Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The hospital

I woke up at about 8am, I heard a door close I think her parents must of left for the day. I sit up, yawn as I go to shower.

My shoulders are sore from the bed, I think I must get some of my pillows from home, these are to stiff, then again I don't think anyone uses them or anyone sleeps in these rooms. I got out, dried my hair and got something to wear, I didn't want to look funny but I also wanted to look respectable, I just wore something casual, I don't think anyone will make me change, maybe Avery but I wont.

I walk to see if she is awake, she's still sleeping, I can see her breathing so I know she is ok, I make my way to the kitchen, I see a note on the wall,

Dear Jamie

Help yourself to anything, this is your house just as much as it is ours, make sure Avery eats before the hospital, there is a list here on what she can and can't eat.

Don't worry about the dishes :)

See you tonight

Quinn

I chuckle at the note, looking at what I can give Avery, I think I will wait to see what she wants because I don't want to guess. I made myself some coffee and toast as I heard someone walk into the kitchen. Avery, messy hair, pajamas and looking very tired.

"Morning. How did you sleep?"

"You know, you are always asking me something, I slept like I always do, in pain but alright, how did you sleep and Morning."

"Well, I think the pillows are stiff or something in my room because I woke with sore shoulders, so before we come back, if it is ok, could we stop by my place? Also did you take something?" I walk to her as she smirks at me, I stop half way to her.

"I am fine, I'm used to being in constant pain and about your things, yeah I don't mind, I just wont get out the car."

"Thank you, what do you want to eat?"

"Ill have some toast and a cup of coffee, I can make the coffee." she said as I nodded going to make it, the list says only a few things she like on toast, I hold up the things to her as she pointed to the jam, of course. We worked in silence, I gave her food, I watched her eat out of habit from my dad. She noticed, I looked at the clock wall to see the time, we still had time before we had to leave.

Avery put her things away as she went back to her room to change I think, I cleaned the counter tops, went back to my room and got the rest of my things, I was about to go get Avery when she was standing right in front of me, which made us bump into each other, making whatever she had in her had fall to the ground, I went to pick it up. It was a binding folder, this must be for her appointments and things at the hospital, I looked through it quickly before looking up at what she was dressed in, I gave funny look.

"What?"

"What are you wearing?"

"Something comfortable, and I don't need to look like anything, Dr. Kimberly knows I dress like this."

"OK, lets go then." we walked out my room as went to the front door, I locked it as we made our way to the elevator. Inside we went straight to the last level, I asked for my car as we stood waiting. My boss gifted me last year with a 2019 BMW SUV when they came out, I think Avery was expecting a minivan to be brought up, I thanked the vela man as I let us into the car. It smells clean, I hope they didn't clean it, not that I mind, it just makes me feel bad.

The drive was quite, only the radio playing music could be heard as Avery looked out the window the whole way, once we got to the center , I looked for parking. Locked the car as we walked into the Memorial Sloan Ketter Cancer Hospital. I let Avery talk as I didn't know who to talk to but as I heard her ask, I took note of everything. We went to the 5th floor, walked to a doctor room, I sat in the chair next to the med bed she sat on.

"Dr. Kimberly isn't the surgeon nor my actually doctor, she just does thee check up and chemo for me or the nurses do it. My doctor is Dr. Rob Osborn, he checks and give me meds, and tells me if I need surgery, I only see him once a month or so, I come here every Friday and nurse Mara Jean, and Jackie help me, Dr. Kimberly is Dr. Osborn's understudy she tells him what is up with me and I can't remember the name of them right now but you will meet them in 3 months-

"Why-

"Don't interrupt me, why because I am getting a tumor removed on my hip .Oh and also once a month I am to see a therapist, Mr. Brad Paul. I will tell you everything else when we leave- your writing this down?"

"Yes, I have to so I can know who everyone is and what I need to do and how, also now I know that you have surgery in 3 months, and just so you know, you interrupt me, since yesterday actually, I am older so technically, you can't say to me, don't interrupt me."

Her mouth was in a straight line as we waited for the Doctor to come in. After a few, a nurse came in and prepped her for the IV, the needle was big, she looked scared, i would be sacred to, it has to go into her chest, there was an opening under her collarbone where they do the treatment, it gets cleaned weekly, I might have to clean it.

"Don't worry dear, it wont hurt."

"You always say that Mara Jean, and it always does."

"Dear, can you hold her hand-

"WHAT?!"

"I need to get the needle in without you moving or without you taking the needle and stabbing me." Before she could argue, I held her hand which made her stare daggers into my eyes, they are cold, colder than ice I think, I looked at her hand, mine are a bit bigger, hers are small, I didn't notice she was staring at us holding hands until nurse Mara Jean said she's done

"Let go."

"You let go."

"Your hands are cold." I said as I let go, rubbing my hands

"Lack of oxygen, remember, I have Metastasis, so everything is fucked up." She was looking at the needle in her chest, I think she's seen enough of them to know how to do this herself, I heard floor steps, I look up to see, who I think is to be Dr. Kimberly.

I put my hand out as she nearly falls over trying to great me, I try not to laugh as Avery rolls her eyes.

"Hi, are you the new sponsor? I am Dr. Sandy Kimberly, you are?" She looks dazed.

"Ahh, I am, the name is Jamie Scott, it is nice to met you Dr." I think she forgot Avery was in the room till she cleared her throat

"You have drool on your mouth, right there." Avery teased as Dr. Kimberly went to talk to her

"A, how are you? Bring the book back?" Book?

"Sick as always, and yes, not the best one, Jam can you pass my backpack please." She pointed to the bag she dropped by the door, I walked to get it, holding it for her as she used her other arm to look for it, she pulled out, A Tale of Two Cities. Also a good book so I heard.

"How did you not like it?"

"He is a great writer but I don't like this one, took me two days to read it."

"Well, I don't know what to say to you, breathe." While they were talking, she checked everything basic with Avery, Avery looked in pain as she did it, I could tell she was hiding it but I know she was in pain, this can't be easy for her. Avery had to lift her shirt up so the doctor could check her bones, she is very bones so she busies easy. I looked her body, I early cried, she looked so small, sore, blue and yellow ran over her body, I think she must have knocked herself on her back or when I caught her yesterday maybe she got hurt. Her bones were very visible to see, but she still had some muscle left as well as fat, not a lot but normal amount.

"I did, however bring you something to read for once." Avery said as Dr. Kimberly wrote a few things down after checking her.

"Did you now- NO!" she laughed as she pulled the book out from her bag, I was confused as to what book it was, then Avery showed it to me, I was even more confused.

"That is my favorite book actually, what is wrong with it?" they both looked at me

"The Scarlet Letter, I love it, Dr. Kimberly, on the other and, doesn't says it is to hard of English."

"OK, well, not anymore-

"Don't try to mask up that you don't hate the book just because it is her favorite book."

"I am not, I think the author is good just the book loses me."

Avery and I share a look.

"I'll try to read it, maybe I can get found-

"You are losing yourself trying to explain yourself. Just read it." Avery said as she lay back, I smiled at the doctor as she left the room, Avery looked tired, we were going to be here till 12, I figured I read something.

"Do you have anything I can read in there? Maybe to pass time, you can sleep and I will read."

"Ahh I have Emma, Little Women and The Color Purple."

"Emma." she hands me the book, I see her lay back down, she closed her eyes as I began to read. After I think an hour, I look at the time, 11:32, still half an hour and the IV in nearly done, I stand to stretch as I see Dr. Kimberly walk back in.

"Hi again."

"Hi, you know she is lying to us."

"What-" I was pulled out the room to be showed some test results, it showed that she wasn't taking her medication

"That is why she is bruising, the meds are to help with her weak bones and pain, she hasn't taken them in a while, its why she was sick the week. I need you to make sure she take all her meds as well as this." I get handed more green and pink bottles, I'm going to have to organize them when we get back. I wonder..

"Does her parents know about this? I don't want to be the one to tell them, as a therapist myself, I know why she didn't take them, she is tired. She is constantly in pain and after a while she gets tired of it and taking meds all the time. My mother was the same."

"Yes the do know but they wont push anything on her, they don't like conflict and your mother...she has cancer?"

"Had."

"I'm sorry."

"I'll make sure she takes them doc."

I walk back to the room to see Avery awake with nurse Mara Jean taking out the needle, I just look at her with a straight face, I was angry but I know why she did it.

"What is wrong with your face?" She asked as she rubbed her arm after the needle was taken out

"Nothing, you have more meds, lets get going." I said grabbing my bag as well as hers, she still wanted to know what was up, I kept quiet while we made our way back to the car, she must have figured it out that I knew about her not taking her meds, she stopped pestering me after a while.

"We are going to stop by my place now, you can stay in the car or come in."

"I don't know-

"It wont hurt to stay, I wont be long."

"No, I think, I-uh, I'll come with."

It is going to snow.