"Okay, how about we all calm down?" Deana suggested and tried to pull Eli away.

"I did this for you." Mr. Matthews claimed.

"You haven't done jack shit for me!" Eli argued and almost trampled over his mother.

"Elijah, don't speak to your father that way."

"No, remember? I don't have a father." Eli claimed. "And he doesn't have a son." he left with that and headed inside of the house.

I stood there in shock at everything I'd just witnessed.

Mr. Matthews wiped his face with his free hand and sighed then walked back to his station at the grill as if everything that happened could be swept away that easily.

People went back to their earlier conversations, Candice looked like she was ready to cry and went inside the house as well (assumably to leave), and Deana approached me.

"Would you like to go speak to him or should I?" she asked.

"I feel like it's not my place to." I figured.

"Well, he may want the comfort of the girl he loves after such a heated debate. There's some moments where a mother's comfort isn't what someone needs. But I can go in first to warm him up if you'd like?" she offered.

"Yes, please." I agreed.

I just didn't want to intervene where he may not want me to.

Deana went inside and I just sat back at my table.

____________________________________

"He's all yours, honey. Good luck. He's a bit out of it." His mother said with the sound of concern.

We both headed inside and started to head in different directions.

"I'll be upstairs, I think I need to lay down for a bit." she said as she rubbed my arm and smiled sweetly. "Let me know if you need anything." she offered and took the stairs.

"Eli?" I called.

"Hm?" I heard a sound from the kitchen.

Eli was there with his head on the table and five empty beer bottles surrounding him. He had another empty glass with a bottle of whiskey right next to it.

"Eli, noo." I said referring to him drowning himself in liquor.

I took the beer bottles and threw them away then attempted to take the whiskey but he grabbed onto it as a plea for me to not put it away.

"Eli, you can't do this, baby. It's unhealthy." I told him.

"Give me the bottle, Leyla." he demanded.

I still held onto it.

"No, Elijah."

"Baby, please. Just give me...the bottle. Please." he begged.

I let it go. I wasn't proud of that decision but he was really hurt. I hope this doesn't become a habit.

"Do you want me to get you anything?" I asked.

"Just come here." He sat up and took another swig of liquor then pulled me by my hand to sit in his lap. His arms wrapped around me and he laid his head on my shoulder. I rubbed my hands over his arms and kissed his head while he held me.

____________________________________

"Where's Mrs. Matthews? We're about to start the fireworks," someone came into the kitchen and asked.

"She said she was going upstairs. She's probably napping in her room." I guessed.

They nodded and headed that way.

"How do you feel?" I asked Eli.

"Tipsy."

"That's not what I meant."

"That's the only answer I got."

I took a deep breath and just let him continue resting on my shoulder.

I heard fast paced footsteps and realized someone was running.

"ELI!!!" They yelled. It was the same person who was looking for Deana.

"What?" Eli groaned agitatedly.

"It's your mom."

Eli frantically picked his head up.

"She's on the floor. She's breathing but she won't wake up."

'Oh god, please no.'

Eli picked me up out of his lap then immediately took off and ran upstairs. We followed after him but he runs like a fucking wide receiver.

We got to Deana's room and saw she was on the floor.

"Ma." Eli called and kneeled next to her, shaking her gently.

Nothing.

"MOM!" he yelled louder and shook her more vigorously.

Nothing.

He checked her pulse.

"She's still alive. Go get Derek." he demanded and the guy ran off again.

Eli picked up his mother and carried her out of the room.

"We need to go to the hospital. You're driving." he stated.

When we got downstairs, Mr. Matthews was waiting.

"WHAT HAPPENED?!" he asked.

"I didn't tell him to get you so that you can pretend to care. I just needed you to know I'm bringing her to the hospital." Eli explained.

"Now's not the time for this bickering bullshit, Elijah, I'm coming with you."

Eli didn't answer and we continued our walk out of the door.

We got in the car and Eli sat in the back, with his mother as I drove and Mr. Matthews sat in the passenger seat.

"Do you know where you're going?" Mr. Matthews asked ignorantly.

"No, DEREK! I just decided I'd FUCKING TAKE THE HIGHWAY AND HOPE BY THE GRACE OF GOD WE JUST RUN ACROSS A GODDAMN HOSPITAL!" I answered sarcastically.

I didn't mean to, but I already disliked the man, then I constantly see firsthand how poorly he treats Eli, and now his stupid questions are the last straw.

____________________________________

We arrived at the hospital about an hour or so ago and they had already taken Deana from us.

I and Mr. Matthews sat down in the waiting area while Eli got up and paced back and forth.

Finally a nurse arrived.

"Are you Mrs. Matthews' family?" The woman asked.

"Yes, I'm her son." Eli answered.

"I'm her husband." Mr. Matthews stood up and said.

"Well, did either of you know the severity of her condition?"

"I have. Since February." Derek replied.

"What condition?" Eli asked.

"Your mother has stage 4 leukemia."

The news and Eli's face after hearing those six words were heartbreaking.

"What...?" his voice cracked when he asked and his eyes were watering.

I stood up and rubbed his back, trying to console him as best I could.

"I'm so sorry, she denied treatment a few months ago but the cancer is only getting worse. We can't force her to get treatment she doesn't want." The nurse explained.

Eli had short breaths but he wiped a hand over his face and tried blinking away the tears. He cleared his throat and said, "So she's not gonna make it, is what you're telling me?"

"She's lost so much weight in such a short period of time, her body is bruised, and there's swelling in several places that she clearly learned to hide well. I'd say she may have a few nights left in her but I can't promise she'll see August. I'm sorry."

Eli took deep breaths and looked up at the ceiling to keep his tears from falling.

"Can I-...umm, Can I speak to her?" he asked sweetly.

"In a few, the doctors are still doing a few examinations." she nodded.

"Okay." he accepted and she gave us a nod goodbye then turned to go back to where she came.

I let Eli go. "I'll go get you some water." I told him.

"Elijah." His father called and placed a hand on Eli's shoulder.

Before I headed off, Eli wiped his nose between his thumb and index finger then hurriedly turned around and sent a strong right hook into his own father's jaw. Sending him stumbling back a few steps.

"YOU KNEW!!!" Eli shouted. "MY MOTHER HAS BEEN DYING FOR MONTHS AND YOU KNEW...AND YOU KEPT IT FROM ME!!!" His tears finally fell.

"I didn't want you to worry. You have things to take care of and she was being looked after." His dad said as he wiped the blood from his lip.

"I'm gonna kick your ass. MY FUCKING MOTHER IS ON HER DEATHBED BUT YOU WERE MORE WORRIED I'D LOSE FOCUS ON YOUR GODDAMN FIRM?! It should be you in that room, NOT HER!" Eli grunted.

"WELL IT'S NOT!" His father yelled. "THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT BESIDES ACCEPTING THE OUTCOME!"

Eli hit his father again.

"ELI, STOP IT!" I shouted and grabbed his arm.

"STOP FUCKING TOUCHING ME!" he yelled at me and forcefully pushed me away resulting in me running into the corner of the table that held the magazines. The act caused his arm to leave my grip and most of the magazines fell.

My hip hurt from the sharp edge of the table digging into it. As well as my feelings but I guess right now those don't really matter.

"Oh my God...I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." he claimed and tried to reach for me but I moved away.

I looked at the floor rather than him.

"It's okay. I'm just gonna...go get you that water." I said and began walking away.

"Leyla..." I heard him call but I kept walking.