"Why did you even bring her to the game in the first place!" I yelled at Marcus as we stood at the bottom of her hospital bed, "Now you see what happen!"

"She wanted to come to see you play you fucking ass!" he yelled back at me, "She didn't want to miss your first game of your last year! So excuse me if I brought her!"

"Yea excuse you, you fucking retard! You know she sick and she should have been in bed! Now look at her!"

"Darrius this was going happen either at home or in public! At least it happened somewhere around us! Stop overreacting!"

"Overreacting?" I answered sarcastically, "Right I'm just the only God damn person thinking about her in this mothafucking family. I'm sorry little bro that I don't want her to die as soon as you!"

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Marcus was shouting to the point the entire hospital could hear us, "Do you really think I want to lose her Darrius! She means just as much to me as she does to you! But guess what Darrius, I have grasped that I don't have a lot of time left with her and keeping her here is only making her suffer more! So if anybody is killing her it's you!"

"STOP!" Aunt Ruby yelled only to cough right after. I rushed to her side happy that she was awake and gave her some water to drink. After she took a sip, she cleared her throat and said, "You two probably got the entire hospital knowing that I'm dying and that y'all need some counseling."

"You not dying stop- ," before I could finish she interrupted, "I'm dying Darrius! Ain't no way around it sweetie, it is what it is! Now stop this foolishness!"

"You just going to give up like that! Bu- "

"Darrius enough!" she yelled, "I have been fighting and fighting to stay here for you two but my body has had enough! Can't you see it baby! Now I am not trying to leave this world with you angry with me so...just understand that I will always be with you no matter what."

The way she looked at me showed that she was ready to go but for the life of me I didn't want her to. I knew that was selfish but I just couldn't wrap my head around it. For a moment I really believed I could make time stop so that I could spend however long I wanted with her. But I knew that was inevitable.

Without even saying a word, I got up and left the room slamming the door on my way out. I could hear Marcus racing in behind me trying to stop me. I jetted out the door into the waiting room. I didn't even stop as I saw my teammates, uncle, and Caleb and his brother sitting there. I just wanted to leave.

"Darrius!" Marcus yelled finally stopping but I kept running. I didn't want anyone to console me and I didn't want to be around them because they were only going to make it seem like it was okay for me to let her go. I wasn't going to have that. I didn't want to let her go. She was the only person I could call my parent, my angel, my mother. She is the only woman that showed me love when none of our family wanted us.

I made it out the building out of breath into the winter weather still wearing my basketball uniform. Every memory, every smile she had, and every I love you she said to me hit me so hard I was kneeling over crying right in front of the hospital. My heart dropped to my stomach and I couldn't keep it in anymore. I was hyperventilating as the tears rushed down my face. I placed my hand over my chest as it felt like my heart was exploding.

"Darrius?" I heard Caleb approaching but I didn't turn to him. I didn't want to be around him, I just honestly wanted to be alone.

"I don't want to talk Caleb go back inside," I told him still on the ground.

"No and good because you are going to listen to me," He said coming around to lean in front of me. I still didn't look at him, so he took my face in his hands. I tried to move my head but his grip on my cheeks was strong.

"You are going to look at me!" he yelled finally getting my attention. Looking at him at that moment I couldn't tell whether he was pissed or whether he was sad but he continued," Listen Darrius. I know how you feel."

"No you don't!"

"Have you forgotten I lost my parents too?" he yelled again letting go of his tears, "and mine was unexpected."

He paused trying to gain his composure and continued, "D, I know it's hard to let someone you love go but your aunt is hurting. You can see it and I know you can."

I wasn't trying to hear anything he was saying to me but he was right. I could tell by the way she coughed and now needed my help to even walk. She was hurting but in my heart I wanted her to fight. However, her body wasn't strong enough anymore.

"She loves you Darrius," Caleb continued, "and she even made me promise to always be there for you. Dammit D, stop being fucking selfish and tell her that you are ready because she is!"

He had shaken my head and even though he was trying to be serious, I couldn't help but laugh. He wasn't trying to make me feel better, he was giving me the truth and shaking me until I understood was just like him. Then he said, "I'm trying to give you tough love, why are you laughing?"

"Because it's you doing it," I answered pulling him closer to wrap my arms around him. I buried my face into his shoulder before calming myself down and I expressed, "I'm so scared. I never lived without her Caleb. I just feel like letting her go, is just going to end me."

He let his fingers run across my head, caressing me. I breathed in his scent and my heart slowed down. The atmosphere felt calming now and I could now feel the cold seeping up my basketball shorts. I pulled back to look at him and we both stood at the same time.

"I'm here," he expressed smiling at me, "if you need me I'll always be there."

I wasn't the least bit ready but I knew what I had to do.

***

She looked peaceful as she slept. The only sound that could be heard was the heart monitor. Her heartbeat was steady but I could hear it drop every now and again. I just stood at the door staring at her with tears pouring out of my eyes. I was literally shaking from what I was about to say to her but I had to say it in order for the pain to stop.

I walked slowly towards her bed trying to savor the time I had. Then I heard her move and her brown eyes looked right at me. She smiled as if I didn't storm out earlier and patted the side of her bed for me to sit down.

"So you done with your temper tantrum?" she said killing the thought I had. I smiled wiping my face and nodded. She looked even more tired than before. Her bald head shined as the overhead lights on her bed beamed down on it.

I laughed and said, "You look like Michael Jordan."

She laughed and ran her hand across her scalp, "Boy he wishes he was this fine."

I laughed harder and she did as well. Then the sadness of the situation kicked in once again and my tears started to drop. She wiped the lone tear I had and took my hand in hers.

"Look at me Darrius," She asked and I didn't even realize I wasn't staring at her. My eyes meet hers and I just lost it. I pulled her in gently and cried onto her shoulder.

"I'm going to miss you," I cried out and I could feel her crying on to my shoulder now, "how am I going to get through anything without you?"

She pulled back from me showing me her tear filled eyes and said, "God and like I said...I will always be there watching you. You and Marcus."

I pulled her into a hug again. We stayed like that for a while. I really wasn't ready for this. However, I knew now that she wasn't the only person that was going to be there for me. I had great friends and a great boyfriend that was ready for the madness that I will issue out to them after this. Thinking about them made me calm down but I didn't stop crying.

This was hard. The hardest thing that I ever had to do in my life but I knew I had to let her know that I will be fine. I pulled back from her and took a large breath to say, "I don't want you to keep torturing yourself to stay here with us. I rather you be up there happy then down here suffering because I'm acting spoiled."

She smiled as I continued, "but just know God still ain't the perfect man for you. His hair too long and you don't like a man with long hair."

She laughed at me and kissed my hand, "Boy I'm going to miss you. But we will see each other again."

I kissed her on her cheek before she said, "Now go get everyone else so I can say goodbye."

"They aren't important," I said on her cheek.

"Darrius!"

***

Everyone was in the room now. I could feel everyone's emotions bouncing off the walls. The atmosphere was a mixture of sadness and acceptance of the situation. Marcus was hugging onto Evan for some strange reason but I wasn't about to have another outburst in front of Aunt Ruby. Caleb was holding my hand crying as well.

My Uncle Lawrence was standing next to her. I hadn't seen him since last summer. We weren't close but he called from time to time and he was the only other person that check in on us. I guess since the catastrophe that happened last time he was here he had been keeping his distance.

"You take care of my babies Lawrence," my aunt said grabbing onto my uncle's hand, "or so help me- "

"You will hunt me in my sleep," Uncle Lawrence laughed, "I know you tell me all the time over the phone."

Everyone chimed in with their laughter. Then Aunt Ruby looked over at my teammates and said, "Y'all make sure that he doesn't do anything stupid."

They looked over at me and I rolled my eyes to say, "You should be telling me to make sure they don't do anything stupid."

"We will make sure he doesn't," Tre responded, "he can be a bad influence sometimes auntie."

"What?" our teammates shouted with Johnny hitting Tre on the head. She smiled as she turned her attention to Chris who was coming towards her bed to give her a tight hug. She was like a mother to Chris too. He had been through everything with us and when his mother began to work more hours, Aunt Ruby let him spend the night even during school days. She treated him like he was her third child. So I didn't say anything as he cried on her shoulder. It was like watching my own reflection.

"Oh baby," Aunt Ruby said rubbing on his hair. Chris wasn't a silent crier either. You could tell the pain in his voice had gotten to everyone in the room. My uncle even had to turn away and Caleb turned his head to cry on my shoulder. Not to mention Harry. Harry watched him and the tears just rolled down his face hearing his pain.

Harry walked over to pull him away after some time had passed. Then Marcus walked up to her with Evan by his side. I really didn't understand what the hell he was doing here until Caleb told me to just let him be. For him, I'll let it slide.

Aunt Ruby gave Evan a once over before smiling at him and saying, "You know what you have to do. You will make the right decision."

Marcus wasn't paying attention to what she said because she had started to hug him. Then he cried, "I wish I had more time with you."

"You have enough memories to last a lifetime baby," She said moving his curls back behind his ears, "Just remember, if you need me I'm always right here."

She placed her hand on his heart and he held it there until she said, "Your heart is so amazing baby. Don't let anything change that."

He smiled giving her a strong hug. Marcus got up from her bed and she turned to look around the room as if she was examining everyone there. She smiled directly at me and said, "Don't think of this as goodbye."

She paused trying to keep her composure, "Think of this as I will see you later."

A single tear dropped from my face as she said that. This wasn't a "I'll see you later". That implies in a couple of hours or days. It was more like I'll see you again. I felt Caleb's hand wipe my tear and I looked at him in his ocean blue eyes. I keep having to tell myself that everything will be fine but looking at him, I know it will be.

For the next few hours, we reminisced about all of our memories. My team couldn't get over the fact that Caleb and I had an actual friendship and it ended because he peed on me. Aunt Ruby laughed at the many jokes Tre made (as always). Then we saw she was getting tired and while everyone else left the room, I stayed because I wanted to be the last person to say goodbye. Before she even closed her eyes I went up to her bed and she smiled up at me and said, "Boy, you better give me a kiss before I go."

I let my final tears for the night fall as I kissed her on her forehead. She was already feeling a little cold and I pulled back to look at her one last time. She gave me her last smile before closing her eyes. I climbed off her bed and made my way to the door.

"I'll see you again Aunt Ruby. I love you."

With that I left the room, closing the door behind me knowing that she wouldn't see the sun rise in the morning or that she wouldn't hear Marcus and I bickering over the bathroom. The last time she will ever get a goodbye kiss from me as she leaves.