Mercy- Ethan Dolan

Chapter Seventeen

Ethan's POV

-A little over a year ago-

I look at myself in the mirror, long and hard as I get out of bed. I haven't been to school in almost two months. Mom is going to be pissed if she finds that out, or maybe she won't care, I don't know anymore. Not that I could go to school now. Not even if I wanted to. Aunt Helen isn't doing so good. She hasn't been, but it seems as though every day she gets a little worse. She can't be home alone. If something happened to her while I was gone, she would be left alone for possibly hours without anyone knowing. I wouldn't ever be able to forgive myself if that happened. She's the only place that's ever felt like home. She's going to die with as much dignity and respect as I can possibly provide for her. Granted, I'm only sixteen, but I'm really trying.

I quickly get dressed and throw a hat over my messy hair that I haven't really found the time to do in almost a month. I walk downstairs and go straight into the kitchen. I quickly make Aunt Helen some breakfast, as good as I can. Poor thing eats the same thing every day, but it's all she can stomach, so I make her a bowl of oatmeal every morning. For lunch, she's usually not hungry, but I heat her up some tomato soup and mashed potatoes for dinner. Everything has been very routine ever since she got sick, as I knew it would. A lot of the same stuff everyday. But, she usually just sleeps the whole day.

When she found out she was sick, she told me it hurt her more to tell me than it was finding out for herself. She didn't want to send me back to my parents, but she thought she was going to have to. She didn't want me to see her when she got really bad. I told her that I respect that, but I refused to leave her side, and with some talking into it, she agreed. She knows as well as I do that if I don't stay here with her, she'd end up at a hospital alone. She'd never tell me, but I can see in her eyes how scared she is, so it's my job to make sure she's as comfortable as can be.

I bring her tray that consists of orange juice and the same flavourless oatmeal that she eats every morning into the living room. That's where her bed is set up. She basically stays in a hospital bed, but she stays at home. When the doctors told her that even if she does do treatment for this, she wouldn't make it. It would just extend her time, but she'd be miserable. So, she just decided to take whatever time she has left. As much as I want her around forever, I understand why she chose what she's doing, it's not much of a life she's living right now.

I look down at her with a smile. You would barely recognize her. She's a frail, much smaller version of herself, her face almost looks as if it's caving in, her hair is so thin that it's almost gone, and her eyes and around them are dented in and purple. When she started looking like this, at first I was scared, but now it's just sad. "Good morning, Auntie." I tell her with a smile.

"Ethan, why aren't you at school?" She asks me, in her small and barely audible voice.

"It's Sunday, Auntie." I tell her, which is a lie, it's Tuesday. she just can't know I haven't been going to school. "I have your breakfast."

"I wonder what it could be," She jokes, she laughs a little, but then starts coughing, which I know hurts her.

"Okay, that's enough of that." I tell her with a smile. I put the tray down on her night stand as I rub her hair a little to calm her down. She just frowns a little. "It's okay." I tell her. "How about we just get you fed, okay?" I ask, picking up the bowl of oatmeal. She just nods at that. I pick up the barely filled spoon and put it up to her mouth, she takes the bite and swallows. But, she shakes her head as I put the next one up to her mouth. "Auntie, you have to eat." I say.

She shakes her head again "I can't Ethan."

That breaks my heart as I hear how helpless and restless her voice is, but I just cover it with a smile. "Okay," I tell her. "But, this means you're going to have to eat extra lunch." I joke, earning a half smile. "You look tired, why don't you get some rest, I'll sit right beside you the whole time, okay?" She just nods as I pull the chair right up beside her bed. "Want me to put your record player on?" I ask. She just shakes her head no. She use to not be able to sleep without it. "Okay." I say. "Just get some rest, I love you, Auntie." I tell her.