Second Chances for Tyler Landry

My Baby

Mackenzie has been up for a week now.

Experiencing aching everywhere and stomach pumps, because apparently the drugs had poisoned her liver to the point of extreme damage.

They couldn't believe she was still alive.

And truthfully, neither could she. Why was she of all people given life, when she couldn't want it less.

All she could think about was the words that Tyler spoke while breath escaped her heart; he told her that he loved her, that he needed her.

But, where was he?

The nurse had told her that he was there night and day and stopped coming just before she woke up.

Mackenzie didn't know what she expected, maybe that he would be there and declare his everlasting love for her. Or that he would be there talking her out of her drug induced coma. Perhaps, she wanted something as simple as him sitting in the cold plastic chair that  her mother now filled.

"Mackenzie," she said in her lets talk voice.

"Yeah mom." Mackenzie said, stabbing a steamed carrot with her plastic fork.

Mackenzie's mom, Tabitha Lowly, looked at her daughter with grief-filled, confused eyes, "Why would you want to leave, baby?"

Mackenzie stared at her hospital food and then back at her mom, "Oh mom, there's so much you don't know."

Her mother grabbed her cold hand, "Tell me." she said, her voice pleading and assertive.

And so Mackenzie told her, told her everything, because at this point, what did she really have to lose?

At several parts in the story, Tabitha teared up and grabbed a stray tissue already streaked with makeup from yesterday. She listened to her daughter's heartbroken and horrid story of the love she felt, and the pain.

"Mack," her mother started "What about Jensen?"

Jensen Aldorson was a straight-A clean cut cutie who had always been sweet on Mackenzie. Of course, Mackenzie's mother fell madly in love with, already seeing little Jensen-Mackenzie toddlers running around. But, Mackenzie knew that Jensen was not for her. She liked him, and if she had never known Tyler, she would have been satisfied with a life with him.

But, she had met Tyler.

She had met her soulmate, and there was no connection with any other human being, there was no love for anyone but him.

"Mom, I could never have feelings for Jensen like I do Tyler." she explained.

Mackenzie's mom tilted her head slightly to look in her eyes, "I know hun." she finally said.

"I just, I can't. If I could just turn it off, Mom I wouldn't be lying in this hospital bed. I'd be letting Jensen wine and dine my ass. But, I think that would make me even more unhappy than I already am." she said, pushing her tray away from her.

They sat there, not really sure what to say to the other.

Mackenzie looked up to find her mother snifling, on the verge of even more tears.

"How could I not notice my baby dying inside?" she croaked and started to cry heavily.

Mackenzie just held her hand, eventually the two fell asleep on the hospital bed.