Falling for My Old High School Bully (Complete)

Chapter 32 - Visiting Mom

***** Axel's Point of View *****

Axel went into his office and sat down behind his desk, turning on his laptop. He swiveled in his chair, leaning back and looking out his window at the skyscrapers outside. This view wasn't as nice as the view of the mountains they had outside their window at the cabin. He thought back to his weekend with Emma and how much he enjoyed spending time with her. 

It was all going so well until that last day. He really felt like they were clicking and she was falling for him as much as he was falling for her and he was even starting to think maybe she loved him back. When she looked into his eyes it seemed like she was feeling the same way he was. 

Women were so hard to understand sometimes. They had fun together, the best sex of his life and he even saved her from that bear so why was she mad? He had no idea what she was thinking or feeling or why she was suddenly ghosting him. He was racking his brain trying to figure out what he did wrong that flipped the switch but he couldn't come up with anything.

He was pulled from this thoughts when his phone dinged and he saw a text message from his Mom's nurse. 

'Good morning Mr. Hart. I know you just got back from a trip and I didn't want to bother you. I just wanted to let you know your Mom's health has been declining pretty quickly so you might want to visit soon. She may not have too much time left.' 

Hearing that sent panic through him. He thought she had more time. He stood up and grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair and headed out the door right away, texting the nurse back on his way. 

'Thank you Alice. I'm headed over there right now.'

When he got to his Mom's hospital room she looked even more pale and skinny than usual, her translucent skin showing the veins beneath and her cheekbones were sunk in. She was wearing a pink turban around her head and a hospital gown with the sheets pulled up high and oxygen tubes in her nose and an IV stuck in her arm. 

Axel took the seat beside her bed and laid his hand on top of hers and her eyes slowly opened. 

"Axel?" she said in her hoarse, weak voice. It broke his heart to see her like this. His Mom had always been such a strong, beautiful woman that he thought was invincible.

"Yeah Mom. I'm here," he said softly. 

A small smile came across her face. "How did your trip go? Were you able to make up with Emma?" 

He gave her a pained smile and said, "Yeah Mom. The trip was really good and we talked through everything and she ended up forgiving me and I forgave her. You were right. Having her forgiveness feels like a weight lifted off my shoulders." 

 His Mom looked at him, studying his face for a minute before she smiled. 

"You love her don't you?" she asked. 

That question surprised him. Was it that obvious? 

He rubbed on her hand lightly and then looked down at the floor and a smile came across his face before he looked back up at her. "She drives me crazy you know, and I can't understand her temper or her mood swings and she's so frustrating," he said taking a deep breath in and exhaling as he ran a hand through his hair. 

"But?" she asked with a smile. 

"But she's also beautiful and smart and she laughs at my stupid jokes and it's so cute how clumsy she is. She's so strong willed and determined and she's been through so much but she doesn't let it keep her down. I've never met anybody else like her."

His Mom smiled and said, "You still didn't answer my question. Do you love her?" 

He sat back in his seat exhaling and thinking about that question.