Running Away - Conor Maynard

Bonus Chapter

“I wish we could go back to the glory days,” I spoke aloud.

“In what way, Lex?” Conor asked.

“Just where we could relive the memories of our children, and watch them grow up. Being grandparents really make us look weird. Well, that’s just my outlook on things but it’s just scary,” I admitted.

“That’s life for you. You seem to think that life is easy but it’s not. You tend to be less aware of the future of things because you’re so living in the moment. Our lives were problematic and scary but managed to live through them. We managed to fight off the demons of your past and mine. Jack finally managed to move on. Have his own family. Braden finally got the hint to leave you alone, even after he done when he was in prison. Your charity took off for people with domestic violence pasts. You should be proud that we managed to create a wonderful legacy to leave behind.”

“I am proud of everything I’ve achieved. Proud of everything you ever achieved. We’re old but somehow everything’s relevant to people these days. My story is still relevant to people out there who’ve been through so much with their own domestic violence past. I just want to go back to prepare Lauryn for this trouble she’s going through. I know she’s an adult but I still worry. She’s our daughter and she’s fighting something ridiculous.”

“Cancer isn’t ridiculous. We always knew that she had a weakened immune system. We just didn’t know the state it’d take on her in later life. Just be thankful that the twins and Connell are fine. I know we’re all hurting over the pain that Lauryn’s going through but we have to keep living, it’s the only thing we can do. She wants us to do that,” Conor explained strained.

“I know but I just can’t help but feel like it was my fault she just miraculously developed this painful disease. She was late for one and then she was stuck in my womb. I feel like I didn’t do things right with her. Too much cheese? I don’t know.”

“Lex, you’re rambling. It’s not your fault. Sometimes pregnancies are simple and sometimes they’re complicated. There are times where a baby can get their umbilical cord wrapped around their neck, resulting in them strangling themselves. Or, there could be other issues. It’s not your fault or your wombs, it’s just things get unplanned and things have a mind of their own. We can’t determine what the body is going to do. Or the diseases we’re going to acquire in the life we lead. Lauryn is a grown woman and she understands the procedure to the chemo and the radiation but we know she’s scared for leaving her child behind. That’s why if she dies, she’s gave us legal guardianship. You know that no one knows who the dad is.”

“I know, but I just don’t want her to die. It’s just confusing and annoying,” I sighed.

“Grandma, when’s mummy wakening up?” Little Izzy asked us.

“We don’t know, sweetheart. We’re just waiting on the news,” I replied.

     Izzy was Lauryn’s daughter. She had a one night stand a few year ago, when she was 24. Resulting in little Izzy being born. Izzy is one of the sweetest kids you can ever meet. Yes, that means Conor and I are in our forties but we feel old. Sadly, not long after Izzy was born, Lauryn was diagnosed with cancer in her cervix. Resulting her not being able to have more kids. The doctors have been trying chemo and radiation therapy but nothing’s working. Resulting in her becoming weaker by the minute. She had an operation to remove her womb and we’re just waiting on the all-clear to go see her. It’s hard to even envision life without Lauryn here, but I know she doesn’t want to leave us in the lurch with everything.

   William, Josie and Connell are teenagers. Connell’s the youngest but he’s the worst. He gets in to the worst trouble there ever could be. Lauryn, William and Josie weren’t as bad as he is. Conor and I have had the police more times at our door for him than anything else. You’d think that we were delinquents but we’re not. Connell might be but the rest of us aren’t. We’ve tried everything to get him to realise that he has a lot of potential in other things. However, he wouldn’t listen. He said that he had other things to do. But his skill in playing the piano and singing was extraordinary. He was a whizz kid. Josie the same. William is a whizz kid at football. Able to recite every professional player that’s scored the most goals from each club and country. His footwork and skills are almost the same as Luis Suarez of Barcelona FC.  He doesn’t like to be compared but he’s been scouted a lot for local clubs. Conor and I are proud of his achievements.