Maggie's mother has been released from the hospital with a diagnosis she won't tell her daughter. She had gotten a heart attack from smoking but she doesn't want to worry her child with her lung cancer diagnosis.

"Momma," Maggie says, sitting next to her on her bed after she slides a lunch tray over her lap. "If you don't tell me what happened, I'll march my ass down to the hospital and ask."

"Maggie," Evelyn sighs, raising her shaky hand to pick up the several pills on the tray. "I'm fine." She gulps down her medication with orange juice before wincing at her meal. "I'm not very hungry."

"You haven't eaten all day, momma."

"Magnolia Grace, I'm fine." Maggie looks down at her hands. "You missin' your man?"

"Yeah. Haven't seen him in a month, haven't talked to him in a few days." She sighs. "I just hope he's missin' me."

"I'm sure he is." She mumbles back, her eyes squeezing shut as she fights to catch her breath.

"You okay?" Maggie asks, her hand on her shin.

"I'm fine." She manages out, her hand going to her chest as she wheezes out a cough.

"Momma?"

"I'm fine, Maggie." She coughs that nasty smokers cough into the paper towel that's folded neatly on the tray. Her eyes go wide before she tucks the blood speckled napkin under her plate.

"Momma..." Maggie snags the tray from her and looks underneath her plate. "Oh my god- what? What happened?"

Evelyn sighs, wiping her mouth. "Baby," She tries to clear her throat but it turns into heavy coughing. "Lung cancer."

"What?" She whispers. "How bad?"

"Is any of it good?" She scoffs. "Pretty bad."

Maggie bites her lip with that daring question on her lips, "How long?"

"I don't know." She lies, picking at her sandwich. "Just enjoy things while we can."

"Is it uh, curable?" Evelyn keeps her eyes down. "Oh my god, are you doin' chemo?"

"I'm not doin' the chemo. I don't wanna spend what's left of my time puking and bald. I gotta enjoy what's left-"

"Momma..." Maggie whimpers. "You can't-"

"Don't think 'bout that right now, baby." She whispers, reaching up to tuck a curl behind her daughters ear. "Just- I want you to do somethin' for me, okay?" Maggie nods. "Quit smokin'."

"Okay." She blinks back tears. "You got it."

Maggie sets the tray on the dresser before climbing into bed with her mom, cuddling against her like she used to when she was little, her head on her shoulder.

She just soaks in the news; her mother is dying and she's made her peace with it.

=

Maggie sighs as she picks up her phone, listening to the line trilling on the other end as she waits for Morgan to answer. "Hello?" She silent. "Mags?"

"Are you busy right now?" Her voice cracks as her body shivers from the chilly fall air.

"Not at all. What's up?" He asks as he sits himself on the couch of their home. "You alright? Your mom okay?"

"No." She whimpers, her head in her hands as she sits on the concrete steps of her mother's porch. "Momma's got cancer."

"The bad kind?"

"Is there a good kind?" She sniffles before letting out a sob. "She's dyin', Morgan."

His heart aches, his fiancé needs to be in his arms but she's how ever far away- four hours. He wants her- needs her- to be home with him. Morgan needs to be with her to help her feel better.

"My momma's dyin' but she's okay with it." She cries. "I don't know how long she's got left. I know it ain't long." Morgan's silent on the other line, letting her say whatever is on my mind and in her heart. "I'm staying out here until she's either better or- or gone."

"Mags-"

"No. She's not gonna be alone, not now, okay?"

"Okay." He nods. "Okay. I love you, okay?"

"Yeah, I love you too." She sighs heavily as she hangs up, wiping her eyes.

Maggie pockets her phone then heads back into the house to get dinner ready for her bedridden mother.

=

A couple months later, Morgan talks Sage into going out to Asheville to visit his fiancé and future mother-in-law.

The two future brother-in-laws park Sage's truck in front of the house before they hop out and grab their bags. "I haven't seen Maggie in months." Morgan mumbles as he follows Sage to the door where he raps his knuckles against the screen door.

Soon, a frail, curly haired woman answers the door. This woman is not the same woman she was ten years ago. Her face is gaunt, bone thin as are her hands. "Can I help y'all boys?" She wheezes out following her short sentence with a thick, cottage cheese like cough.

"Momma, it's me." Sage says, bending over slightly to look his mother in the eyes. "Sage, your son."

Evelyn's face splits into a tired grin as she stands aside to let her guests in. Morgan steps away to poke his head in the kitchen, smiling wide when he sees his fiancé in the joined laundry room. She's standing on her toes, her long legs flexed, as she's bent over in the washer. Morgan slides his hand in his front pockets as he watches her for a bit before he clears his throat.

Maggie drops the article of clothing in her hands as she makes eye contact with her fiancé. She can't hold back her emotions as she wraps her arms tight around his neck, her chin on his shoulder with tears in her eyes. "I missed you." She whispers, squeezing him tighter.

"Can't- breathe-!" He pries her arms from around him, gasping as he catches his breath. Maggie rolls her eyes, turning back to the dryer. "I missed you too."

She sighs, folding a t-shirt before dropping it in the basket then popping said basket on her hip. "How long're y'all out here?"

"Few days." He says, following her back to the bedrooms where he drops his bag on what he assumes is her bed. She blushes at the smile he gives her. "How's your mom?"

"You seen her." She mumbles back. "Weak but won't let me help her."

"I see where you get it from."

"Oh shut up." She elbows him playfully as she heads out to the kitchen to get dinner started for her family.

It's nice to have everyone together again; mother, brother, sister, and fiancé all together for dinner. Evelyn is happy to see her children again, given the circumstances.

She sits her frail body down on a chair at the table, trying to hide her wheezing. "How you feelin', momma?" Sage asks from his spot at the counter, he's helping his little sister cook.

"Well, I still have a pulse so I'm doin pretty good." She manages out before she starts hacking and Morgan winces at the sounds she lets out.

"Okay y'all, supper is ready."

=

The following morning, Sage wakes before Maggie to let his sister sleep in with her fiancé for the first time in months. He rounds the corner into the bedroom with a tray full of breakfast. "Mornin', Momma." He says cheerfully, setting the tray on the nightstand.

She doesn't respond.

"Momma?" Sage shakes her shoulder but he's met with silence. "Evelyn." He says louder. "Oh shit- Mags!" He shouts as he moves his mother to the floor to start CPR.

Maggie stumbles down the hallway to the master bedroom wearing nothing but a pair of boy short panties and Morgan's t-shirt, squeaking at the sight of her big brother trying to resuscitate Evelyn. She grabs the landline phone and calls 911.

Morgan stands in the doorway, half asleep with a bed head and boxers on as he watches the family in front of him shrink into two.

Within minutes, the paramedics are there, continuing the CPR Sage was doing and questioning the three. Maggie is too worked up to talk to anyone. She shoves her way out to the front porch where she lights a cigarette and sinks down on the step, sobbing into her hands.

Shortly, Morgan sits next to his fiancé, wrapping his strong arms around her trembling frame, letting her sob against his shoulder. He moves her into the house, sitting her next to Sage who's stone faced, guess the military blocked up his emotions.

=

"Holy shit." Michael says, wrapping his arms around his best friend. "I'm so sorry, Mags."

"It is what it is." She mumbles, shaking her head. "That's life."

Michael and Morgan share a look as they sit at the high top table across from each other. "Was she in, y'know, pain?"

"Yeah." She sighs, pulling apart her napkin into a small pile below her hands on the table top. "Not anymore, y'know?" Morgan squeezes her knee. "I'm fine." She spits, giving him a dirty look with dark, exhausted eyes. "I don't need you to feel sorry for me." Maggie stands and heads to the bar, ordering a couple shots for herself before she gets a Screwdriver.

And by the end of the next hour, she's beyond tipsy, on her way to trashed. Morgan and Michael help Maggie to the car and buckle her into the back seat before they hop in the front. Michael drives them back to her house. Maggie reaches up, opens the sun roof and stands, laughing wildly as the wind whips her curls around her flushed face. "Maggie, c'mon back in-"

"No." She smacks her fiancé's hand away. "I'm sittin cause I wanna." She says sassily, crossing her arms over her chest as she sits back down on the back seat.

"You've got your hands full, Wallen." Michael mutters as he pulls in front of their house.

"C'mon, Maggie May, let's get you inside-"

"No!" She bats Morgan's hands away. "Don't touch me!" Maggie hits him a little too hard in the chest. Michael watches them from his drivers side seat, his heart heavy. She's only acting like this because she's grieving. "Get your hands offa me!"

"Chill out, Mags!" Morgan shouts as she shoves him back. She huffs but then shrieks as she's tossed over his shoulder and carried into the house.

"Put me down!" She shouts, thrashing in his arms. "Asshole!"

"What the hell is your problem?" Morgan yells back at her after he drops her, literally drops her, on the bed. "What's goin' on with you!?"

"Sorry, my momma just fuckin died!" She screams back, leaning up on her elbows. "That puts a fuckin damper on some people's lives!" She stands, shoving Morgan back as she starts to get more worked up. "My mother is gone!" Morgan grabs her wrists and pulls her against his chest, letting her hit his chest until she collapses against him, sobbing loudly. "She's gone." The two sink to the floor, Maggie cradled in his arms as she cries against his shirt. "She's gone again." Morgan scoots against the wall, running his hand over her back as she sobs, her face in his neck.

"I know, baby, I know." He whispers, holding her tight against himself, kissing the side of her head over and over again.