Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Recovery

Avery had to stay in hospital for more than a week, Dr. Green came in and out to check on her, as well as Dr. Kimberly and Osborn. After what happened, Mrs. Mack had a long talk with them, I don't know what was said but I ended up getting all their details in case something like that happened again, but the good news was, once she was out of here, she only needed to come back for chemo, no more tumors, I was relived to hear that news, I knew Avery hated surgery more than getting a needle in her arm. After the little moment we had, I have grown more attached to Avery, I haven't been back to her place since she got admitted, I have been next to her everyday, same as her mother. We both stayed in the hospital for that week, Mr. Mack said I can go back and get some rest but I refused.

It was the day before Avery was expected to live, we all were having a conversation about Dr. Kimberly and I's interaction. Since the fight, she has been closed off to me, I know it is because she is mad at me but she is being a child.

"She probably hasn't been laid in a long time, who can blame her, I bet being a doctor doesn't get you many dates."

"Avery! That is mean, I would think you would get many, but Sandy seems to have a wall, with a door, only she decides who comes in and who can stay." Mrs. Mack said as I nodded, I don't think Dr. Kimberly and I would work, I can see us fighting all the time, we have no common interests, and are constantly busy, plus if she is like Mrs. Mack says she is, then we really wont work. Before I could add my opinion, there was a knock at the door they came in without asking to. And I knew who it was.

"MADDIE!" I said as I jumped up to hug my friend, I had missed her these past few months, she had gotten a new job so we couldn't really see each other.

"Hey yourself, hi everyone, I'm Maddie, Jamies…"

"Sister, friend."

They look at me confused

"I was adopted by her family after mine kicked me out, we never really say we are sisters so we go with friends." Maddie explained as Mrs. Mack nodded while Avery already knew the story

"Well, it is nice to meet someone from Jamies life. I am Mrs. Mack but you can call me Quinn, I'm Avery's mother." Mrs. Mack stood to hug Maddie as I got her a chair to sit on

"Yeah, nice to meet you, I'm the sick one by the way, if the IVs didn't say it for you." Avery said as a joke

"Yeah I know, your the one who asked me to come. I wasn't supposed to say that." Maddie smiled as she laughed, I looked at Avery

"You invited her?"

"Don't get mad, you have done so much for me and I know you missed her, so I thought, why not invite her, though we are in a hospital, it is still a visit." I smile as I gave her hand a squeeze, I turn back to Maddie, she gave me a funny look but brushed it off as we all jumped back into the conversation.

Hours later, Avery had fallen asleep as well as Mrs. Mack, Maddie and I had gone down to get some coffee before she had to leave.

We walked to her car with the coffee in hand, I went to hug her but she stopped me

"What? Can't I hug you?"

"What's the deal?"

"Deal?"

"With you and sickie."

"Don't call her that, and nothing. Please don't start."

"I'm only starting what is already there, you are the one who needs to finish it. You CLEARLY like her, and I think she likes you to, if she stalked where I work in order to get my number to ask me to come and see you. Whatever that relationship is, you must not let it go farther than this, has she tried to kiss you​​​?"

"No-

"Let me rephrase that, have you both gone in for the kiss?"

I kept quite.

"See? You. Like. Her. Damn it Jamie! Your gonna fall in love with her, only to lose her in the end! She is dying, you can't do that."

"I know Mads, and I wont fall in love with her, so what if I have a CRUSH on her, and her for me? It'll go away."

"You said the same thing about Nancy, and look what happened. I had to miss 2 weeks of school because you were so heartbroken, what is gonna happen with her? You wont recover, you know Nancy is still around and well, meanwhile with her, you know she will leave, and wont come back." I bit my lip, the urge to cry or slap her was strong but I just looked away, staring at the on-going traffic. As I heard Maddie sign.

"Look, your setting yourself up for heartbreak, I just don't want you to get hurt, or Avery, both of you must see to stop this, while it is still just a "crush", ok?"

"OK. But. But why must the person who I think is the one, have to be so young as well as dying?"

"Star-crossed lovers?"

"I'm serious."

"So am I, it happens, you find love in the weirdest places, this wont be one of those cliché love stories because it sounds like one, you are going to be the adult and put an end to it."

"Fine. You sound like my mother, only, she would tell me to go for it."

"I know she would, your well our mum was a hopeless romantic."

I give a half laugh as she hugs me tight, I hug back knowing she is right, I hate it when she is right. I let go as she gets back into her car, pulls out and drives off. I stand there for a bit, thinking about what she said, what Dr. Kimberly said, what my head is saying and even wondering what will Avery as well as her parents think or even say. The whole thing makes me feel sick, I walk back to the hospital, back to Avery's room, both of them are still sleeping as it is 8:08pm, guess its goodnight, I walk to my chair on the left side of Avery's bed, try to move myself to get comfortable as I did so I made the chair move, causing Avery to wake up.

"Sorry."

"It's ok, I wasn't sleeping."

"Is something wrong?"

"Yes and no, I'm happy we leave tomorrow but I know I'm not better, I am still going to end up back here."

I stare.

"I mean, for most people, they leave and know they wont come back for really long time unless something bad happens, but for me, I know I will be back her, I'll never been done with hospitals and all this, shit. I want to live my life without remembering it is going to end, I may seem like I'm ok with it like you said all those months ago but I don't want to die Jamie, I never did."

"I didn't mean what I said, I was angry with you when I said that. No one is very ready to die, even those who know they will die in the next few minutes aren't. I know my mother didn't want to even though she said it was what she wanted but I know she said it to make us feel better, and because she wanted the pain to stop." Avery was looking at me again with that weird long stare. I moved closer to her.

"I can help make, what is left of you life, the best days, your just going to have to let me as well as trust me." I held her hand, brushing my thumb across her hand, as she looked me in the eye.

"OK."

"Really?!"

"SHHHHHHH!"

"Sorry. You really will? You know it means you have to leave the house."

"I know, I am will to. For you."

"Me?"

"Yes." Avery said with a small smile

I smile at her

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You think it's weird I want to leave the house."

"Yes but-

"But?"

"Everything is weird."

"Yes I know, but not you."

"I think I am the weirdest thing yet."

"No, the weirdest thing is the multiverse, which also makes no sense as well as scares me but you don't scare me nor are confusing to me, my life is not stable, it breaks a lot, but your the only thing I know that is stable. That wont just...leave. For the first time in a long time, I trust someone."

I stared deep into her eyes as she did the same with me.

I haven't had my heart beat like this since I was 15, I can hear it in my ears as well as feel it banging so hard in my chest like it want to break free an hold her.

I cant remember the last time someone said these type of things to me, things like poetry. Avery had a way with words, to quote Beth from Little Women , "Your a regular Shakespeare." Avery has been saying things like this since that night, since then we have become closer like I said but after what Dr. Kimberly and Maddie said hell even what Mrs. Mack said, I think this is more than friendship.

I know I can't this is selfish of me, and I know Maddie said I must finish it before it gets bigger than it is but I can't.

I know this feeling all to well.

Avery:

Is this what being in love feels like?