Just One Of The Boys

Where we all begin again

"Mom?" I heard myself say after a few minutes of silence. It felt like a dream the whole thing; none of it felt real.

I found myself walking over to her bedside and I could feel KJ hovering close behind me as if waiting for me to crack.

"Elizabeth. It's been so long...I-"

"What happened?" I cut her off not being able to control all the imagines swirling in my head.

"They tell me it was a hit and run but to be honest I don't remember...the whole things a bit of a blur." She starts.

"Oh." Is all I manage. I feel a hand rest on the small of my back and let out a breath I didn't know I was holding when I feel KJs presence.

"I mean I remember some..." She starts again, "I - well - I was told I had been drinking."

I simply nod. Not quite surprised.

KJ taps my shoulder and nods to the chair. I sit gladly giving him a look of thanks.

"I-I wanted to say something Elizabeth." She says,"I wanted to say...I-I'm sorry for everything."

KJs hand grabs mine and squeezes.

"I was never the mom I should have been to you. Or your sister." She gets out slowly. Her breaths coming in harshly.

"You don't have to..." I say softly.

"I do, I do. For all the wrong I've done...this is the least I should do. I don't know how to make it up to you." She mumbles. "Where have you been staying? How have you been? It's been so long?" She says slowly through ragged breaths.

"George took us in." I reply.

"Good...good." She said again even slower. Her voice drifts as she closes her eyes and sleeps.

"You okay?" KJ whispers. I look up to him as he sits on the arm of the chair. I nod slowly and try my best to let out a smile.
KJ leans over and kisses my head.

The nurse came in not much longer explaining that my mothers condition was much worse than it looked. Her organs were failing and the doctor explained it was a miracle she was even talking this much. Something about how she had had multiple punctures to her organs from the crash and several broken bones.
**
"Elizabeth?" My head popped up and I looked up to see my mother waking up in her hospital bed. Her eyes looked warn and she somehow looked older even within the last hour she had been asleep.

"I don't have much time left, I know my body isn't working anymore...I heard what the doctors were saying." She let out tiredly.

"Don't talk like that, you never know. You-" I cut her off.

"No. I know my fate. But tell me this..." She says between breathes. "Who are you staying with? You need a home."

"George. I'm staying with George." I say again.

"Yes, of course." She mumbles out again. "Good. Carter will take care of you." She stumbles out between coughs. "She's responsible for you now. Although she has always has been I think..."

"Mom?" I choke out tears brimming my eyes.

"I'm- sorry." She coughs out again. I watch her closely scared if I take my eyes off of her at any point she would disappear into thin air.

"Shh it's okay." KJ whispers into my ear holding my hand tightly. I turn to him and press my face into his shoulder.

"Shh." KJ coos gently. He continues to whisper reassuring things to me as I sit in shock.

****

Hours pass before nurses flood the room. Code blue ringing through the hall. Wires and lights beaming. I feel myself being ushered out of the room. Faces blurring past me. Words being frantically spoken before someone shakes me.

"Do you understand?" A lady questions frantically shoving a pen in my hand.

"Sign here." She pushes. I sign my name sloppily not quite being able to see through my teary eyes.

"Liz?" KJ asks gently. "Liz. It's done. We can go home now. It's all over. You're free."

I nod simply letting him guide me out of the hospital and to the car. We drive while I stay in a dazed state.

"Lizzie. Liz we're home." I feel lips on my shoulder and look to see KJ. He's eyes peering back over to my own.

"Is it over?" I ask. He nods and takes my hand pulling me out of the car.

"Let's get inside."

I nod and let myself be directed into my house. It felt odd. A lift off my shoulder as well as a new weight.

I couldn't help but feel a part of me missing. Aching for what used to be a mother which I never really had.

It felt like everything was stuck in slow motion. I watched as KJ sat me down on the couch and then walked away. I watched as Carter ran at me with tears in her eyes. As George and Tate folded into the room to see if everything was okay.
I watched and I couldn't react. Not to any of their questions or their worried faces and continuous attempts to get me to speak.

"It's over Liz. It's over." Carter insisted.

I looked to her and shook my head. Finally speaking up for the first time since KJ had brought me home.

"Can...can we just not talk about it." I choke out. "She's gone....she's really gone." I look up to Tate who had sat on my right side. He pulled me in for a hug and nodded while rubbing my back.

"It's okay. It'll all be okay." Tate insisted.

I nodded before pulling myself to sit up right. I wiped my tears. I pushed my shirt flat and looked to my family. Sitting around me. All of them waiting- anticipating my reaction.
The phone rings and George picks up. We all turn to watch him. His face turns to surprise. Before he nods and hangs up the phone.

"Your mom...she made Carter your legal guardian." He says slowly.

Everyone goes silent and looks to me again.
Carter throws her hands over her mouth in surprise and Tate smiles almost victoriously.

"Say something..." KJ nudges me.

"We're free." I say while a single tear rolls down my cheek.

*****

Thank you so much for reading and being apart of this journey! This is the end of Just One Of The Boys after a very long adventure.

I have been working on a new story which will be up very soon.
As for now I have up They Call Him Wolf which is finished and ready to be read!

Thank you for all the support so far! I can't wait to start sharing my next story with you!

Xxx-Elle