Chapter Eight

Gabby really wanted to mend her broken relationship with her family. That was why when the call came in informing her that her mother was ill she rushed back to Houston .

Gabby paid the driver  with a swipe of her phone and stepped out. Although she hadn't been to Houston for a long time, she could still feel the homely spirit the city had to offer. She received a call early hours of the morning that her mom was sick and she wanted to see her.

Gabby climbed the steps to her childhood home and twisted the door knob and pushed the door open. Since the matter was urgent she felt there was no need to knock.

From the balcony she studied the environment as if she was new to the place, since her last confrontation with her parent she hadn't stepped foot in the place that housed most of her memories growing up.

She missed them badly. She felt angry towards them but figured all those anger was turning her into something else and she didn't want that. She had loved them unconditionally until they tossed her away like a piece of rag. It didn't help when Tan did the same thing to her. She had loved him too. Their love was rooted in friendship, respect and passion she couldn't quite understand. But Tan couldn't have the strength to oppose his parent just as she did hers. In the end she felt it was good the way things ended between them. The disregard for her would have surely destroyed their relationship before he broke it off.

Inhaling a deep breath she discarded those thoughts for the time being. She walked into her parents room.

"Mom"

"Come here baby".

That was not her mother. Shock flooded through her veins and she skidded to the side of the bed. "Mom"

"Oh princess I'm fine."

"What's wrong Dad, why does she look like this?"

"She had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and she doesn't have much time to live"

"And you are just calling me now"

"Gabby we are sorry we didn't reach out to you sooner we just got your number recently, when we saw you in an article in a magazine, we tried to get in contact with you but no one knew where you were or what you were doing".

"Well I'm here now" she said facing her dad. " what's the solution Dad?"

Instead of answering he sat on the bed, placing his head on his hand. " there's nothing we can do she has only a few days left to live".

* *

Gabby paced around her room, she didn't believe she just had only a few days with her mother. She remembered her mother and she was always so vibrant, now she looked like the shadow of herself. Her hair shaved, her skin pale, this woman wasn't her mother.

She left her room and went to the kitchen to get a drink when she saw her mother on the floor. the door to the fridge wasn't closed and she was in the midst of spilled water. "Mom!" Rushing over to her she grabbed her arm to help her up.

"My baby, I'm okay. I just wanted a drink and I didn't want to wake your father"

Gabby took her to the bedroom her Dad was fast asleep. He looked tired and exhausted. "Try not to wake your father up" her mother whispered to her.

Gabby helped her to sit on the bed, her bedroom was surrounded with pills and drip . This place used to be were she ran to whenever she had a nightmare. The warmth of her parent always comforted her. Now it felt like an Emergency room in a hospital.

After changing her night dress, she made a move to leave. "So are you going to tell me what you have been up to. Are you still with Tan?" Tan the name she had tried to forget but couldn't.

"I have a company now, Tan and I are history, we broke up"

"Oh"

"Don't be angry with us Gabby. After our fight that day, we never knew it will take us four years to see your face again"

"Mom I am not angry, what I am angry about is that it took me so long to see you and dad and now you are dying"

Gabby's mother grabbed her hand as she laid on the bed, she ran her fingers through her dark curls.

"Tell me everything now, I am here now", her mother said.

"Mom, you need to rest, I am here now," her mother said.

"Mom you need to rest, I would  tell you tomorrow"

"You are forever my princess don't you ever forget that. I am so proud of what you have achieved, I wish I supported you earlier"

Gabby snuggled into her mother and kissed her forehead when she heard her voice filled with sadness.

Her parent had always wanted the best for her, that was why they were hard on her and didn't support her dream, they gave everything they had to give her the best education as they didn't have that. It was why Gabby felt the need to reconcile with them.

Gabby looked at her mom, she looked very sickly now. Her mother in her glorious days always had the expression and features of a model which gave her lots of attention. There was no denying her beauty, even her sickly frame couldn't hide it enough.

"Thanks Mom" was all she said.