Happily

Chapter Eighteen: Little Things

A few minutes later Anne arrived with coffee and soup. I checked my vibrating phone to see thirteen missed calls from my mum. Stepping out into the hall, I held the phone to my ear with a trembling hand. “Hello?” I said.

“Louis! Oh my god you bloody idiot, you rushed out of the house at one in the morning crying! Don’t you ever do that again. Where are you?”

“Mum,” I let out a shaky breath. “Marcel is in the hospital.”

I heard the sharp intake of her breath. “Why… what?”

“Mum,” my voice cracked. “Marcel has l- lung cancer.”

            There was a moment of silence before she spoke again. “Oh my god, Louis I’m so sorry I…” Her voice broke off, and I felt a searing pain. “Do you need me to be there? I can have Lottie watch the rest of the kids…”

“No, mum, it’s fine. I need some time here.”

“Oh, right, of course.”

“Maybe you can come in the afternoon or evening today? It’ll be a while till he’s released.” It felt so surreal saying that.

“Yes, I’ll do that. Tell Anne I send my love and I’ll see her this evening. Let me know if you need anything okay?”

“Okay mum.”

“I love you Louis.”

“I love you too.”

            I walked back to the room and forced down the soup Anne had gotten me. “You need to eat, trust me,” she said. I didn’t feel like eating. Or walking, or doing anything, because why would I be okay if Marcel wasn’t? Something inside me nagged at my mind. This isn’t about you, this is about Marcel. I had to be strong for Marcel, I had to help him through it all. Every bit of it.

            Anne said she was going to go talk to the doctor to find out some more information once I was done. She left me alone in the room again and I found myself dozing off.

            As my eyes felt heavy and began to shut, I felt deep sleep pulling me under. “Louis?” I heard. “Louis?” I thought I was dreaming, so I groaned and turned over. “Louis,” came a choked sob and my eyes snapped open. Tiredly, I looked over and found Marcel awake, still drowsy, tears streaming down his face. I shot up, stumbling, and ran over to him, sitting back in the cushioned chair by the bed.

“Marcel? Marcel baby can you hear me?” I asked.

            I received a look of sorrow and a nod. “Can you say something love?” I asked, voice soft. “Louis,” he cried. It was a start, I supposed. “Hey, it’s going to be okay, alright? We’re going to fight this.” Marcel sniffled.

“I heard you while I was… well, not awake,” he said softly. I nodded, feeling a slight blush creep up my face. “Then you know I’ll go through this with you. It’s together or not at all.”

            Marcel closed his eyes, chest crying for a while, and I let him, I simply let him, because sometimes that can be the best medicine.

“I’m so sorry,” he said after a while, tear-stained cheeks slowly drying.

“What?” I asked incredulously.

“I’m sorry for not telling you, you didn’t sign up for this.”

            My heart froze and I resisted the urge to sit on the best next to him and kiss his frown away, one by one. “Hey, I didn’t sign up for being with a nerd either, but that turned out pretty great?” I teased quietly, trying to make him smile. His frown, however, deepened. “Are you saying me having canc- ah, uh, me being… like this is going to turn out great?”

Shit.

“No!” I exclaimed. “I meant that I didn’t sign up for being with you at all, but I love you, and whatever’s in your baggage is in mine too. I don’t give two fucks what it is. I’ll fight everyday to make you smile and laugh and I’ll make sure you don’t go a day without being reminded you’re a lot stronger than most people I know, and that you don’t go a day without knowing a love you and getting kisses for being you.”

            I exhaled, looking at him hopefully. His eyes were glossy, and he would cry, he really would, but he just ran out. “I love you, Louis.” He said. Leaning over, I pressed my lips to his forehead. “I love you, Marcel. And all your little things.”