Come Back

“This.” This was not what Kane was expecting at all. While Kane was trying to get a grasp on the situation, a sound came from behind him. He turned to see Stacey falling to her knees. “Stacey!”

Kane hurried over to her and pulled the girl into his arms. Her whole body was trembling. She reached up and clutched his shirt and started crying. Stacey did not know what to even think or say at this time. Her eyes would not listen to her as her emotions broke open like a dam. She had come out because she wanted to know what had happened, but she never expected to hear this kind of news. 

Kane rocked back and forth with Stacey in his arms. His grandmother wiped her tears. This scene made her remember what had happened to Kane’s parents when he was young. She walked over and squatted down next to the two, and placed her hand on Stacey’s head. “Stacey, you are not alone. Myself, Kane, and my husband will always be by your side and help you through this. Kane also lost his parents around your age. But look at him now.”

Kane nodded his head. “Mmm… We will make it through this no matter what. I will be here for you.”

“Kane….” Stacey’s cried out as she hugged him tighter. She couldn’t stop her tears even if she wanted to. At this time, she wished she had known all of this way in advance so she could have stopped her mother from working altogether. Even if they lived even poorer than she already was, she was willing to sacrifice everything to make sure her mother was safe and sound, but now…. Her mother had sacrificed even her own life for her…. If not for her, her mother could have lived a decent life. She could have found someone new and maybe lived a much better life but now…. She wondered why she was even born…. “I shouldn’t have been born….”

“Never say that!” Kane suddenly yelled. He forced Stacey to look at him, anger written all over his face. “Don’t ever say that again! You do not get to choose if you are born into the world or not. But you get to choose the life you live. Your mother loved you so much that she was willing to sacrifice anything. If you wish you were never born, isn’t this basically telling your mother her choices were wrong? That her love for you was wrong?”

Stacey stared at Kane with wide eyes. Ever since she had known him, he had never gotten mad at her. No matter what she did, he would also allow her to do as she pleased. But it was because of his anger that she sat there and listened to what he said and understood her own thoughts were wrong. She lowered her head and nodded meekly. She knew she was in the wrong just now. “I’m sorry. You are right.”

“Mmmm… Just remember there will always be people who would be very sad if you were not around. Mainly me.” Kane said as she leaned in and pressed his forehead against hers. “So never say that ever again. Let’s get you washed up. We will go to your house and speak with your mom.”

“Okay…” Stacey nodded and sniffed. She let Kane pick her up off her feet into a princess carry. She curled up into his arms and allowed him to sweep her away. Kane’s grandmother nodded her head in approval. Her grandson knew what he was doing.

Kane brought Stacey to the bathroom, where he helped her wash her face. He got her a new set of clothes which he helped her put on before taking her phone and calling a cab. When it arrived, the two headed straight to her house.

When they arrived, Stacey used her key to open the door to find that the lights of the house were out. This made Kane wrinkle his brow. “Stay behind me.”

“Okay…” Stacey was like an obedient kitten as she held his hand and let him lead her into the house. Kane turned the lights on in the house and felt something was off.  “Miss Norland?”

Silence was the only answer he got in return. He looked around and saw that the shoes Stacey’s mom normally wore were missing. He had a bad feeling, so he turned to Stacey and said: “Let me see your phone.”

Stacey did not speak as she handed Kane her phone. She was already having a hard time dealing with the whole situation. She just wanted to see her mother, but even this seemed impossible at this time. 

Kane dialed Stacey’s mother’s number, which luckily picked up. “Honey?”

“Miss Norland, where are you?” Kane asked in a panic.

“I….. Kane….. Take care of my daughter. I can not see her like this. I will only get worse. I do not want my daughter to watch me die. She now has you. I am grateful to you for helping my daughter that day and coming to love her. I hope you will be the man she will grow old and die with. You are a good man. I leave my daughter to yo….” Stacey’s mother’s words were cut off when she heard a voice she was very familiar with.

“Mom? Mom, where are you? Why are you not home? I came all the way here to see you, so why are you not here? You are sick. You should be home resting. Even…. Even if it is only for a short time, please stay being my mother…. Don’t… Don’t leave me alone just yet!” Stacey’s pained voice filled her mother’s ears as she yelled into the phone. Tears streamed down her face as she looked out over the city skyline. 

The wind on top of the building was cold. She had wandered here without much thought. After leaving the hospital, she had gone straight out to make sure everything would be switched into her daughter’s name. She did not have much in the bank, but she wanted to make sure it went all to her. She regretted not getting life insurance. She knew her death would be a burden on her daughter. She had many regrets but now….. It seemed she would not even get to see her daughter head to college. 

Her daughter’s voice made her lower lip tremble. The thing she did not want was for her daughter to see her get sicker and sicker until she finally passed away. “Honey…. Be good and go home with Kane. Life is short, and you should not worry about a sick person like me. Just know I love you dearly, and in the future, when you have kids, you will be able to show them the same love and care I gave you.”

“Fucking stupid!” Kane yelled. “Helen Norland, I swear to god, if you do not get back to this house this instant, I will break up with Stacey here and now!” 

Silence once more rang through the air. Stacey stared at Kane in shock, and her mother froze where she stood. It took a while for her to react before finally letting out a long sigh. “You don’t play fair.”

“Neither do you. I never got to see my parents before they passed away. Do not do the same to Stacey. It would only make her feel worse than she does now. It takes time to let these things sink in and to accept. You still have a few months. Spend them with her. You can come and stay at my house. You can take my room with Stacey. You can spend your every waking moment with her. And when the time comes, and you are too weak to keep moving around, we will go to the hospital, where they might be able to extend your life more, even if it is only a little. But do not let Stacey go before she even has a chance to properly say goodbye.” Kane wiped the tears in his eyes. The feeling of not being able to say goodbye was something he knew best. It was not fair to those who were left behind. 

“If my house is no good, I will come and stay here in your house with Stacey so she will not be alone. But no matter where you are now, turn around and come back home. Come back to your daughter.”