Nobody's Perfect (18+)

Chapter Three: London's POV

Jace and I arrived in Atlanta and immediately raced to the hospital to be with my mom, but a thought came to my mind and I needed to make a quick stop.

"Babe, can you take me to my parents home?" I asked Jace. Paris told me over the phone that dad had went home and he's probably drinking. I love my father to death, but every time mom gets sick he has a tendency to drink a lot. We arrive to my old childhood home and I get out the car and walk up the steps.

"London do you think he's here?" Jace asked me, but before I can respond we hear a loud shatter. "He's most definitely here." I inhale and exhale heavily and unlock the door with my spare key that mom gave me years ago. Jace and I walk in the house and see that all the lights are turned off. I turn on the living room light switch and see my dad lying on the floor beside the shattered glass coffee table. Jace quickly rushes over to my father and helps him to the couch.

I calmly say, "Daddy, it's me, London. Jace and I are here to check on you." I sit on the couch beside him and take his hand into mines. "Paris called and told me what happened to mom and I know every time she gets sick you go to drinking." Dad finally looks at me with tears in his eyes and I wrap my arms around him as he starts to sob.

"I can't lose her, butterfly." Hearing my dad call me by my childhood nickname tears me apart, but I know I have to keep it together for dad. " Daddy you're going to have to stop this drinking because it won't solve a thing. You need to go shower." I tell him.

He looks at me, "Why?"

"You smell like alcohol and we're taking you back to the hospital with us." I said. "I'll get you a coffee on the way."

Dad reluctantly got up from the sofa and went to the bathroom. Jace came and sat in the spot my dad just got up from and wrapped me in his arms. "He will be okay." Jace tried and failed to reassure me. "This is just his way of handling things."

"Well it's the wrong way Jace and I'm tired of it." I say pointedly. "After mom gets better he's getting help."

Dad makes his way out of the bathroom and we all make our way outside to get in the car. We stop at Starbucks to get dad his coffee then make our way to the hospital to the intensive care unit. Paris and Orlando spots us immediately and looks at dad, but I shoot them a 'don't ask look' before they can comment on me bringing him back to the hospital.

"Has the doctor been to speak to you guys?" I asked my siblings and they shake their heads no. Just as I was about to go sit down in the waiting area with Paris and Orlando, the doctor walks up to us.

"I'm Dr. Miranda Lewis," she extended her hand and I shook it. "Are you the O'Ryan family?"

Everyone nodded and I tried to read her face for any indication about my mom's condition, but her expression remained neutral.

"I'm her eldest daughter, London," I pointed to the twins. "He's the oldest son, Orlando and she's the youngest daughter, Paris." Lastly I pointed to dad. "This is our father and my mother's husband, Henry O'Ryan." After I finished the introductions Dr. Lewis pulled me and my half sober father to the side to speak with us, but I interjected before she could get a word out. "I would like to discuss this in front of the whole family." I stated.

She gave a short nod and we walked back to everyone. Dr. Lewis glanced around the waiting area and her eyes landed on Jace and she looked at me questioningly. "Oh right, this is my boyfriend, Jace Turner. It's okay to talk in his presence."

Dr. Lewis cleared her throat and spoke. "We ran tests on Mrs. O'Ryan to see what caused her heart attack and we found out it was from the radiation therapy she receives every-.

Hold. The. Fuck. Up.

Radiation Therapy?

"Are you telling us mom has cancer?!" I demanded feeling tears well up in my eyes. How could she keep this from us?

"Yes, your mom has stage 3 non-Hodgkin lymphoma also known as liquid cancer." Dr. Lewis explained.

Everyone gasped except dad. "You knew didn't you?" I accused him. He nodded as tears rolled down his cheeks. I pointed my finger at him. "Why didn't you tell us? How could you keep this away from us?!" My voice rose an octave.

"Marilyn didn't want you all to be worried about her because she knew if she would have told everyone, you wouldn't have went to college," Dad answered. Well he did have a point there. He continued, "If she knew it was this bad I'm certain she would have told you all." I nodded my head and turned away waiting for the doctor to continue.

"Liquid cancer forms in the bloodstream or lymph system, a network of vessels, nodes and organs that carry immune cells throughout the body." Dr. Lewis glanced around the waiting area to see if we were listening and when we nodded she continued, "More than 70,000 cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma are diagnosed every year and include dozens of types and sub-types. This disease is similar to leukemia, but the diseases differ in important ways. Most forms of non-Hodgkin lymphoma develop when immune cells mutate or become damaged and begin to grow out of control, crowding out healthy immune cells. These cells may also form tumors in the lymph nodes, spleen and other organs." Dr. Lewis finished explaining and gave us all a sympathetic look.

I feel like I can't breathe and I start gulping for air as tears fall from my eyes.

"Lon, are you okay?" Orlando asked while rushing to my side and taking me in his arms. I break down.

"Shh..ma's going to be okay," Orlando soothed. "You know I hate seeing you cry Lonnie girl." Orlando voice cracks and I try to calm myself down.

My siblings may get into a lot of trouble, but they are very caring and loving. I pull away from Orlando and face the doctor again.

"How long does she has?" I ask and by the look on the doctor's face I know I'm going to regret asking that question.

Dr. Lewis spoke. "6 months to a year."

See, I told you I was going to regret it.

Stay tuned for the next chapter. You don't want to miss it the drama is going to start. Christian and London will meet also.