My heart sank as I saw my mom's name flash on my phone screen late at night. I knew something was wrong. I answered the phone with a shaky voice, "Mom, what's going on?"
"Iris, it's Isla. She's not doing well," my mom's voice was barely above a whisper, and I could hear the exhaustion in her tone.
"What happened? " I asked, my mind racing with fear and worry.
"Yes. Her body is not responding to the medication anymore, and her condition is worsening," my mom's voice cracked, and I could hear the tears in her voice.
I felt numb as I tried to process what was happening. Isla had been fighting leukemia for months, and I had always held on to the hope that she would recover. But now, it seemed like all hope was lost.
"I'll be there as soon as possible, Mom. Hang in there," I said, my voice shaking with emotion.
I hung up the phone and started to pack my bags. I needed to be there for Isla and my family, but I also felt a sense of guilt for not being there more often during her treatments.
I immediately called Max if she could be here in my house to look after Lily. She said yes and that she'll continue writing in my house. I can sense that she's worried on Isla too.
As I drove to the hospital, my mind was filled with memories of Isla. We had been best friends since childhood and cousin for life, and I couldn't bear the thought of losing her. I prayed that she would recover and that I could have more time with her.
When I arrived at the hospital, I was met with the sight of my mom and Isla's parents sitting outside her room with tears in their eyes. I knew it was bad.
I walked into the room and saw Isla lying in the hospital bed, looking weak and fragile. My heart broke at the sight of her. I held her hand and tried to offer words of comfort, but it felt like there was nothing I could say to make it better. My heart ached as I saw her struggling to breathe and weakly smiling at me.
"Iris, I'm so glad you're here," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Tears streamed down my face as I took her hand in mine. It was hard to see her like this, knowing that she was fighting for her life.
"Isla, you're so strong. You can fight this," I said, trying to sound optimistic, but the fear was evident in my voice.
I stayed by her side all night, talking to her, holding her hand, and praying for her recovery.
As the night wore on, Isla's condition continued to decline. It was painful to watch her suffer, and I felt helpless. All I could do was pray for a miracle and be there for her and her family.
In that moment, all the petty problems and issues in my life felt insignificant. All that mattered was being there for Isla and our family during this difficult time. I knew that I had to be strong for her.
It didn't take long for Isla's doctor and Doctor Colin to arrive too. He went straight to Isla's bed, and held her hands.
"I'm sorry, but Isla's condition has deteriorated too much. We've done everything we can, but her body is too weak to fight any longer. She's slipping away," he said gently.
My heart shattered at those words. I couldn't believe that Isla was leaving us so soon. It felt like a nightmare that I couldn't wake up from.
I held her hand tightly and whispered in her ear, "Isla, I love you so much. You'll always be in my heart."
Isla's eyes fluttered open for a moment, and she smiled weakly at me. It was a small gesture, but it meant everything to me.
As I watched Isla take her last breath, I felt like a part of me died with her. She had been such an important part of my life, and I couldn't imagine a world without her in it.
I hugged my family and cried, feeling the weight of our loss. In that moment, nothing else mattered but the love we had for Isla and the memories we shared with her.
I couldn't believe it when Isla passed away. It felt like a bad dream that I couldn't wake up from. Even though I knew that her condition was deteriorating rapidly, a part of me had hoped that she would pull through, that she would fight to live another day.
But when the doctors declared her dead, my world shattered into a million pieces. I couldn't believe that Isla was gone, that I would never see her smile or hear her laugh again. The pain was almost too much to bear.
As I held onto her lifeless body, tears streamed down my face. It was hard to accept that she was gone forever. I felt like a piece of me had died with her.
All the memories of our childhood and teenage years flooded back, making me feel nostalgic and heartbroken at the same time. Isla had always been there for me, through thick and thin, and now she was gone.
I wondered how life would be without her. How I would get through each day without her presence in my life. It felt like a void that could never be filled.
But as I looked around the room, at our family and friends who had come to pay their respects, I knew that I wasn't alone. We were all grieving, but we were also there for each other, to offer support and love in this difficult time.
Although Isla was gone, her memory would live on in our hearts forever. I knew that I would always cherish the moments we had together, the laughter, the tears, and the love we shared.
Rest in peace, my dear cousin and best friend. You will be deeply missed.