What I Love About You | boyxboy

Chapter 22

A.N| Wattpad has been really messing with me lately... specifically the app on my phone. So let me know if there's anything weird with this chapter. 

Thanks.

The crowd stood still for a moment, whether that was my perception of it or how they actually were, I had no idea. In a mere fraction of a second I allowed my mind to think of all the unfortunate possibilities regarding our mothers medical condition. From an amputated leg, to a coma, to sudden death. All of it was there. All of it heavy. All of it ready to kill me.

"It's mama..." She was out of breath. "Sen, come here."

Emy reached for me, pulling me away from the confused crowd. Once we were away from them, near the foyer, she finally explained. "Mama's awake."

My legs nearly gave out. "You..." I held my hand with the other, pressing it against my leg. "You had me terrified."

"No one was answering the phone, so I did." She explained further, gesturing to the general direction of our rooms. "Mama woke up, but she said she can't feel her leg." Suddenly her expression went dark.

"What do you mean?" That can't be it. "Sh-she just woke up so maybe she just needs to stand for a little while."

"Sen..." She crouched to the floor, holding her stomach. "She said she can't move it. Mama can't feel her leg." Her voice was drifting.

All this time she'd been so strong. Hell of a lot stronger than me. To finally see her breaking down the way I had was just heartbreaking. A small child, forced to bare the weight of adult problems, and now she's just a scared little kid. Her body shook as she forced herself to keep back tears. I bent down to her, rubbing her back gently. "It's okay if you cry." I told her. "I already cried."

"You cried?"

"Yeah." I wrapped my arms around her. For as big as she talked, for as vulgar as she was, in the end she was still a twelve year old little girl. As she shook in my arms it made me feel like a worthless older brother. What was I supposed to do?

"S-Sen?" Taylor rounded the corner, tugging nervously at the hem of his shirt while Emy cried. "What's going on?"

"Our mom's awake." I told him, kissing my sister on the forehead. She was beginning to calm down. "But she says she can't feel her leg."

"What if mama can't walk?" Her voice was shallow.

I pulled her closer until she was practically in my lap. "She'll be okay."

Will she?

Taylor lowered himself to us, looking sadly at Emy. "We can drive you to the hospital if you want."

She sniffled, nodding slowly. "I wanna see mama."

He got up, spinning around to head back into the event room. Most likely to find Ivan. While we waited Emy buried her face into my chest in an effort to conceal her sobs. I bit my tongue, trying not to cry myself. I had to be the strong one, right? I'm her older brother.

A moment later Taylor returned with Ivan who was already holding the keys to the car. "Come on." He seemed like he was in even more of a rush to get there than we were.

A few people from the fundraiser wandered into the hall looking for us. Anna, being one of them, tried to stop us from leaving, but we continued to ignore her protests. I kept moving, eager to finally see her, and only stopped when Mr. Labowitz emerged from the crowd. His eyes seemed to dig into me in utter annoyance.