The Girl Who Worked In A Music Shop

Chapter 17

Phoenix PoV
I wake up in my bed, not the hotel, there's no warm body beside me. He's gone. I hold the necklace next to my lips and imagine him doing the same where ever he is, I almost fall out of bed from shock when my phone starts to ring.
"PHOENIX!" It's Joe,
"H...hey how what's up?" I have my morning voice.
"Nothing? I just called to say hey!" He's high.
"Well hey! Where are you guys?"
"On a bus!" I hear him laughing his head off and the phone being grabbed from his hand.
"Phee!" I know exactly who it is
"Pete! Where are you right now?"
"I dunno I think we are near some kind of desert?" He says, I can hear how in the background talking about camels.
"Hey what time is it back home?" He asks, I can hear him shouting at Joe to shut up
"Err 8:45 am" I say
"Oh shit I'm so sorry! I didn't know it was that early!" He knows I'm not a morning person
"It's ok I was already up"
"Oh ok well what you gunna do today then?"
"Oh probably go to the club and dance with some guy and get wasted" I say teasing him, I hear him laughing
"Haha very funny"
"Aww you jealous?"
"YES! I want to be waking up next to you! Not a very high Joe!" I laugh and I can feel his grin through the phone.
"Well I think I'm gunna go see my mum and probably stay there"
"Ok babe have a really good day!"
"Ok you too!"
"I love you Phee, don't forget that"
"I love you too! And I will never as long as I live" I hear him laugh as I say bye for the 5000th time and hang up. I stay smiling in bed for ages until I roll out and get dressed.

When I get downstairs I get a text, it's from Lizzie.
Phee, I was never meant to hurt you! But I just met Patrick and I would love to get to know him! And I feel this tour is a perfect time! And as soon as your mother gets better (and she will) I can wait for you to join us! xx -L
I miss her, so I write back.
I know you never meant to hurt me! And I understand the feeling of wanting to get to know him! Trust me:) see you soon x -P
As soon as I send it I get another text! This time from Patrick.
Hey Phoenix! I hope your mother gets well soon so you can come and comfort Pete! He's currently moping in his bunk all alone:( he's misses you Phee! And so do we! -Patrick
Awh I miss them all,
Hey Patrick! Aww poor Pete, I miss him too! And I miss all of you! When my mum is out of hospital I will be there asap! :) -Phoenix

When I get to the hospital I gather my usual set up, my book for writing, my guitar and a pillow because the chairs are so uncomfortable also they never give enough to the patients! I pull my chair next to my mothers bed set the pillow on my chair and tuck my other one behind mums head,
"You're a good kid Phee" she says as I tuck her in again.
"Thank you mum!"
"No I really mean it, not for just this but for sticking with me even in my bad tempers!" I go over and sit next to her and hold her hand, they're shaking.
"Well I did go and live in the studio..."
"That's after 22 years of living with it!" She says while a tear falls down her cheek. I wipe it off with my top. She holds my hand tighter.
"You where a wonderful mother and still are! Don't go talking like that!" I say
"Aha, Phoenix they came into my room today"
"Did they give you your medicine?"
"Yes but after that, they told me something" she looks down at her blanket,
"What? What did they tell you"
"They said I don't have much time Phee"
no. No she's a fighter she always has been. This is not going to stop her.
"Why" I say, I can feel the waterworks starting up.
"They said the heart attack caused my heart to become weaker and it can only hold on for so long.."
"No, no mum your the strongest person I know, you are not going to be taken down by this silly condition!" She laughs and tears fall down her cheek again,
"Play me that song he wrote for you." She points at my guitar. This was odd because she never used to like me playing it even singing, her and my father always used to fight about it.
"Really?" I say, a smile spreads across he face.
"Yes Phoenix! I'm very proud of your voice, I never accepted it before because I felt like you would be discovered faster. And you would leave me all alone."
"I would never leave you!"
"Good" she smiles
"Now this Pete, he's a good guy! He came over to the hospital before he left to talk to me"
"What?! What did he say!" She taps her nose as if to say it was a secret.
"You will find out soon enough...now play me that song!" She says beckoning me over again with my acoustic.

I play as well as I possibly can, and sing better than ever before. She smiles every time I make eye contact. Near the end of the song her machines begin to flash and make louder beeps than before, her eyes move to wet mine,
"I will always be here Phoenix, and keep him. He's a good egg and can write very good songs! I'm so proud of you" her eyes flutter closed and the doctors come flooding in. They pick her up and put her on a stretcher and run to the surgery, I sit there with my acoustic balling my eyes out and playing the tune of the song over and over. While her last words to me float around in my head, I'm proud of you.

My mother dies at 8pm that night.