Finding a New Life Ch. 24-25

Mia rolled her eyes. "Has he ever given you cause that he would hurt anyone on purpose?" Mia asked. Catie reluctantly shook her head. "Then why would you believe any of it?" Mia wanted to know.

"Aunt Amanda has never lied to me before," Catie answered. Mia shook her head.

"Do you still believe her?" Mia wanted to know.

"I don't know what to believe," Catie said with a sigh. "So what's new with you?" Catie wanted to know. Mia sat down on the bed with an excited squeal and stuck out her left hand. "You and John are getting married?" Catie asked, her eyes wide.

"No, it's a promise ring; we aren't getting engaged until after we graduate next year," Mia answered. "I haven't told mom and dad yet," she added.

"They won't be happy," Catie warned.

"Maybe, but it isn't their life. Once I turn eighteen, they can't tell me what to do anymore," Mia answered.

"Eighteen doesn't mean adult and you know Lily would personally kick your ass if you got knocked up at eighteen," Catie said.

"I know, believe me. Dad's always going on about the importance of condoms," Mia said, rolling her eyes. "Which in my opinion is the pot calling the kettle black," she added.

"You mean Lily was eighteen when she got pregnant?" Catie asked with wide eyes.

"Yeah, either exactly on her birthday or a few days after," Mia confirmed. "Mom graduated from high school a few months before her eighteenth birthday and went to visit a girl in Spain who had stayed with her as part of the foreign exchange program and when she returned home on her eighteenth birthday, she found out her Uncle David had died of Cancer a few days before she got home. Mom didn't take it well and took off, dad went looking for her and well, emotions got the better of them. Neither of them even thought about a condom," Mia told Catie.

"Wow," Catie commented. The girls were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn't hear Lily knock and open the door.

"Dinner's done," she murmured. Mia jumped.

"God mom, you scared the crap out of me," Mia breathed. Lily chuckled.

"Sorry girls. C'mon down for dinner then we're going to visit Uncle Eli," Lily told Mia. Mia nodded and she and Catie followed Lily down the stairs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Emma?" Lily asked from the doorway of Eli's hospital room. The girl turned around.

"Hi Lily," Emma said softly.

"What the hell are you doing here? You broke his heart you know," Lily murmured.

"I heard he was sick and wanted to come and see him, and to apologize. I never should have let my family influence me like that," Emma said. Lily studied the girl carefully and nodded.

"I'm glad you came around. Eli needs all the support he can get right now," Lily said.

"How bad is it?" Emma wanted to know.

"It's bad. From what Greg and Caroline tell me, Eli has almost the exact same Cancer that my Uncle David did," Lily answered. Emma paled at that, she knew from her previous relationship with Eli that David didn't recover from his bout with Cancer. "Emma, I'm sure Eli will be fine; he's a lot younger than David was and overall healthier," Lily murmured. Emma nodded and the two women sat by Eli's bed, watching, waiting, praying for a miracle.

"What took you so long?" John asked as Mia met him just outside of the cafeteria.

"I had to slip past mom. She thinks we're having sex," Mia answered. John rolled his eyes.

"As much as I'd love to, you've made it perfectly clear that it isn't going to happen until we're married," John said.

"Yeah well, mom said that too," Mia said with a laugh.

"How's your Uncle?" John wanted to know.

"Not that great. The doctors are hoping they can find the right dose of chemo to help pull him through," Mia answered.

"I hope they manage to find it soon. I know how much Eli means to you," John murmured, giving Mia a hug. Mia nodded.

"I'd like for Uncle Eli to be at our wedding," she agreed. John grinned and kissed her lightly on the lips.

"Our wedding; I like the sound of that," he mumbled.