Chapter 20 - Sudden Death

A bitter lesson Audrey learned after she graduated college was that she couldn't force things, relationships, life, feelings, everything. It all just needed to happen of its own accord.

Even Georgia had made sure to teach her daughter that everything that happened was for a reason, she had already come to terms with her demise and she had taken steps that he thought were necessary.

Georgia knew her time was coming, she just pitied her daughter who would suffer the loss with nobody to comfort her. Ever since she was diagnosed, Audrey had barely let her do anything.

For someone who worked two jobs at once, she was doing a fantastic job of taking care of her mother alone. It wasn't that Georgia was paralyzed or anything, she could still do some things, but Audrey insisted that she didn't lift a finger.

She would wake up very early to prepare three different meals for her mother, sometimes snacks for brunch. She literally gave her mother the miniature princess treatment

It was crazy the amount of attention she paid to the little details when it came to her mother's food, medications, and well-being in general.

After giving it a lot of thought, Georgia found that she had already done everything, at least till she remembered that Audrey was her only daughter. Somehow, she needed to take steps to prepare Audrey for her demise.

That Sunday morning, Audrey had been too tired to cook, it wasn't really her fault, working two jobs and some extracurricular Audrey handled the workload quite well, and that was till it got the best of her.

Georgia had made breakfast for the ladies, paying rapt attention to the ingredients as the doctor had explained, she had her fill afterward because as much as she wanted to wait for her daughter, she still needed to take her medication.

Audrey had woken up hours later as if she was being chased, 'uhnnn!', she exhaled sharply as she searched for her phone, "ohh my God, 11:22!!!!!", she exclaimed as she rushed to the bathroom to brush her teeth.

" ohhh no, mom has to use her drugs!", she said as she increased her pace. After brushing, she rushed to the kitchen to find that breakfast had been cooked and her favorite fruit smoothie had been made.

She was momentarily stunned before she remembered that the only other person in the house was her mother, who was sick and who she had specifically told never to cook.

She was furious because her mother didn't listen to what she said, in an attempt to storm out of the kitchen to her mother's room, Audrey turned to find her mother giggling behind her.

"Mom, it's not funny, come on, I told you I would be the one to cook", Audrey said breathing sharply because she was furious. "Calm down sweetie, you were asleep and I didn't want to disturb you, you work so hard every day, I needed to take my medications early, plus I was bored", Georgia said.

"Still mom, you could have woken me up, why did you have to go through all the trouble of making this much?", Audrey said still not seeing the medication part as a good excuse.

" Okay honey, if you say so, well that means you don't want the homemade vegan burger I made", "what!!!, homemade vegan burger"!? Audrey asked in excitement. Georgia laughed as her daughter's mood took a three sixty degrees turn for the better.

Since Georgia was diagnosed with cancer, the doctor suggested eating more healthy, natural foods. The duo had resorted to vegan recipes because Audrey didn't want her mother to feel left out from eating fast food.

Georgia watched as Audrey enjoyed her late breakfast, her mood soon turned sour just thinking about the fact that after some time, she wouldn't be able to enjoy the view.

Audrey noticed the change in her mother's expression and she asked," mom, are you okay?", Audrey's question made Georgia more willing to talk to her daughter regardless of if she wanted to hear her out or not.

"Are you feeling pain anywhere?", Audrey asked dropping her spoon and moving her chair backward, about to stand up when Georgia said, " no sweetie, it's nothing like that, it's just that I need to tell you something important".

Georgia paused before she continued, " you were the best thing that happened to me honey, and I wouldn't trade that for the world, I love you so much honey and I want you to know that.

My cancer is in the third stage which means it's too late, sometimes, I wish we found out sooner, and sometimes I'm grateful that we didn't find out when it was too late. What I'm saying is when I'm gone please don't be too hard on yourself, I want a miniature funeral and for you to move on quickly".

After Georgia finished with her little speech, Audrey who was already in tears said, "how can you say that mom, to move on quickly?", Audrey said in between sobs, " yes sweetie, you have to move on and continue your life. It's a luxury for me just to see you in my last days, I'm really sorry that I couldn't see your success, or your spouse, or my grandchildren. Just know this sweetie, I'll always be there for you". Georgia said as she wrapped Audrey in a tight hug.

Audrey heard her mother, she heard everything she said, all she prayed for was things to be as easy while doing it than saying it.

Days had passed and it looked to Audrey that her mother was merely bluffing, however, she didn't know things would become too much for her to handle.

She has finished her shift at the restaurant that day when Leo walked in for a milkshake to go. "Uhhh, Audrey!!", Leo had called out surprised to see Audrey on the same day.

Audrey was about to leave the restaurant when she heard someone call out her name, she turned to see it was Leo who had shouted her name," what are you doing here?", she asked with a smile. "I'm here for the milkshake", he said raising his hand to show the milkshake he bought.

" Ohh, I'm heading home", "why don't I accompany you", Leo suggested, " ohhh, it's actually no hassle, I can go home by myself", Audrey said in an attempt to escape the awkward atmosphere that was soon to follow.

"It's already late, why don't I walk you home", Leo said.

It was late because she wouldn't have seen Leo if she had gone home at the end of her shift. The walk home was uneventful, with Leo stuttering a few times.

Audrey was met with a rather heartbreaking scene when she got home, her mother lay there, lifeless on the floor, just beside the couch, with a cold body and no signs of breathing.