"I love you okay? Promise me you wont give the nurses a hard time"

Yesterday was a lesson and I don't plan to make the mistake of leaving the hospital again today without saying bye to Keila. Sure, it makes me stay till after dawn so I don't have to wake her from sleep. It definitely eats into my free time today but I don't plan to waste any chance I have to be with my daughter.

"Hey mommy", she greets the moment she wakes from her sleep. I was worried she'd sleep in till noon since she was stressed out yesterday.

"Hey sweetie. How do you feel?"

"Kinda tired, but better since you're here", she says, giving me the cheesiest smile ever.

"You little cornball", I tease, tickling her as much as is considered safe. That earns me some of her adorable giggles.

"Keila?" "Yeah?"

"Mommy has to go out today. Been waiting for you to wake up so I can say bye. I didn't want to leave like yesterday"

"Oh, okay", she agrees, even as her expression gets gloomy.

"I love you okay? Promise me you wont give the nurses a hard time"

"Okay, 'll try not to", she says, a mischievous smile on her lips. I don't try to counter her, knowing her smiles are fewer and farther these days makes me treasure all of them, even the cheeky ones. I place a kiss on her forehead and stand, heading towards the door.

"Bye mommy", she says. "Bye sweetie"

**************

"So, what are you going to do?", my boyfriend, Louis asks for the umpteenth time this week.

"I don't know what you want me to say Louis. I already told you, I lost my job and I'm trying to get a new one"

"Well obviously that isn't going so well, it’s been days already. She has just a few weeks left" I whip around to face him.

"You've been away for the past three months, of which I had to take care of my daughter and our home all alone. Now you've been back for all of one week and you're already trying to criticize every single thing I do. Since you have a job and you're sure you can do so much better then please cough up thirty grand, but if you can't, then just shut up and let me continue trying to actually help my kid".

I don't wait to hear his response as I walk away to the kitchen, pouring myself a glass of water to ease the constant headaches I've been having for the past few weeks.

Just as I drop the now empty glass on the counter, I feel Louis come up behind me.

He circles his arm around my waist and kisses my shoulder.

"Hey baby, you know I didn't mean it that way, l'm also worried about her as much as you are and I guess that's why I overreacted. I'll help out as much as I can okay? | promise"

I turn around to face him, highly doubtful that he has any plans to actually help out.

He's never really helped out financially before, I don't think he's going to start now.

"I need to get to the hospital", I say, walking around him to go to the bedroom. "Do you need me to come with you?", he asks.

"No, it's fine. It won't take time"

Louis isn't Keila's father, he has never acted as one and I don't expect him to start now. Since he got back, he's gone to see Keila a few times and those were just because he felt obligated to. I don't want that from him. Keila needs support not pity.

My phone rings in my pocket and I pick it up to see that its Katie. "Hey Kate", I greet as I answer the call.

"Hi babe. So I'll be in town tonight

“Really? How's your mom now?", I ask. She went to lowa in the first place to care for her mom. If she's coming back, then that should mean her mom is healthy now.

"Oh, she's great. She was discharged a while ago. Now I need you to pick me up from the airport once l arrive. We’ve got a lot to catch up on, and I also want to see my little cutie bear. How is she?"

"Well, you know..fighting through", I answer, my voice catching on the last word.

"Oh sweetie, is she any better?"

"Nope. She hardly speaks anymore Kate. I'm running out of time"

"All will be well, okay? We'll talk about it once I see you. We have so much to talk about but I got to go now, my dad needs me. Bye babe, see you tonight

"Bye", I reply, sniffling as I pick up my bag and leave for the hospital. The entire journey, I spend my strength trying to hold back tears.

When I finally park my old corolla at the hospital curb, I see Emily's obnoxious cousin stepping out of his sleek black car. I don't want to bump into him on the way so I lock up quickly and quickly make my way up to the seventh floor where Keila is.

Jade steps out of her room just as I'm about to go in.

"Hey mama bear, how are you?", she asks with a cheerful smile. "I'm great. How's Keila doing today?"

"Well, see for yourself. She looks better today"

I nod as I go in. Keila looks tiny lying on her bed with all those machines surrounding her. She doesn't notice me come in till I stand right beside her.

"Hey baby", I say.

"Hey mommy, I missed you to day"

I smile. "Me too baby. How was your day today"

Her little cherub face lights up as she goes into her daily routine of telling me how her day went. Her speech is slower then usual. She's putting in more effort into every single activity these days and it breaks my heart watching my girl slip away a little more everyday.

I stay and listen to her till she falls asleep. I'm thirsty so I walk out of her room, shutting the door quietly behind me to make sure I don't wake her up.

I sigh, tired, and then I look up to see Emily coming down the hallway towards me. She's not alone though. Her obnoxious cousin is marching right along beside her.