Living With My Fiancé - Leonetta

[12]

Leon goes back with his father in the evening. He takes Violetta with him.

"You came all the way here."

Leon lets Violetta shower first, taking the time to process what all just happened. Everything had seemed fine in the morning. A fresh start. A new beginning. It felt like the end once more for him.

"I know you're still thinking about it." Violetta says from the doorway.

"Can you blame me? I never expected my mother to get sick."

"No one ever does, Leon." She's sitting with him now, a reassuring arm around his shoulders. "I know you care for your Mom a lot, but you should get some rest too. She's not in any danger right now."

How is he supposed to just sleep when he doesn't know what tomorrow could bring?

"Do you really think she'll be okay?"

"Your Mom's a fighter, isn't she? She's held on this long."

"Yeah, you're right."

Leon and his Father head back to the hospital as soon as the sun rises. Violetta tells him she'll make them breakfast when they come back. They shouldn't take long.

His mother is awake this time when Leon enters the room.

"Mom!" he cries, rushing to her side in a haste to touch her, to soothe her. His mother tries to calm him down.

"I'm alright, darling. I'm alright."

"You really scared us back there, honey." She smiles, though small, eyes drifting to her husband.

"I'm sorry, dear. I guess I'd underestimated how bad it had gotten." She holds onto Leon's hand. "But don't you worry. The doctors say I'll be fine. I'll just need to take medication everyday, switch up my lifestyle. It's going to be okay." Leon almost has a hard time believing that.

The doctor comes in some minutes later to talk about everything.

The tests were positive.

"It's nothing to be scared about." he comforted, noting the two males' panic. "With some new routines and some medication, she should be able to live a normal life."

"Will she need to stay on bed rest?"

"No, not at all. It's actually encouraged that she takes up more physical activity. Activities like jogging or walking, even aerobic exercise are of great help to patients with COPD."

"Thank you so much, Doctor."

"If you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask." He leaves with a polite smile.

"I'll be okay." she tells the two men. Leon finally believes her.

Leon returns before his Father, finding Violetta in the kitchen already.

"I was hoping you'd be back by now. Where's your Dad?"

"He wanted to stay a while longer." He gives her a quick peck on the cheek. "Smells amazing." he compliments, noticing how hardy of a breakfast she'd made. Potatoes and eggs and bacon, couldn't forget the bacon.

"Sit. I'll serve you a plate."

They eat in a domestic silence, Leon sated after the chat with the doctor.

"How's your Mom doing?"

"The Doctor says she's going to be fine." He shakes his head. "It's scary, isn't it? How easily your body can give up on you?"

"We'll that's why we take care of it."

"Still. sometimes it's not enough." Violetta nods, going to clear their empty plates.

"And that's why doctors and nurses exist." Leon scratches his chin.

"Yeah... I guess you're right."

A lot of the reason Leon had wanted to be a lawyer was to help people. He's realizing now that there is a multitude of things he could do to help people.

"Do you think it's too late for med school?"

His mother's reading, but she puts her book down after Leon speaks.

"No... Do you want to be a doctor?"

"Maybe? I've been thinking about it a lot." Leon leans forward in his chair. "I want to help people, Mom. I'm tired of the paperwork. Sitting behind the desk. I want to be where the action is." His Mother offers him a kind smile.

"Saving lives isn't something to play with."

"I know that." Leon sighs. "I guess... I want to try? Who knows, maybe I'll be good at it." His Mother places her hand over Leon's.

"Do some research first, hmm? You seem well excited now, but you said the same thing just a few years earlier." Leon knows. And he wants this time to be different. He wants to ride out this excitement, look up programs and see what his school offers. He didn't think there would be room for him for the upcoming semester, but there was always the next.

When he tells Violetta, she seems more surprised than his mother did.

"You want to be a doctor?"

"There are more career pathways in medicine you know."

"Yes, but I just assumed- It took me by surprise."

"Why?"

"Well, it's just so different from you being a lawyer. I guess I just wasn't expecting it."

Leon isn't dumb, he knows what a drastic change this is. But he's out to prove he can do it.

"I've already been looking into it." He slides over his open laptop. "The doctor route isn't really my plan. I was thinking more like RN? It's less schooling and I could maybe graduate with you guys in the spring" She glances over the tabs he has open, almost like she hadn't imagined he'd be this thorough.

"You've really thought this through."

"I don't want to be left behind."

Violetta meets his eyes, soft and tender as she takes his hand.

"You not graduating wouldn't mean we're leaving you behind."

"I know, but... I'm not ready to let this all go to waste. I want to take advantage of my time here. I want to do this." he emphasizes.

She seems like she wants to say more, but she chooses to smile.

"You've got a goal set. I can see that. I'll be right there with you."

Leon feels more ready than he ever expected to be.