Page 68 of Going Home

"We need the pictures as quick as possible. Like, days, Venom. The reason it's such a rushed plan is because Lane has cancer again. It's why Zane's taken a step back. He's spending time with his family right now."

Gasps spread around the room, and Autumn shakes her red head. "No, that's... We'd know if she was sick."

"When was the last time anyone of us actually saw Lane?" Tess asks, her dark hair streaked with gray. Lex fixates on it to stop herself from showing too much of a reaction. "I remember the last time I saw her. It was at that disastrous old lady gathering at Lily's house. That was before Lex and Colt moved."

"That's why you moved back?" Dani asks. "To help care for your soon-to-be sister-in-law?"

The way she hangs onto Dax makes Lex feel like there's still a little bit of hope in the world. Rather than risk answering vocally, she just gives a small nod.

"It's rushed because Lane wants to get in all the pictures before the chemo takes all her pretty hair, right, Lex?" Melanie asks.

The rules haven't even been said, and they're already asking questions. "Like Jennings said, there will be rules to this wedding everyone has to follow. No exceptions. The first rule is that there is to be no mention of cancer. Lane's or anyone else's. She doesn't want to hear about your aunt's cousin's battle with cancer on her wedding day."

A few chuckles fill the otherwise silent room as some know exactly who Lex references with this rule. A few of the old ladies are known to try and identify with anyone going through a difficult time and thus making the situation worse rather than better.

"Second, only happy tears are allowed. Any sadness will have you kicked out without question. Lane wants a big party to celebrate finally marrying Zane. Sad tears mean you get the boot and possibly ruin her day," she continues.

"Lex—"

She shakes her head at Heidi, cutting her off. "Third, there will be no pity looks. You are to ignore how sick she is and just enjoy the day. She wants to forget about everything bad and just enjoy her wedding. I will throw you out myself if I see it, and you'll get a beat down if she's the one who catches you looking at her that way."

"Are those all the rules?" Ky asks. "They sound fairly reasonable."

Just you wait."There's another rule, but this one is for me. Zane's having a difficult time dealing with things, and he's angry. Really angry, and I'm the subject of that anger. I need you to let him be angry with me because he can't be angry at anyone else."

Lily gasps and steps up to the bar. "Lex..."

"Yeah."

"What?" Shep asks as he looks between the two blonde daughters. "What?"

"That's why Zane's been screaming at you," she says. "Son of a bitch."

"He better not do that when I'm around," Psycho says. "I don't care if his girl is sick. If he starts screaming at you, he's getting his ass handed to him."

Shaking her head, Lex lets out a shaky breath. "No. Only step in if he looks like he's going to smack me. Otherwise, if he's going to scream, let him scream. It's easier to just let it happen and not fight him."

"Lex, that's the story of his fucking life thanks to VP never putting him in his damn place," Shep says. "This isn't your fault."

VP looks like he's about to defend himself, and Lex can't listen to it. Instead, she says, "It kind of is."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Diesel asks.

Letting out a shaky breath, she sniffles. "Like many of you in here, myself included, we don't take feeling helpless very well. We want to find solutions and fix things, not sit by and let something happen. That's exactly what Zane feels, and I'm going to be completely blunt about this: Lane royally fucked me over. She made me her power of attorney for medical care. Because I'm the only one strong enough to stand up to my brother, and because of that, it's a guarantee he will fucking hate me for the rest of his life. Assuming he doesn't kill me first."

"Lex, that doesn't make sense," Psycho says.

She lets out a long breath. "Lane's been sick for a while, and she didn't tell anyone. She tried various treatments, and everything looked positive. Until it wasn't. The treatments didn't work, and the only option available wouldn't save her. It would give her a couple of extra months, at best, but she'd in so much pain that she would need to be heavily medicated. She doesn't want that for Margaret. She wants to make as many memories as possible for her daughter, and that means she's opted out of any treatment options after the last one failed."

Heidi gasps. "No."

"Zane's not strong enough to adhere to her wishes, so she's asked me. When she first called me, when we first moved back, the doctors gave her six months to a year, if she was lucky. She's not lucky."

"How much time?" Shep asks.

"We're probably going to be gathering a couple of weeks after the wedding, at best, for Lane's funeral."

The room falls completely silent as everyone stares with exploring eyes. Some look like they're waiting for her to drop a punchline and say it's one big joke, and she wishes she could. That she could be cruel enough to worry everyone for nothing, but she's not.

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