Craved (Book 2)

-9-

Upload: 03/11/20

Chapter Nine

Zamaria

The hallway seemed cold and dead.

The smell of disinfectant strong in the air. Zamaria watched from outside the room through the small window as her sister Jessica sat on the side of their mother's bed talking. They were laughing about something and for a split second there weren't any cares in the world.

Then it was shattered by a fit of coughs racking her mother's body. It was a mistake coming here, she wasn't ready. She couldn't come face to face with this, not now, not ever. She wanted to go back home and be oblivious to the nightmare that was awaiting her here.

Turning away from the door, she was preparing to make a run for it before anyone knew she was there. Her efforts weren't quick enough. Her father was walking down the hall with two cups in his hands. He seemed lost in thought until he caught sight of Zamaria turning away from the door.

"Baby girl, I didn't know you were in town." His smile was sad and there was no spark in his eye like there always is. He seemed to have aged immensely in the last few years she's seen him.

"Um, hey dad. I just got in this morning." She said softly staring back at the door, she couldn't stay she had to leave now. She took a deep breath to keep the tears from falling. "What are the doctors saying?" She asked nodding her head towards the door.

"It'll be touch and go for the next couple weeks, but she seems to be doing well with this new round of treatment their doing. So, there's hope." He answered truthfully.

There was no leaving now, she had to face the music like an adult.

She nodded her head and took the cups from his hands and allowed him to open the door for them.

"Look who I ran into in the hall." Her father said as he walked in. Zamaria following close behind.

As she walked into the room her mother's face lit up and she felt like she was seven again. That smile always brightened her day and it could cure any heartache.

"Hey momma." She walked over and embraced her fighting back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. She sat on the side of the bed watching her sister and brother-in-law cling to each other for support.

Times like this she wished she had someone for herself. She just couldn't bring herself to get close, not after what happened last year. It only solidified her solitary status and the lifestyle she's living. She wasn't meant to be with anyone, she wasn't relationship material; that much she understood now. She was broken inside and there was no fixing it, she's always been that way.

"Oh, my sweet baby." Michelle struggled slightly to sit up and Zamaria assisted her. "So, tell me what's been going on? You don't call anymore. How's my baby?"

Zamaria shot a quick look to her sister before plastering a fake smile on her face. "I'm doing well mama. I don't call because I'm always so busy. But I promise I will do a lot better. Where's Manny?" She asked noticing their brother wasn't there yet.

"He's stuck in New York with board meetings and all that corporate mumbo jumbo." Her mother waved off. "You just missed him, he had video-face-time-chatted me."

Zamaria couldn't help the smile that appeared on her face. Leave it to her mother to butcher technology. "What about you? How are you feeling? Why didn't you tell us?"

Shaking her head, Michelle began dismissing all her questions. "Stop it with all that. I'm fine. I didn't tell you all because everyone was happy, and I didn't want any of you to worry about me. I've lived long enough. I'm even going to be a grandma soon." Zamaria's brows wrinkled in confusion. She looked over at Jessica with a questioning look.