Made To Love You - Megan Smith Page 0,3

was putting unimportant things before her health, and pissed that she didn’t allow me to be there for her.

Hunter sighs. “You’re right, it’s not, but put yourself in her shoes, Jay. Wouldn’t you be scared? She knows she’s got a long battle ahead of herself, she was only looking out for us until after the holidays.” He turns his head and looks down the hallway. “Maybe she was just trying to give us one last holiday with happy memories.”

I bite the inside of my cheek until the metallic taste of blood is all I can focus on. The last holiday? No, I refuse to believe that! Hunter can’t think like that either. She’s going to fight this just like she’s fought everything else that’s ever been thrown her way.

Sadie McCormick is a fighter and she’s not going down without the fight—literally—of her life.

Cooper

I slip into Sadie’s room while Hunter and Jaylinn have a moment together. This devastating news, news that could very well take their mom from them far too young, has crushed them both. I’m praying with all the new medications, treatment protocols, and research out there that Sadie will have a fighting chance.

She’s lying on the hospital bed, covered with blankets and her head is leaning against a pillow. Her eyes are red and bloodshot as the tears fall from them. Standing a few feet away from her bedside I can hear Hunter and Jaylinn crying in the hallway and I’m sure Sadie can too. Hearing that is killing me and I know it’s probably worse on Sadie. She only wanted to protect them from exactly this…this moment, these emotions, this pain.

Taking the last few feet towards her I reach out for her hand. I hold it gently, like she’s fragile, but I should have known better. Sadie clamps on my hand, knuckles turning white, holding on like I’m her lifeline. “I didn’t want them to find out like this,” she cries harder.

I sit on the edge of her bed and bring her hand to my lap but she sits up and wraps her arms around me. At first I’m stunned because I’m not sure exactly what to do so I do the only thing I can, I hug her back. I know that Sadie thinks of me like a son but she catches me off guard, my own emotions waging war on my head and heart knowing that I need to be strong for her and for Hunter and Jay.

Sadie cries while I sit there hugging her, comforting her. I tell her she’s a fighter, she’s brave and can get through anything. My heart is breaking for her. How can this strong, brave woman be going through something like this? She hasn’t had the best life, her piece of shit ex-husband ruined that for her, but she did have two amazing kids from him and two beautiful grandkids. She’s too young to be dealing with a possibility of not being here to celebrate every one life’s moments with her children and grandkids.

Once she composes herself, she gives me a sad smile. “I’m sorry, Cooper.” She fans her face. “I haven’t broken down like that until tonight.”

“No reason to be sorry at all,” I give her a half smile. “Sometimes we just need to let it out.” And I’m so glad that she did, if she wouldn’t have been showing any kind of emotion then I would be worried, fearing that she knew more than what Hunter had overheard.

Sadie pats my hand. “I’m so lucky my daughter has you in her life.” Her eyes mist over again. “She’s going to need you now more than ever.” And the tears overcome her again.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I tell her truthfully. I hold her once again as she cries out every ounce of fear and worry that plagues her ailing body.

I take a deep breath. I had no plans on doing this now, I wanted to wait until after all the holidays and Hailey and Mason’s wedding. I wanted to do it when it was our time to shine and not be overshadowed by other people’s happiness, but now with this news and my impending absence once baseball season starts back up, I don’t want to wait another second.

“I actually wanted to talk to you about something. It might not be the best time or place but when will it ever be?” I smile at Sadie as I see a flash of my future seeing Jaylinn walking down the aisle