WITH YOU- I Never Had A Choice ✔️

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

AVERY

"She is so excited to meet you, " Dylan's dad laughs as we cross the living room. Although he is trying to act happy, I can feel that the pain is eating him. I remember going through something similar when Marcus left. For them, it must be even worse. They have to see her approach death with every passing second. I don't think I would have survived anything like this.

"I am excited to meet her too, " I say and glance at Dylan, who has his head tilted down and it looks like he is thinking about something. I know he is trying his best not to show his sadness and he gets stressed when it comes to his mother's health. Trying to shift his mood, I lean back and whisper to him, "because she is not like you, arrogant and cocky."

Dylan looks at me and lifts an eyebrow, "but I don't remember you kissing her." My eyes widen and I straighten up. My eyes shot towards Jack who has an amused expression on his face. Although he is avoiding eye contact with any of us, I know he heard it. Gritting my teeth I scowl at Dylan who gives me a little smirk.

We walk up the stairs and Jack leads us to their bedroom. The door is opened and I can see Diana lying on the bed. Seeing her, my feet stop moving. She looks so different from the last time I saw her, which was just about a week ago. Her eyes have sunken and are surrounded by dark circles. Her face is so thin, it seems like someone has sucked the juice out of her face. Her hair is tied into a bun and she lays there motionless on their bed with one hand resting on her stomach and other beside her. Her hands look as if there is just a layer of skin spread on the bones. The hand which is on the bed has IV attached to it and there is a stand beside the bed.

"They run the IV for a few hours every day." Jack stands there at the doorstep looking at his wife.

"But Dr Brown said that she was better now, " says Dylan.

"She was yesterday, even today in the morning but then she threw up a bit after that, so they put the IV, " explains Dylan's Dad.

The nurse stands on the other end of the room, looking through her medications. I watch Diana for a few moments before turning my head and asking Jack, "can I go in?"

"Yeah. Sure you can. I'll be outside. Dylan, you wanna come?" Jack asks Dylan. Keeping his stare fixed at his mother, Dylan nods his head.

"Thanks." I walk into the room and quietly towards her. I can't believe this is happening. That day when she told me about her illness, I didn't think I would feel so awful like this. Seeing her in this way at complete rest makes it even harder for me not to compare it with the woman I met. Jack was always the one to talk less but right from the day of our wedding, every time I saw Diana, I feel more in love with her bubbly nature. Truly, even if I had the last few doubts, seeing her then and now, I understand why Dylan did whatever he did. I will never say that he is 100% right but I would probably do something more than this if it was me. Who better than me can understand what it feels like to be losing the loved ones?

I place my hand and gently sit at the edge of her bed, trying to keep it as quiet as possible. Her eyes flutter open and she looks around the room before it falls on me. A smile immediately stretches across her face as she says, "honey, is that you?"

"Yes, " I smile and nod. "I came to see you."

"I knew you were coming and I was waiting but then I fell asleep, " she says, slowly.

"It's okay. You needed the rest. How are you feeling?" My eyes roam around her body once and it feels even more terrible seeing those channels from this close.

"Truly, not so good. I was feeling good this morning and I was even excited to see you but then..."

"I know. You need to take care of yourself though. I will be visiting you every other day. Don't worry."