Living with Jennifer Lawrence

[97:] Epilogue

Disclaimer: This is a VERY intense chapter, filled with scenes that may be too graphic for some readers. They were intended to tear at your heartstrings. Please read at your own discretion. Enjoy.

Maddie

I was laying on a bed, legs open, in an incredible amount of pain. I could barely hear the doctors telling me to keep pushing over my deafening screams.

Austin was so encouraging. He kissed my fingertips and told me he loved me more than anything. He pushed some of my hair away from my face. It was slick with sweat, and I didn't know why he would want to do that, but he did it with no complaints.

My head was killing me, and I felt like I was barely making any progress. I felt so weak.

I wanted to give up.

"You're doing great," one of the female doctors had said. "Really great, you're almost there."

I had blurry vision at that point. I struggled to see Austin's hazel eyes focused on me.

"I'm so... tired," I managed to tell him. My breathing was slow.

"I know," he mumbled. "I know. But you can do this. I love you."

I couldn't respond. I closed my eyes and felt myself leaning back into the bed. I released my grip from his hands.

And then I saw my biological mother, with another man next to her. I recognized him from the silver locket she used to cry over. I never thought I'd ever get to see his real face in front of me.

"Mom?" I asked, shocked. "Dad? What's going on? Am I done yet?"

"Yes, baby," she answered. She wasn't how I remembered her. She didn't have sunken cheeks or tired eyes. She looked genuinely happy. Her eyes were filled with light.

I tried so long not to think of my original family or foster families when I was alive because it brought back too many bad memories. I tried to immerse myself with my new family, of Jen, of Josh, of Ryan, and of course, my twin brother Jason. I didn't know he existed until later in life, but I'm glad we were able to reunite. Even if it was for a little while.

"What about everyone else?" I couldn't just leave everything behind like this.

"They'll be okay, baby," she assured me. Then, much to my surprise, she apologized for everything she's ever done. For neglecting me, abandoning me, dying before she could see me grow up. She apologized for getting addicted to drugs, and overdosing on them. She knew she should've been a better mother, she just didn't know how. She wasn't raised in the best home, and that had a large impact on the way she grew up, and how she raised me.

I seriously forgave her and everyone else who hurt me on prom night, after Loren said her beautiful little speech. I said it out loud so my biological mother would know. "I forgive you," I told her. I was stronger than everything that's happened to me.

Once we were calm, she said, "There's someone I'd like you to meet."

She gently pressed my biological father's body forward, and he opened his arms. He wanted to give me a hug.

"W-what? I can't believe this is happening."

"We waited so long for this day," my father admitted. He died so long ago in a freak car accident, and he didn't look injured or hurt, either. He looked healthy, and whole.

He proceeded to explain what I had always assumed: he was watching over me. He watched me go from an infant, to a toddler, to an angry teenager. He saw the way my biological mother was, hooking up with men and hiding her drug addiction from me. He watched me jump onto trains and eat from trashcans and fight for my life. When he saw Ben and Blaine tossing a football to each other, he was hoping I would run into them that day. He knew their family could finally give me the better life I deserved. He was right.