Not Like the Movies

Chapter Five

12).  Find sin(x) and tan(x) if cos(pi/2 - x) = - 3/5 and sin(x + pi/2) = 4/5?

     Think, Talia, I think to myself, come on! It's the very last question on the trig test, and I only have a few minutes left to do it. This test is 25% of my final mark, and I don't think I did very well on the other questions. I need to get this question perfect.

     The phone rings. Mr. Dupuis answers it, and, after a few terse words, hangs up, looking disgruntled. "Miss Stamos?" he asks, "The office please."

    Damn. If I did as badly as I think I did on the test, I'm going to fail if I don't finish this question. But Mr. Dupuis shoots me a stern look, so I leave my test, only looking back at it once or twice on my way out the door.

     The secretary sends me in to the principal's private office immediately. Inside, I'm shocked to see Ariadne and my new grandmother waiting for me. I return their slightly sad glances with a cold, hard glare. My specialty. The principal gestures for me to take a seat, so I do. 

     "Talia, dear," starts my grandmother, "We have something to tell you..."

                                                                                   * * *

     I nervously chew my lips raw as my grandmother struggles to find a parking spot in the crowded hospital parking lot. As soon as she does, I climb out of the red Audi and slam the passenger door behind me. My grandmother signs us in at the front desk and, within minutes, we are ushered into a room to wait for a doctor to come see us.

     I don't talk to my grandmother and Ariadne. Why should I? All they have done for me so far is make my life worse. Finding out that I had a twin, and a rich, perfect one at that, certainly didn't make my life any better. And today, with them telling me that my dad had passed out on the job and had to be taken to hospital? Too bad I can't shoot the messengers. 

     I sit up straight as the doctor comes in. He looks like a very smart doctor, but I couldn't tell you why. It might be because of his clipboard. Or the fact that his lab coat actually fits him.

     "My name is Dr. James Holdon." he says in a very calming voice. 

     "It's very nice to meet you, doctor," interjects my grandmother. "I am Rachel Sanger, John's ex-mother in law." Dr. Holden raises his eyebrow as if asking about our freakish family story. "It's a long story," she says, noticing his intrest. "And this is Talia and Ariadne, John's daughters."

     I scoff. Ariadne's only his daughter by blood.

     "I understand that only one girl was living with him?" asks the doctor.

     "I was," I reply, shooting a glare at Ariadne. 

     Dr. Holden nods, and flips through the pages on his clipboard. "I'm terriby sorry.... Talia," I can tell he can't really tell us apart except by our clothes, "But I have some bad news for you. We've run some tests on your father today, and we've found something." 

     My chest tightens. I can barely get my words out of my throat which has cloased up in fear. "What did you find?" I whisper.

     The doctor looks into my eyes. His are blue, and normally I love blue eye, but Dr. Holden's eyes aren't comforting. "Talia," he says, "You're father has lung cancer."