Short Stories (without happy end)

Elijah (part. 2)

This morning, I get up earlier because I have an appointment. Lindsay is still sleeping. I kiss her on the forehead, get ready and write her a note telling her to meet me at the restaurant at 10 am.

In the car, I continue to think about what I'm going to say to the people I love. I've been thinking about it all night, but I haven't been able to find a less painful way to say it than to just say it, without any tricks or language. I put my blinker on and pulled into the notary's parking lot.
For almost an hour, I tell him my wishes and he explains the formalities to me. I tell him what he will have to do and to whom he will have to leave my material goods. I arrange for certain things to be settled before the fateful moment so that I can leave without worry.

I leave this place and go directly to one of my suppliers. I look at his vegetables and prepare a crate of his best pieces. I take some ripe vegetables and herbs before heading to the restaurant.
It is 9:50 am when I arrive. Only Antony, my partner, and best friend is present. I greet him and go to the kitchen to put away my purchases. I check one last time that nothing is missing for the service of this noon and put to simmer what it is necessary to make cook with small fire several hours. I hear some noise in the dining room and ask Antony to accompany me. Everyone is present. My parents, my girlfriend, my brother and my best friend. There is however an undesirable, disease. It weighs on me more than ever at this moment.

''Well. I don't know where to start but I have something important to tell you and I would like you to listen to me because it's important" I begin with a serious air. Go ahead son, we're listening'' my father intervenes. Lindsay, I know you've noticed, I'm not doing too well right now. I saw that you were starting to worry but you didn't want to bother me with it. Anyway, I went to the hospital and did some tests and -'' ''Elijah'' my mother cut me off with a sob. ''The doctor diagnosed me with cancer and brain tumors from that cancer. I'll only have a few more months," I finish, looking at my loved ones in turn.
Lindsay bursts into tears and comes to take refuge in my arms. She is quickly joined by my mother, my brother, and finally all the people around me.

''I went to the notary this morning. Antony, I've signed over all my shares in the restaurant to you. Lindsay, you'll have the apartment. Tom, I'm leaving you my car –" "You can't say that like you're going to die tomorrow, you're not going to disappear like that!" my mother exclaimed. "Yes, Mom, I'm going to die soon. Not tomorrow, but I will soon. So I'd rather have the foresight. I can always try to get chemotherapy, but it will have almost no chance of success''. ''If it has any chance of saving you, you have to try," Antony says. "Okay. Anyway, I don't have much to lose. It's if you don't do it that you risk losing a lot" "You're right. Well, that's not all, but I have to work! I remind you that business is still going on''.
I cut short this meeting and everyone resumed the course of their lives more or less normally.

•       •       •

More than two months have passed since I started my chemotherapy. I know that it is in vain that I continue to go to the hospital, my condition keeps getting worse. My eyesight is starting to fail and I am waking up more and more disoriented. I stopped working three weeks ago and have been in the hospital for a week now. Lindsay, Tom, and my parents come to see me every day.
I am nauseous. I run as best I can to the bathroom and empty myself. I'm exhausted and I can feel that it's almost over.

I make a decision that I decide to implement directly. I grab my phone and send a message to a group in which I include Lindsay, Tom, Antony, and my parents. I send this simple message: I'm sorry, I feel like it's almost the end and I would like you to stop coming to see me. I hope you will understand that I want to face death alone. I love you but you must not sink. We all die one day.
I also send a song, Cancer by My Chemical Romance before I sneak out of this cursed white room.

Now turn away
'Cause I'm awful just to see
'Cause all my hair's abandoned all my body
All my agony
Know that I will never marry
Baby I'm just soggy from the chemo
But counting down the days to goIt just ain't living
And I just hope you know
That if you say (if you say)Good-bye today (good-bye today)
I'd ask you to be true (I'd ask you to be true)'Cause the hardest part of this
Is leaving you' cause the hardest part of this
Is leaving you