EIGHTY-SEVEN

It was becoming a Herculean task to keep up with the doctor and everything he was saying but I had no choice but to continue for the sake of my sanity and most especially, for the sake of my son whose health was deteriorating rapidly every day much to my dismay.

Dons Alessandro and Ethan tried to cheer me up most times by keeping me company at the hospital alongside Tiffany but whatever it was they were doing wasn't working.

Every minute I spent with Blake who was in the intensive care unit broke my heart. I could see the pain in his eyes every day he realized that he wouldn't be spending his days with his friends in school but I had no other choice.

I didn't know what I would do if my son died back at home so this was the best thing I could do.

"You promised me that I'll soon see them, mummy." Blake sniffed.

"I know, baby. But things have changed and you'll have to stay here a little bit longer but it's not going to last forever, I promise you." I said, stroking his hand as he lay on the bed.

He'd been feverish the whole night but his fever eventually broke and he was getting a little bit better. The fever outbreak was one of the major symptoms according to the doctor and a lot of people never recovered from the fever phase but Blake was one of the lucky ones.

"You're still sick, baby. It's quite serious and I don't want anything to jeopardize your health. I don't know what I'll do if things escalate beyond what it is now. I'm sorry but you've got to understand me, Blake."

Blake shook his head as tears welled up in his eyes. "It feels like I've been here my whole life and I don't want to stay here any longer, mummy. I miss my friends and I want to see them now."

I'd been expecting this to happen sooner rather than later, he was only a child who didn't understand the entire situation properly and I didn't want to burden him with the realization that he might die soon, it would be too much for him to handle.

"You won't be seeing them now but you'll see them soon, I promise you, baby," I said, rubbing his arm and trying to make him understand.

"Do you hate me, mummy? Did I do something wrong to you and I'm being punished for it?"

Blake's voice broke my heart and it took all of my willpower not to break down into tears in front of him. The worst thing a mother could ever hear is the assumption that her child is being hated. I was a really difficult place and I didn't know what to make of the whole situation but I had to keep my head up.

He was only a confused child who didn't understand anything and it was up to me to make him realize that things aren't as they seem.

"I don't hate you, baby. I'm only trying to keep you safe and make sure you stay alive as well. You're my son and I'll always love you until I take my last breath. Don't you ever think it's going to be anything other than that, you hear me?"

"Are you sure about it? If I did anything bad, I'm sorry for it and I'm not going to do it any longer." Blake said.

"You didn't do anything wrong, baby boy."

I said, kissing his cheek and hugging him tightly. The doctors advised me not to get him worked but I didn't care about protocols right now. I wanted my son to know that I'll always be here for him no matter what happens, fuck the consequences.

If they thought I wasn't going to give him all the love and care he deserved they thought wrong because there was no way I wasn't going to hug my son after everything he's been through for the past couple of weeks.

"Are you sure about that mummy?" Blake sniffled as he wrapped his arms around my neck.

"I am, I swear it." I kissed his cheek.

"So when can I see my friends and when can we go home?" He asked again.

"Soon enough, baby. We're only playing a game and we need to finish it before you can see them." I lied smoothly.

"A game?" He stared at me quizzically, trying to wrap his head around what I'd just said.

"Yes, baby. It's a game that entails every participant to be alone until the game is over and right now, you're leading and if it remains this way, you're going to win the game." I added, trying to calm his nerves.

"I'm scared of staying here alone all the time and the doctors keep pricking me with needles. Is it part of the game as well? I want to end, I don't want to be lonely anymore." Blake said.

"The game is going to end soon and you're going to join your brothers soon. This is going to be over and it'll be a distant memory." I said.

Blake nodded and clung to me. I sighed in relief.

It was getting difficult to keep up with the lies and it was going to fail soon. If I didn't get this sorted out soon, he was going to die and I didn't know what I'd do with myself.

"Will you tell my friends that I miss them and I can't wait to see them again?" Blake said.

I nodded and reluctantly pulled away from him. I'd spent the last couple of hours here and it was time to get back to the doctor's office.

"I promise, I'll tell them. But I need to leave now, there's a lot for me to do right now." I said.

"Will you be back? I don't want to be here alone, mummy." Blake whined.

"Your nannies would be here with you and I'll be back as soon as I'm done with work, baby boy." I said.

I quickly turned away to hide the tears from him as I made my way out of the room.