plans you and Louis have made; the contract in London. You need to do this, Sammie. You need to be happy. This is your life, go out there and make the most of it."
I didn't really know what to say. I couldn't find the words. I was scared, I'll admit that. I was scared of something happening and me not being there; I was scared of being separated from my family for such a long period of time. Though, I knew that she was right. If I kept putting it off, where would that get me? Eventually it would be too late and I would live my life in regret.
"I made you a promise that I wouldn't leave you, and I didn't. You also made me a promise, right before you went to college, that you wouldn't let anything get in your way of your happiness and your future. I kept my promise, now it's time to come through with yours."
I clenched her hand so tight between my own. I knew that she was right, and I knew that it was time for me to continue with my future, with my journey...
"Sammie," she whispers, "go and sign that contract, go and work your way to the top... go make me proud."

_______________
"Miss Hudson?"
"Yes. I know I should have called sooner," I scratch the back of my neck nervously as I pace to the other side of my bedroom.
"I was beginning to think you had changed your mind."
"No, no, I most definitely haven't. I just, I uh, had some things to take care of at home."
"I understand," he says, much to my appreciation. "Have you made a decision?"
I bit on my nail nervously, knowing that after this, there wasn't really any turning back. "Mhm," I respond, then realising that my choice of phrase didn't sound too convincing. "I have."
"And?" His voice was anxious, but not half as anxious as what mine was.
"I would be honoured to become a part of the label."
The sigh of relief in his voice was comforting. Before I had called Alexander, I was so certain that he was going to tell me that I had missed my opportunity, and the chance was gone. That I had left it too late and the record label didn't want me any more.
"Sammie, I am so pleased! The rest of the team will be, too. I'm looking forward to you flying out here and us beginning to make an incredible album together. What do you say? Would two weeks be possible?"
My voice was shaky as I repeated, "two weeks?" That was so much sooner than what I had expected. I gulped loudly, but knew that this was what I had to do. "That's fine. I will be in London in two weeks. I'll see you then."
"See you in two weeks!"
______________

"That's fine. I will be in London in two weeks. I'll see you then."
A smile formed on my face, but it didn't quite match the feeling of my heart as it tore in two and then completely shattered in my chest. Oh Katy. I told myself as I stood on the other side of her bedroom door. You've got to let her go now. Who was I to stand in her way?
I had been her age. I had looked at the world in pursuit of something incredible. I had gone for it, I had worked for it, and I had achieved it. And it was the best feeling in the entire world. My girl will do just that, because she's got the blood of a dreamer. As painful as it was for me, eventually it would all be worthwhile just to see her happy.
I didn't want to see her go. The thought of her being across the other side of the ocean terrified me. I wanted to see her pretty eyes every day, and her beautiful smile, but what kind of a mother would I be if I didn't encourage her to live her dreams, just as I did. As hard as it was going to be, Samantha Hudson deserves to be happy.