He/Him ✹ Shyland

4

    "If it wasn't for your mom moving here, she wouldn't have met your father.... and you wouldn't be here..." I said. "It was our destiny to meet.." The door opened, and it was my dads. "Dads, I thought we agreed you'd knock.."

    "Well, excuse us..." Ryland said. "But it's a serious situation.... We need to leave... now..."

    "Why?" I asked.

    "May.... Your sister..." Shane said. "She's in the hospital.."

    "What?" May started to hyperventilate. "Why? How?"

    "We can explain on the way.. I already called Morgan to come watch Reid and the triplets. Get in the car.." Ryland said.

~

     May was shaking with fear during the entire drive to the hospital, but I tried to calm her down but holding her.

    "After she left, she waited outside for about ten minutes.." Shane said. "But she drove off, and we heard a loud crash.."

    "We ran out to see what happened after we fed the triplets, and the ambulance was already there, pulling Layla into the gurney... Your family is waiting at the hospital.." Ryland said. "Everyone.."

    "I can't believe this is happening..." May cried. "She just wanted to talk to me.... and I pushed her away like she used to push me away..." She covered her face with her hands. "This is all my fault.."

    "Don't say that..." I said. "This sucks.... but we will get through this. I'm right here... and my dads are here... your other sisters are at the hospital with your mom.... dad.... your uncles..."

    "Uncle Troye is going to be so ashamed of me.." She said, closing her eyes. "When I came out... he told me to hold on to those who accept me. I did that.... but he also said to accept that not everyone will accept me.... and stand up for my family..."

    "This is not your fault, okay?" I kissed her. "Seriously..." We parked at the hospital a few minutes later, and ran inside to find May's family. "Hey everyone.." I said, my arm wrapped around May's waist.

    "Hey Alex.." May's mom said, giving me a hug. "Thank you.... for being with her..."

    "I'll always be around.." I said. "I'm a part of you guys... you've said that before..." I smiled. "Not just because two of you are gay, and May is my love.."

    "So what's the situation?" Ryland asked Sage.

    "We haven't heard.." She said. "But she's in surgery. Layla was intoxicated when she crashed.... according to the paramedics..."

    "Wow..." Shane said.

    "She's never drank... at least not around any of us...not like that..." Jacob said. "Why would she start now?"

    "Only thing she's ever had was wine.." Troye said. "But that's only on special occasions.."

    "Well the doctors said it was vodka and beer..." Tyde said. "But, she left your house before going to find May, right?"

"Yeah. She left in a hurry, all distraught and disoriented. We thought it was just because she had been crying.." Jacob said. "May, sweetheart... did she say anything to you?" She nodded as Jacob hugged her.

"She tried telling me she... was gay... and that's why she was so hard on me. She said she was jealous..." May cried. "She was lying.."

"Sage?" We heard a new voice. "I heard sirens driving past my apartment.. I got here as quick as I could.." Kayla said. "What happened?"

"My sister.." May said. "She's hurt.." Kayla gave her a hug. "She's in surgery right now..."

"We don't know the condition she's in.." May's dad, Rian, said. "The doctors have been operating for the past hour.."

"None of this would've happened.... if I would've just talked to her...." May said.

"May... I told you it's not your fault..." I held her in my arms. "It's no one's fault... She just... drank. It happens to people..."

"But she wouldn't have left... all upset like she did..." She said. "If I hadn't upset her more.."

"May, sweetheart.... You did all you could do.." Troye said. "Shane and Ryland saw the wreck, and got you here. All that matters right now is that you're here.."

"Where are my other sisters?" She sniffled. "And my brother?"

    "Tylar is on his way with the others. Ren had a volleyball tournament that went into overtime, and she went with the team to get ice cream afterward.... We called Tylar about an hour ago, when we first arrived, but he was only just now able to head this way..." Tyde said.

    "Where's my baby sister?" Tylar said, sounded angry when a nurse stopped him from running in. "Layla! Where is she? Layla Andersyn."

    "Ty!" May said, and he ran to her. "She's in surgery..." The rest of May's siblings crowded around.

~

     About another hour later, a doctor walked our way. He was frowning.

    "Sage and Rian Andersyn..." Doctor Renalds said, and they stood. "Can I speak with you two privately?" May's mom looked at her, and she started to tear up.

    "Is she going to live?" May asked, choking back tears as the doctor looked at her. "Answer me..." I held May in my arms as she cried into my shirt. Her family sat with us, helping me comfort her as she continued to cry.

    "May..." Sage said, after they talked with the doctor. She took May's hand, and started crying more. "I don't know how this happened.... but..."

    "What's going on?" I asked.

    "Layla..." Rian said.

    "Dad... tell me..." May said.

    "May, allow me to introduce you.. please... all of the family..." Doctor Renalds said. "Immediate first.."

~

    We walked into a hospital room where Layla was hooked up to multiple machines. She was alive, but barely able to function.

    "Layla..." May said, taking her sister's hand. Their other sisters and brother sat around the hospital bed, trying not to cry. "Wait.... you said... introduce us?" She asked the doctor. He motioned for a nurse to come into the room, but not until after she brought in a small blue blanket, holding a tiny baby.

    "Meet your nephew...." Doctor Renalds said.