rumour has it | ✓ [ old version ]

xxxiv. anything to make family happy

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR

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Impatiently, my foot tapes against the ground as I await for the bell to ring that'll signal the end of class. It's been a few days since I found out about Julia's cancer and everyday after school, I go to the hospital and try to be there for the Preston's. However, I haven't been able to speak to Mitchell; he usually isn't in the room when I arrive. Natalie always tells me that after school, he doesn't come to the hospital straight away. I don't know where he goes, but I allow him his space. He'll talk to me when he's ready and I need to understand that.

I shake my head when I hear the horrible sound of the school bell, but what it's signalling for is a blessing. Immediately, I pack away my school supplies before rushing out of the classroom and down the hallway to the exit. I didn't like waiting because anything can happen within the couple of seconds I waste in taking my time in class. The sun hits my skin which causes for it to warm up, but I don't stop and bath in the warmth, I quickly make my way to where I parked my car.

With the keys in my hand that I took out of my pocket, I unlock the car and get in, putting my bag on the passenger seat. I turn the engine on before backing out of the school's parking lot and making my way to the hospital which I've memorised since I've been there so many times. Just like I had done with my foot, I tap my index finger against the wheel, wanting to get to there faster.

Instead of it being quick, it took me about ten minute to reach the hospital, so when I parked into an empty space of the hospital's parking lot, I immediately turn off the engine and exit the car before jogging to the entrance of the hospital and going inside. Unlike the first night I come here, there are hundreds of people waiting while sitting in the chairs. Since I've been coming for a couple of days, I know how to Julia's room, so quickly I walk down the hallway that leads to where she rests.

I take a deep breath, if Julia had died they would of told me by now. My eyebrows raise in confusion when I see Mr Preston siting on a chair outside Julia's room with his head in his hands. Slowly I walk toward him, not wanting to scare him since he seems to be deep in thought.

"Mr Preston?." I ask, gaining his attention.

He looks up and gives me a small smile "oh hey Faye." He greets me, I turn my head to Julia's room which is to the left, but I'm meant with an empty white room, I look to Mr Preston once again "she's getting some tests done and the others went home to freshen up." He explains when seeing my questioning gaze. I nod my head, telling him I heard what he said.

"May I?." I question, pointing to the chair beside him and he nods his head. Without saying anything, I take a seat and place my hands in my lap "so-." I draw out, but stop speaking and my head snaps to look at Mr Preston when I hear him begin to cry. Oh no, what am I suppose to do? "Mr Preston, are you okay?." I ask him, worried. It's just me and him, no one else around, how am I suppose to comfort him? I barley knew him.

"I don't understand how someone could live after losing their mother, everything feels as if it's on fire " He tells me, his voice cracking at his words "I'm not ready for her to die."  He cries into his hands and sympathetically, I put my hand on his back and begin to rub in a circular motion. I couldn't tell him that everything will be okay because it won't be. His mum is dying and there's nothing he can do about it besides watch her go.

"I wish I could help you Mr Preston, but I don't know what to say-." I tell him truthfully, even though it's probably not helping him at all "my birth mum died a few months after I was born, so I didn't get to know her enough for me to be in so much pain when she left, but I do have dad and he's been there for everything, I would be in absolutely agony if he left-." I pause for a minute and take a shaky breath "Julia wouldn't want you to be in pain just like my dad wouldn't want me to be, but it's okay to be hurting because you're losing a loved one, but don't let it control you. You have a wife and two beautiful children who love you and need you, you haven't lost them." I tell him, hoping that helped, even if it's just a little bit.

He looks up at me "the last thing she wanted before she died was to see Mitchell find the love of his life-." He begins to tell me with a small chuckle "and I have to thank you for that even if it was fake." He finishes and shock crosses my face as I narrow my eyebrows at Mr Preston.

"You knew that it was fake?." I ask, shocked.

He nods his head "who do you think come up with the idea?-." He questions, but before I can ask him about it, he speaks again " I wanted Ma to be happy before she died, so I asked Mitchell to just pick a girl, any girl that Ma would be proud of, so she could be happy, but I didn't expect him to choose you." He chuckles again "that surprised me, but I'm glad he picked you." He smiles and I give him a smile in return, but a question enters my head.

"Do you know why he picked me?." I question.

Mr Preston shakes his head and shrugs his shoulders "no idea-." He replies "you'll have to ask him."

Everything makes sense now, but doesn't at the same time.