1 Bittersweet Memories

Leah's POV

I stand in front of the ICU of the hospital with my triplet brothers, waiting for the doctor to come out and say that our mom is okay. My younger triplet brother Jace is crying beside me and my elder triplet brother Lucas is trying to console him. I don't do anything. I can't. I feel numb. My mother is my world, the strongest women I have ever met. I know she will survive. The doors opened and the doctor comes to us.

"I won't give you false hope. Your mother's condition is very critical and there is a very slight chance that she would survive. We are trying our best.", he says looking at us pitifully.

"What do you mean? She's our mother! Nothing will happen to her! I know it. You're just kidding. Aren't you?", Jace protests.

"Please try to understand sir, I am not kidding. I just want to tell you that we are trying but I can't guarantee anything.",The doctor tries to explain. He gives us a sad smile and leaves.

Our mother is the Lily Miller. The famous lawyer. The woman who worked hard and raised her three children. She is strong. She fights. She doesn't give up.

She didn't give up when our asshole father left her. She didn't give up when she was told that she was having triplets. No, she worked harder for all of us. To keep us happy. She never gave up. But deep down all three of us know that this time it's not going to happen that way, that she might give up. We know it's coming, but we are too stubborn to accept the fact. That the only family we have except each other might not be there.

*****

I remember all the times we have spent with our mom. Those thoughts that I was once happy thinking about were now like a punch in the gut. As I think of all the memories I feel even more hurt and I know the same is happening to my brothers. Those memories I once wanted to last forever are the ones I want to forget the most now. These memories are no longer just sweet. They are bittersweet. They make me feel the happiness and the pain at once. I glance at the clock. It's 10:27 pm now. The doctor once again comes to us like he has done in the last 4 hours we have been here. But this time he says something different.

"Your mother is awake. You can go meet her.", all three of us jump up as soon as he says this. I literally sprint towards the room.

"Mom!", this is the first thing I have said since we arrived at the hospital. I go pull her into a hug. She attempts to hug back but fails. She looks at me then towards Lucas and Jace who had come in after me and gives a weak smile.

"I love you guys",she says in a small whisper.

"We love you too." we say together.

"I won't stay for long now dear.",she says making me frown.

"Don't say that. You woke up and they will cure you. You'll be fine. We know that.", I scold her.

"Yeah. Lee is right.", my brothers say together.

"No dear. I know I won't live. I just want to tell you kids that I love you and even after dying I will be there for you. And please play some good songs on my funeral. Yeah?", She says.

"No. You'll live and be with us. That's it." I say stubbornly.

"I can't sweetie. Please don't make this any harder for me. Accept it." ,she says weakly.

"I hate you.", I say through sobs. I never realised that I was crying.

"We all know it's anything but that.",she says chuckling.

"Please leave. Your mother needs rest.", a nurse says through the door.

"Bye mom.", me and my brothers say together and leave.

*****

I can't sleep. I have this gut feeling that something bad is going to happen. It's currently 3:44 am. I just lie on my bed. I was so scared. I thought that we would actually loose mom.I keep thinking. Slowly, I feel my eyes dropping.Just as sleep was about to take over Jace comes to my room panicking.

"Lee wake up! Lucas called from the hospital. Something happened to mom.", I instantly wake up and change my clothes. After everything Lucas agreed to stay at the hospital with mom while I and Jace came home.

*****

We were 10 minutes away from the hospital. Jace was driving. I heard my phone ringing. I looked at it to see that it was Lucas.

"Hello?", I only heard sobs from the other side.

"Lucas? Are you crying?", I ask. Jace mouthed me to put the phone on speaker. I did.

"She gave up Lee. She's not there anymore. She left us.", Lucas said between sobs.

*****

Three days later:

Yesterday was mom's funeral. Jace was crying so much, but Lucas didn't console him. He was also crying. I didn't though. I was still hoping that this was a nightmare but all my hopes were crushed after the funeral.

We had no clue what to do.Never did I imagine such a thing to happen. I expected to have a fun senior year with my brothers after summer break but this happened during break. One of my mother's friends said that he needed to talk to us so we were going to meet him right now.

*****

"How are you guys doing?", Mr. Roberts my mother's friend asks.

"Fine.", we say together.

"Good."

"What did you want to talk about?", Lucas comes straight to the point.

"About what you've to do now.", he replies calmly. We look at him expecting him to say something else but he just calls someone.

"Yes. Come inside now.",he says and a man almost as old as Mr. Roberts comes inside. He looks familiar but I don't know how.

"Kids, this is Isaac Brown.", He starts. Wait. He has the same surname as us! I look at my brothers and they too look confused. Our confusing is cleared though. By none other than Mr. Roberts.

"He is your father. You guys will stay with him from now.",he says.

"What?!?"

"He is our father?!?!"

"We won't go anywhere!"

Jace, Lucas and I say together. Mr. Roberts looks at us and then at our father then he quietly walks out. Just like that. Our 'father' comes towards us and says,

"I'm sorry. I am sorry for abandoning you kids at that time. I always regretted my decision. I wanted to come back but I couldn't. I was scared you guys would not accept me. I really am sorry.", He says.

"Why didn't you come back if you wanted to?", Jace asks.

"At first, I was scared. Later I found the one meant for me and had a daughter with her. I asked her if it was okay to get you guys too. She said it would be great. I went to your mom but she refused and told me to never come back. I tried many more times but your mother wouldn't listen. I'm really sorry. Please...",he explains.

Our mom always told us that our father left us and never came back. That he was heartless to leave us and settling down with someone else. We always thought he hated us and never came back for us but I guess mom lied. I remember she used scream in her phone at someone to stay away and never come back. Whenever we asked she would make up some or other excuse.

"Can we three talk to each other for a minute?",Lucas asks him.

"Of course.", He says and walks out.

*****

After almost staring at each other for eternity Lucas starts,

"Soo.."

"What?",Jace asks.

"I don't know.", I reply.

"Shall we forgive him? I mean he did come back. He wanted us but, mom pushed him away.He did realise his mistake.",Lucas says.

"Why?He can't just do this after all these years.",Jace questions.

"I think we should forgive him. He clearly tried to get us and he looked so sincere.", I state.

"I think so too.",Lucas says and we both look at Jace. We know that he is a real softie and he will surely forgive him.

"Fine. We will forgive him.", Jace says. All of us grin at each other.

*****

"We forgive you. We will come with you.",all three of us tell our dad still grinning.

His face literally lights up.

"We will leave day after tomorrow",He says,"Is that okay?"

"It is.", three of us say together. Its always this way. Triplet telepathy I guess.

*****

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