Don't Forget Me

Chapter 7

October 2011

“But, Brunooo….it’s your birthday!” Maggie exclaimed into the phone. “I don’t want to worry you.” She told him.

“Tell me what you’re doing on the 11th! I want you to come to San Francisco and then you can come to LA!” he told her in an excited voice.

“I can’t tell you. It will worry you.” She said in a sad tone. They had stayed in touch since he let go of her hand that late evening in August. They were somewhat in a long distance relationship of sorts. Nothing officially had been said but she ignored all the advances she was afforded when she went out with friends and Bruno’s band had noticed his flirting significantly decrease since the event in August. She made him smile and he made her laugh. He was so busy though. And so was she. She had been traveling speaking to organizations and advocating for the research that was going to end in just a few weeks. It didn’t look very good, as far as funding. Cancer organizations around the world had rallied around the cause, but only a small dent was made in ensuring the continuation of the drug’s research study.

“Maggie.” He stated her name with a bit of a shake in his voice. “You’ll worry me if you don’t tell me.”

“I can’t. I just can’t.” she told him starting to shake.

“Maggie! Please!” he pleaded. They didn’t necessarily argue, but they were still trying to figure each other out, and being so far away from each other it was even harder to figure everything out.

“I’ve been really sick the last few days. I’m waiting for the tests to come back.” She told him finally getting it out.

“Oh.” He said shocked. “I thought it was something smaller…like..you always do that…”

“I’m sorry. See. I scared you.” She said wiping away a tear from her eye.

“Maggie….I’ll come see you in two days. It will be okay…you don’t have to come to San Francisco…I don’t have to go to San Francisco….I can say I got sick…”

“You have to go, Bruno. My family is here.” She told him coughing a little feeling a pain in her stomach from it pulling on her so hard. “Oww.”

“I just want to be there for you, Maggie. Please let me be there for you…” he said sweetly.

“You can be here when you get back from San Francisco. I’ll be okay.” She told him. “I’ll be fine.” She said reassuring herself. “Forget about it while you have your show. It’s your birthday. Happy birthday, Bruno.” She said to him still a little shaky.

“Could it just be that you’re sick? Like a cold? I got sick in June from traveling so much….” He tried to justify.

“It could be. I hope it is.” She said to him starting to come back around.

“I do too. Go to bed, Mags. Feel better.” He said to her sweetly.

“I’ll try. “ she coughed.

“Maggie?” he asked quickly before she hung up.

“What?” she asked.

“I love you.” He said a bit nervous.

“You’re blushing aren’t…” she sneezed. “you?” she laughed.

“Maybe a little.” He smiled through the phone.

“I love you too, Bruno. Happy birthday. Have a good show.”