calum's pov
"What did you want to speak to me about?" I asked Madison's father once we were out in the hallway.
"Not here. Let's go to the waiting room," he said and I followed him down the hall to the small room filled with only a few people. I took a seat next to him and anxiously waited for him to speak. He ran his hands on his jean covered legs and I noticed how drained he was. "Now, I don't really know you very well, but I know you've made my daughter happy these last few months. I want to thank you for that."
"You're welcome, sir," I told him. "She means a lot to me." I held back my sigh of relief that he wasn't telling me to stay away.
"But," he started again.
I turned to look at this man, the man that raised the girl I love. "But what, Mr. Wright?"
"I hate to ask this of you, but Madison is getting worse and only going to get worse and I don't want anyone to get hurt that doesn't need to get hurt."
"What are you saying?" I choked out.
"I'm asking you to say goodbye, son," he told me, placing a hand on my knee.
I let out a shaky breath as my tears finally fell from my eyes. "You can't make me do that. I love her more than I've loved anyone, sir. I'm going to be there for her until the end."
"Please, Calum. She won't ask you this, but I will. She won't want you to see her when she gets closer to the end. It's better to say your goodbyes now."
I shook my head at him. "Just stop! Do you honestly think I care about what she looks like because she's sick? Madison is the most beautiful girl I've ever met and not just because I love her short hair or the way her green eyes sparkle but because of her personality and the way she doesn't think she's special when she's the most special girl there is. I'm sorry, but I'm not going to leave her when she needs me the most." I walked away from her dad without letting him respond and went to the parking lot to my car.
madison's pov
I waited for my dad and Calum to come back, but only my dad did. I wondered what my dad said to him and why he didn't come back. My dad only brushed my hair out of my eyes and placed a kiss on my forehead. "I love you, Mads," he whispered.
"I love you too, daddy," I told him, trying to smile at him.
"I see you and mom made up," he commented.
I nodded. She had explained to me how my grandma had treated her when she was growing up and how she had always promised herself that she was never going to treat her children that way. Somewhere along the way, she started to and it got out of hand. She explained that she was afraid to lose me and knew it wasn't an excuse, but I forgave her because well, she's my mom and I didn't have that much time left.
"I saw the doctor on my way back and he said that you can be discharged tomorrow if your vitals stay how they are. That's great, isn't it?"
"Wonderful," I said sarcastically. I wasn't sure why, but I kind of didn't want to be discharged.
"Ok, well we need to get back to pick up Caleb. But we'll see you tomorrow," my dad said, ignoring my tone and giving me one last hug.
**********
Fifteen minutes after my parents left, the door opened and I was sure it was going to be a nurse. I got my arm ready for blood pressure or getting blood drawn or whatever test they wanted to do, but instead it was Calum.
"What are you doing here?" I exclaimed, sitting up the best I could.
"You think I would leave without coming back?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.
I shrugged, thinking that he had. "I was worried," I told him. "I thought maybe my dad scared you off?"
He took a seat on the edge of my bed and sighed.
"Sighing is never good, Calum. What did he tell you?"
"Nothing, Madison. It's fine. We're fine," he reached for my hands but I knew he was lying. We weren't fine, I don't think we were ever fine.
"Please just tell me," I begged. "Whatever it is, I can handle it. If I can handle this," I gestured to the hospital room around me, "I can handle whatever it is you don't want to tell me."
"He wants me to dump you. Say goodbye now."
I take my hands out of his and hug my arms around myself. "And what did you tell him?" I asked after a moment.
"That I'm not ever going to leave you, Madison. You mean too much to me to just leave you now."
"And what about me?" I asked. "I don't get the luxury of choosing when to say goodbye so maybe he's right! Maybe we should just end it! You never wanted this in the first place right?"
"Oh, Madison," he shook his head and moved to sit next to me the best he could on the small bed. He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me close. "Don't let him get in your head and you have some time left. Don't you want to spend it together?" I looked to the boy holding me tight and he cupped my face. "You look so beautiful, Madison," he breathed.
"Shush! No I don't," I told him, pressing my hands against his firm chest.
"Of course you do. Now kiss me, please? It's been too long."
"You're avoiding the subject," I pointed out.
"There's no reason to discuss it anymore because I know you want to spend all the rest of your days with me, Madison. Now please kiss me?"
I shook my head at him, but couldn't help but smile because he was absolutely right. I closed the space between us and kissed him with as much passion as I could muster.
hi (: I hope everyone has a great weekend. please vote/comment xx zoe
