Carry Me Home

Fifty

Evelyn

"Hello?" I picked up the phone, unaware of whose number this was. 

"Evelyn, is it you? It's me Elliot." Confusion distorted my features as I heard Elliot's voice. 

"How did you get my number?"

"Your father. He said you called to ask if I wanted to accompany you to see Rowan today." It suddenly all clicked in my head and I found myself nodding along to what Elliot was saying.

"Yeah. You told me that the two of you talked and came to some understanding and we were all going, so I thought you might want to come along if you're allowed."

"Your father allowed me to hence why I'm calling to confirm." A light smile adorned my face at his words. 

"I'll pick you up in fifteen minutes."

Just as I thought, Elliot was waiting outside the house with his maroon pea coat. His wavy hair was being blown onto his face by the wind and his agitation seemed to grow everytime it occurred. I beeped my horn and his attention was directed at me. He smiled and walked towards the car, clutching his coat along the way. 

"Are you ready?" I asked as he got seated and strapped in.

"Ready as I'll ever be."

There were many people in Rowan's ward today ever since yesterday when his finger twitched ever so slightly. The joy in each of us was tremendous and I felt as if for once things were going right. His parents had the biggest hope he'd wake up today and the doctor counted on it too as there was a deterioration of cancer growth surprisingly. 

When Elliot walked in no one seemed to make me him feel uncomfortable but was granted with a small smile from Rowan's parents for the support he was giving. Caleb beckoned Elliot over as if they were close friends and I took my usual spot in the corner whenever many people were in the ward. 

xxx

Rowan

I could hear the faint beeping of the machine beside me and before my eyes fully opened I could see the array of people surrounding me. My parents were clinging onto each other in the corner, Hayden was standing in front of Mason and was clutching his hand tightly. Cyrus was leaning against a chair and just concentrating on the heart monitor.  Elliot was leaning against a wall talking to Caleb but my eyes were scanning for that one person I desperately wanted to see... and there she was, standing in a corner and not taking her tired eyes off of me.

"Rowan." She gasped, straightening up her posture. A wave of relief washed over her face but the worry for me was still present in her eyes.

"Hi," I croaked out, a fragile smile drawing itself onto my face. Just like that I felt all the eyes in the room focus on me. My parents both ran up to me in long strides and my mother clasped my face in both of her hands. 

"Oh my boy," she gasped, her eyes bloodshot. 

"I'm sorry," I coughed out. My dad shook his head and patted my head.

"This wasn't your fault, son."

 I noticed Elliot move slightly and that's when I remembered Evie telling me about her time at her dad's house.

"Elliot, hold Evie's hand for a second, please," I managed to get that out smoothly without my voice breaking along the way. I never wanted to see her hand holding someone else's in the duration of my lifetime, but there wasn't much left of that now was there? Seeing her hand enveloped in his caused my heart to drop but I kept the facade of this being exactly what I wanted with a smile on my face.