6

Tania was sitting in a wheelchair. She tried to tell the nurse she was perfectly capable of walking, but she ignored her and assured her that it would be a short ride.

It was only eight in the morning. Tania had to wake up earlier because she wanted to shower - for the first time in God knows how much - since she had to get tested.

They passed people, some sick, some visiting the sick, healthcare workers, and so on. What caught Tania’s attention was someone on a stretcher, getting carried by six people, and they looked like they were having a convulsion. Tania thought the stretcher would break. It made sounds she was sure were not part of something that would last much longer if the person didn’t stop bouncing. They were lying on their back, and the people around them tried to hold them still.

Tania followed them with her eyes until her chair got pushed into the elevator and its doors closed. She was curious to know what was happening to that person. She even had the urge to get up and help. But she had more important matters she needed to focus on.

“We’re here,” the nurse said as she pushed Tania out of the elevator and into a room. “The doctor will be here in a few, I’m gonna leave you to get mentally ready, unless you need me to stay, then I’m happy to do so.” She said with a caring smile.

Tania shook her head and smiled back at the nurse. “I’m good, thank you.”

“Alright then, you only have to get up and lay on that bed,” she pointed at the white bed in front of Tania, “do you need help?”

“No, as I told you before, I’m well enough to walk.” She said with a light chuckle.

She left, and Tania walked to the bed the nurse told her to lay on. She closed her eyes as she realized the doctor would take a while. That gave her time to think about what was going on. Spencer said he was watching her. Tania was dying to know who he was. But she was afraid that if she found out, worse things would happen.

She places her hands over her eyes, with her palms, she presses on both her eyes, her cold fingers on her forehead. She feels relieved. Everything was messy, and she didn’t know what to do about it. she thinks,

The door suddenly swings open. Tania takes her hands off her face and slowly sits up, legs hanging from the bed. Dr. Walker stepped into the room, “hi Tania.” He said with a smile on his face, sweet like always. She greets him back with a smile too. “We should get to it then, I’m sure you want to leave and go home already.” He said, and Tania laughed at that. He was right. She wanted nothing more than to lay in her bed, hug her pillows, and cook her food in her kitchen. She just wanted to get back to her routine.

So they started. First, she got a blood test. The needle was bigger than she remembered from the last time she took one of those. Then, through another door, there was a big room. She was going to get a magnetic resonance. Walker needed to check everything. That included her brain. She also got checked for kidney function, uric acid, liver test, chest x-ray, and electrocardiogram.

Once everything finished, the doctor himself brought her back to her room. It was half-past eleven, Tania was starting to get hungry. She knew because her stomach betrayed her and decided to growl. She did wake up sooner than expected because she was to not eat anything until the tests were done, so Tania decided to get it over with the sooner, the better. They let her choose an hour, and she chose the earliest she could get. The sound her stomach made may have not been a surprise, but it was surely embarrassing, in her opinion.

"Sorry about that. I’m kinda hungry.” Tania’s words were followed by a nervous chuckle.

“It’s okay, you haven’t eaten anything for more than eleven hours at least. Don’t sweat it.” Dr. Walker said, patting Tania's shoulder reassuringly twice.

They got into the room and, a strawberry flavored jelly, next to a glass of milk, with two biscuits were placed on Tania's table. “Well that’s new. So far all I’ve had for breakfast here has been bland yogurt.”

The doctor laughed, “yes it has... But you look way better now, between that and the fact that the tests look promising I’m confident that you’ll be out in a day or two.”

Tania smiled. “Thank you.”

The doctor left and Tania immediately sent a quick text to Luna who, instead of replying with a text or a call, showed up at the hospital 15 minutes later.

“You! Why did you send me that ugly text instead of calling me? This is a hate crime.” Luna said when she stepped into the room. Tania jumped, and the jelly almost ended up all over her.

“Do you know what a hate crime is? It’s you scaring me like that.” Luna had a fake offended face on her, and Tania couldn’t help but laugh. Luna smiled back at her.

“This just really deserves a celebration.” She got closer and sat on the chair.

“You should save the celebration for when I get out of here. So, for now… do you want some of this delicious jelly that I almost dropped?” Tania said and wiggled her eyebrows. At that, Luna laughed and shook her head, “no, thank you. You need it more than I do.”

They talked for a while, and Luna left because she suddenly remembered she had a job she needed to keep showing up to or she’d end up homeless.

The next hours went by quite fast, and before she realized it, it was already the next day. She had already eaten her breakfast plus the dinner, and it was exactly 4.35 pm when Dr. Walker came in to talk to her about the tests they ran the day before.

“Already?” Tania said, eyes widening surprised. They usually took at least a week to give the results.

The doctor nodded, he had a serious face on him, and Tania immediately thought the worse. “What does it say? Is it that bad?” She asked with a frown.

“You can leave tomorrow morning.” He smiled while he gave her the papers. Tania started reading and got to the part about her tumor. It wasn’t there anymore. It wasn’t there, and she would never have to worry about it ever again.

She started to tear up.

“Thanks.” Tania said, looking up from the results and smiling at the doctor. He just nodded, still with a small smile, and said, “of course. I’ll leave you to it then.”

He then left the room. Once he was out, Tania looked for the number of her favorite person and called her.

“Hi Tea!” Luna answered five seconds after Tania called.

“I can go home tomorrow morning! Everything is alright now.” Tania said, ignoring the “Tea” part. It was a nickname Luna made up a long time ago because she started calling Tania “T” and well, the rest is obvious.

“What?!” Luna screamed. That scream got Leah’s attention because Tania heard her over the phone calling Luna and making her explain. “Can I tell them?”

“Of course.” She said and chuckled.

The next thing she knows, everyone is in her hospital room “celebrating”.

Tania could not believe it, she’d been worried about cancer for so long. She had panic attacks, which Luna helped calm down, anxiety, and she’d been stressed. Her nails took the worst of it, she usually had them short but that was something else.

Between all of them, they made a plan for the next day. Sidney will drive all of them since their car has 8 seats, and they’re 6 people. Then they will all head to Tania’s place, and once they’re all there, Elijah, Leah, and Sidney will buy some snacks, and Luna, Spencer, and Tania will order takeover.

Everyone leaves at 7 pm, and Tania’s left alone to think about everything. She’s happy.

Little does she know that happiness will last less than a week.