Stages Of Grief

( That same night, The Skyshard Apartment ) 

A heart-breaking scene could be witnessed within the Skyshard apartment as the family of three finally got back together after Elena's big sacrifice. 

Modern medical science had improved by leaps and bounds beyond what it used to be in the 21st century as with nanotechnology and advanced robotics the recovery period for even complex surgeries such as kidney transplant did not take more than a few hours, allowing patients to be discharged the same day as they were admitted. 

Unfortunately, it had not improved enough to replace actual human parts as a mechanical kidney could not replace the actual organic thing within a human while all attempts to grow real tissue cells ended in failure. 

Luke, who had spent the entire day looking for Leo was covered in dirt and grime as he cried inconsolably after looking at the scar on his mother's back. 

His emotional state was a mess as he was in the first phase of grief at the moment which was 'Denial'. 

He did not wish to acknowledge that his mother's actions were for the better of the family, he did not wish to acknowledge the fact that the tickets they had gotten today were acquired by their mother having to sell her body part and he did not even want to entertain the conversation that Elena wanted to have at the moment about their imminent departure in two months. 

Leo, on the other hand, looked pale and had completely zoned out. 

He had spent his day avoiding Luke and had returned home late, hoping that his mother would save him from getting an earful from Luke, never expecting that she would have sold her kidney for the money he received today. 

He had completely skipped the first three stages of grief and directly entered the fourth stage of 'Depression' as he genuinely believed that this was all his fault. 

Finally Elena, a woman who had just been through a surgery, felt her heart crumbling from having to look at her kids being so disheartened as coherent sounding words would not come out of her mouth. 

The Skyshard house was a mess and there was nobody to blame really except for fate. 

"You boys are going to go on that ship and that is FINAL!! okay? I have not been able to give you kids most joys in life. 

I have not been able to take you on expensive vacations around the globe, I haven't been able to buy you toys or gifts on Christmas, I haven't been able to feed you lavish dinners or a proper turkey for thanksgiving and it's something I will regret for the rest of my life. 

For once, I'm able to do something for you boys, and I am HAPPY! 

You kids are everything for me and I would gladly even sell my second kidney for you both if I had to. 

We have TWO months left together, two months until that arc ship takes off- 

Please, let me enjoy the final 60 days with my boys as if it were the finest of our lives. 

I, *sob*, deserve this much okay?" Elena said strongly as she mustered all the strength she had in her body to deliver this message 

Luke, who understood how much this meant to his mother, got up and put on a fake smile on his face as he hugged her, while Leo kept sitting in his place as if he were deaf. 

Dark thoughts like selling both his kidneys and eyes crossed Leo's mind as he began wondering about solutions on how to make this situation right. 

'It's my fault, it's all my fault, if I wasn't always talking about the arc ship at home, maybe…. Maybe mother would not have taken such a drastic step. I'm a horrible son, I'm lower than the lowest scum' Leo thought as his body began shivering involuntarily. 

*SLAP* 

A tight slap resounded across his face which jolted him out of his dark inner thoughts as he saw his brother looking towards him with a furious look on his face. 

"Not everything is about you Leo, stop sulking, man up, and go thank mother for her sacrifice. 

If there is anything that can be done about this situation, we will figure it out TOGETHER" Luke said with an angry undertone as if he could perfectly read his little brother's inner thoughts. 

Then by forcefully grabbing Leo by his collar, Luke pulled him onto his feet as he forced him to join a group hug with himself and Elena. 

A stream of steady tears began flowing down the eyes of all three family members as they shared this painful moment together. 

What was done could not be undone and one way or another the family needed to move on from this event and get on with their lives as just like working off the security of their bunkers was a luxury for the rich, grieving for longer periods was too. 

In this unpredictable world where the very next day could be their last, a day spent grieving was a day wasted horribly.

With only 60 days left till the arc ship took off, the family truly had no time to grieve or let this event affect their lives at all.