From Mountains to Lone Stars

My mom held my hand as I stayed glued to the waiting room chair. We had been here for two hours already. The minute we had brought Maverick in, the nurses had taken her back. In my mind, that wasn't a good sign. It made me think so many bad things. What was happening? How could I help? What was I supposed to do?

"Matt, it's going to be okay." My dad rubbed my shoulders. "It is going to be okay."

I met my father's eyes. "How so? I'm going to lose someone I'm in love with, Dad. How does anyone respond to that? How will that ever be okay?"

My mom squeezed my hand and cradled my head to her shoulder. "We don't know anything yet, baby. Don't freak out until we have a reason to freak out. Alexa is going to need you. She is going to need the man she fell in love with."

Sighing, I turned my face into my mother's neck. I didn't want anyone to see my tears. How did my life change this much just from meeting a little spitfire named Maverick? How was I a wreck at the age of twenty-three because of a little purple-haired creature? Why was I so ready to lay down everything just to make sure she lived? This woman was absolutely changing my life.
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The nurse finally let me back into her room. I hadn't actually made it in yet, just lingering outside staring at her. Maverick was even smaller somehow. There were all these tubes and machines sticking out of her. Every now and then one of those machines would beep and let us know how she was doing.

Her shaved head rested against her pillow. Even though she looked scarily pale, she also managed to look peaceful. It was oddly beautiful to watch her like that. Maverick was never someone I would associate with peaceful. She was the type of person that just survived and thrived in chaos.

A small moan came from her bed and those electric blue eyes found mine. At first a smile played on her face and then came the tears. Maverick so rarely cried, but it was all she seemed to do these days. Those tears put my feet into action and soon I was sitting down next to my girl.

"What's wrong?" I stroked her cheek.

"I... I ruined Spring Break, Matt. What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing, baby. You're just sick. You didn't ruin anything. And the doctors won't tell me anything, Mav. They said they had to wait for you to be awake. Only your emergency contact could know."

She grabbed my hand. "Did they call my mom?"

I nodded. "I think so. Do you want the nurses to come in?"

She nodded and watched as I buzzed for the nurse. A woman whit short black hair came in, tossing a quick smile at the two of us.

"I'm glad to see you're awake, Miss Alexa. Let me page the doctor."

After a few moments, the youngest doctor I had ever seen walked into Mav's room. He took a seat next to her, holding her chart. Maverick's eyes widened, probably not prepared for what was about to happen.

"Miss Alexa, I contacted your doctors down in Denton. From my understanding, you have a surgery scheduled for next week."

She nodded. "What's going on?"

"There's no easy way to say this... Neither myself or your doctor in Texas think you'll be making it through to see that surgery. We think you need to get your affairs in order."

I didn't hear the rest of their conversation. Everything was going blank. Maverick only had a week or less to live. I was about to lose the love of my life.

Notes

SAY IT WITH ME: HERETIC IS AN ASSHOLE