The blood drains from his face, and I want to tell him it’s okay, but I can’t get any words out.
“Mr. Reed’s surgery was a success. There was a minor complication, which Dr. Baxter handled with great care. The patient is in recovery right now. I suggest you all go home and get some rest. You’ll be able to see him tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Doctor,” Carter says with great relief as he shakes her hand.
Knowing that they need this moment to celebrate that Marcus survived the surgery, I leave the room and rush to the elevators. When the doors open, I quickly step inside and repeatedly press the button for the doors to close. I watch as Jaxson walks into the hallway and our eyes meet for a split-second before the doors shut in front of me.
The cab driver keeps giving me looks filled with pity as he drives to the address I gave him. When he stops outside the house, I pay him.
I rush up the stairs to the front door and bang my first on the wood until he opens.
“I could’ve saved her,” I cry. “Why didn’t you save her?”
“Come inside, Sweetheart,” Dad whispers. He pulls me inside and shuts the door.
We walk to his study where he takes a folder from his safe. He hands it to me with an unsteady hand.
When I open it and see that it’s Mom’s file, I drop to the floor and scatter the pages over the carpet so I can see them all.
I wipe the tears from my face with the back of my hand as I take in all the information.
When I get to the last piece of paper, I double over and cry into it.
“She had a DNR. It was her choice, Leigh. When her heart stopped, I couldn’t go against her wishes.”
I crumble the DNR to my chest and stumble to my feet.
I nod at Dad and whisper, “I understand.”
When I walk to the front door, Dad calls after me, “Where are you going?”
“Mom,” I whisper as I leave the house.
My feet automatically move, placing one step in front of another. The streets are quiet. Normally, I love this time of night. But not tonight.
When I get to the cemetery, I walk down the narrow path which leads to Mom’s grave. I stop in front of her headstone and hold the DNR out to her.
“Why?” I gasp. “Why would you sign something like this? You had no right. You were a mother. You were my mother.”
I kneel on her grave and wait inconsolably for an answer.
“You chose to leave me,” I whisper.
I lie down and curl my legs into my chest. I cry because Mom wouldn’t fight for me the same way Marcus fought for Jaxson.
I don’t know how long I lie on her grave.
I lose count of the number of times I ask why.
I can’t understand why Mom would choose to leave me.
I don’t hear the footsteps coming up the path. I don’t fight when arms slip under me, and I’m lifted to a chest.
I just hold on to the DNR – the proof that Mom didn’t fight for me.
“Is she okay?” I hear Sebastian whisper
“Yeah. Let’s get her home,” Jaxson says, and his voice rumbles against my ear.