Chapter 19

Adrianna sat on the bed, the hospital gown slipping from her shoulder, she nonchalantly adjusted it and rest her back on the pillow.

Her mother was here, the woman she had pushed away years ago out of anger and jealousness.

She could have gone back though but pride didn't let her. Now she's here, Adrianna never thought she'd saw her again considering how they'd parted. She knows her mother was one stubborn woman herself and full of pride but she's here.

A part of Adrianna leaped for joy.

Now that she's thinking about it, She realized she has made Elijah have the wrong impression about her mother. Whew! She blew air through her mouth.

Another problem for her, it's not like she really talked about her mother with Elijah, she shrugged her shoulders.

He knocked before entering, "baby, how are you feeling now?" Her father asked embracing her.

"I'm fine daddy, is mum outside?" she asked swallowing hard.

He didn't need to ask which mother she was talking about. "Yes, she is, she wanted to leave but I told her not to, "

"you never told me she had a child"

He had said it, what she feared most to explain. She sighed softly.

"I'm sorry daddy, I ruined my relationship with her, we could have gone on with our mother and daughter relationship but I was jealous and angry that she would forget me eventually and I'd lose her to the new child, I'm sorry" she sniffles.

"You are wrong, that was one heavy mistake you made, you know your mother loved you, driving down from Norwich to Manhattan, creating times for you and going out with you, was all you ever needed, she tried not to let the closeness lost" he paused. "I want you to know that sometimes life takes on a different route and take us to another direction, that was what happened between me and your mother, maybe life has a reason for bringing us together and the reason was you" he confused.

"I'm not Mad at you Adrianna, your mother came back for you especially, you will talk to her," he told her, pecking her forehead lightly, he patted her shoulder before going outside to call Brenda and Reina in. He saw that Elijah and his parents were there too and so all of them went inside the room.

"Come on in," Malcolm said with a husky voice.

Brenda's heart was beating faster than it's usual, she clenched and unclenched her fists, nervously taking slow steps, she could feel herself getting weak, she feels she stressed herself after relieving the whole truth but it was better than keeping it and taking it to her grave, for the sake of Asher most especially.

Her eyes landed on her mother, she didn't know whether she should sit back or go and hug her, she chose the latter, she got up from the bed and took a fast stride to hug her mother, the woman she had pushed out of her life out of anger and jealousy eleven years ago.

"I'm sorry mum," she said in a shaky tone.

"I'm sorry too, look at how grown you've become, so beautiful, I can literally see myself in you, she outlined her face with her finger, tucking a strand of hair behind her eyes. She placed a kiss on her forehead.

They stared at each other until Elijah barged in, causing all heads to turn in his direction. He was looking agitated, Adrianna noticed his change of mood but said nothing. She held her mother's hand and they both sat on the bed.

"Eleven years, you've grown so old mum, look at your wrinkles," she paused and looked around. "You didn't come with them, how is your husband and son" Adrianna asked smiling. Her mother's countenance changed it was obvious something had happened. Brenda heaved a deep sigh.

"What happened, I want to know" Adrianna demanded shopping her mother's hand.

"Asher's fine, but my husband is dead, he died last year in an accident"

"Ooh," she whimpers, covering her mouth with her hands, tears falling freely down her face.

"I'm so sorry," she said amidst tears.

"Adrianna I'm going to leave soon too" Her mother stroked her face slowly.

She looked at her raising a brow at her "what do you mean?, I don't understand"

"I have cancer and I have just a few times left," she said breathing heavily. "Its why I came"

Adrianna was crying so much now, she blamed herself for what had happened but Brenda told her she understood.

Her mother in law went over to her side and held her face up to look at her.

"Adrianna, this is life, its a journey, we all come and go but then not until we've learned lessons though, there are people out there who have gone early and while some are still living and facing the obstacles of life. Life is sweet but it totally not easy." She coughs lightly.

"There's nobody without faults. And we've all had our faults, take it easy on yourself and remember you're pregnant and you're still healing from the gunshot" she told her.

Brenda smiled at her daughter, rubbing her hands lightly, "its okay darling"

"No it's not mum" she stood up angrily, angry at herself for being so stupid all these years. She placed a hand on her forehead and placed it in front of her. Everyone was trying to calm her down but it wasn't working. She stood in front of her mother, sniffling hard.

"Mum all these years, I've carried jealousy in my heart, I wouldn't lie about me not thinking of you sometimes, I thought after I'd left, you hated me because you never called me back, and I tried to call but each time I dialed the number, I cleared it, I knew where you were living but I still didn't show up even after I'd change my number and I didn't tell dad about the baby, you were living better than us" you were. She choked, holding her chest.

"You're wrong Adrianna, I tried to be a mother to you, even with the distance, did you forget easily how I usually come to pick you up from school, have fun with you and how you told me bout those boys in your school, the popular kids, your dreams and all of that I stopped calling because you left angrily, I thought if I gave you time to calm down, you'd call me. All those times I came to your school, did you know how embarrassing and humiliating it was that you refused to see me." She slapped her forehead and packed around for a few minutes before she continued.

"Adrianna," she called softly "I'm not mad at you but I'm thankful that if anything happens to me tomorrow, I'm happy to see you, I just want you to forgive me in anyways I failed as a mother to you," Brenda said

"I'm the one who needs your forgiveness mum" she cried. "Maybe if you were in my life, my life would have had some meanings, most mistakes I've made, I wouldn't have made them to this extent of almost losing my life" she cried bitterly.

Brenda held her daughter and hugged her, she squeezed her eyes shut and prayed silently for God to comfort her.

"I have to go, Asher would be expecting me home" "its a goodbye for us"

"I forgive you mum and I hope you forgive me too," Adrianna said, she cleaned her face with the back of her hands.

Brenda turned to leave, she faced Reina and smiled at her.

"We didn't get to talk but I guess it wasn't necessary, you're a good woman I can see that, thank you for taking care of Malcolm and my daughter. It was nice meeting you"

Reina smiled back and hugged her.

"You'll be fine and take care of yourself please," she told Brenda.

Brenda looked at Elijah, he scoffed at her. Brenda smiled.

"Young man, I don't know what my daughter must have told you or how she must have painted me to you, but all I'm gonna say, treat her well, she deserve much more and you both if you wanna last longer forever, you need much more than loving each other. Understand and perseverance is the key" with all of that being said she pats his shoulder and that of Malcolm and left not waiting to see either of their reactions. Elijah smirked.

She didn't need to stay back and mend the relationship when she doesn't have much time left. Tomorrow she'd visit the hospital.