Saudade

24

Room
Ty: I can't believe you still remember that?
Me: how could I forget? It's the first thing we did together after mom left, to come up with our own language.
Ty: 😂 we're chsuga melagas
Me: hey! 😂
Ty: it's true.
Me: true. But are you okay? how do you feel about the whole cancer thing?
Ty: I feel just fine. I know how life threatening leukemia is, but I'm strong and with you by my side I'll be happy.
Me: awww, Chasity, I love you soo much,baby-sis
Ty: love you too Sommy.
Me: Hey! I told you how I feel about that name
Ty: yeah, I know it sounds weird. But I'm having trouble coming up with a new one.
Sly: GIRLSS!!

We walked downstairs and saw a thin white lady with graying brown hair sitting on the couch. Chresanto and Syl were sitting across from her.

Syl: girls, this is Doctor Monroe.
doctor Monroe: Please,just call me Cathryn or just Cat.
Syl: she's the oncologist Dr.Brown referred us to.
Cathryn: it's nice to meet the both of you.
Ty: YN, what's an oncologist?
Me: uhh, it's a cancer specialist
Cathryn: I'm going to be your own personal doctor.
Ty: all mine?! 😱
Me: not ALL yours Ty.
Ty: oh
Cathryn: it's okay Chasity. I'll still see you a lot of the time.
Ty: okay
Cathryn: and if you don't mind, I'd like to run your first set of test tomorrow
Ty: sure. But can YN come with me?
Cathryn: of course, I'm sure that'll make you feel better.
Syl: Cathryn is actually here to get to know Chasity a little bit.
Ty: cool. You wanna come see my room? Well it's sorta my room. We don't really live here but back at home YN painted my room really pretty. the ceiling looks like the nights sky with glow in the dark stars and shooting stars. It's sooo pretty.
Cathryn: wow! It sounds beautiful
Ty: well come on. I'll show you where I sleep and we could play board games

She grabbed Cathryn's hand and led her up the stairs toward the guest room where me and Ty have been staying... But then she looked back at us and said...

Ty: easeplga mecoga htwiga us, I'm creatlysega aredscga 😔
Me: no oblemprga

-Guest Room
Ty: okay, you guys can sit here, while I get the board game set up. Do you know how to play trouble, Cat?
Cathryn: of course.
Ty: great! I'll get it set up.
Cathryn: ok sweetie... So YN?
Me: yeah?
Cathryn: Suzane tells me you've been raising Chasity on your own for the past 3 and a half years.
Me: yeah?
Cathryn: that must've been really, really difficult.
Me: it was.
Cathryn: I just want you to know, I've been through a similar situation.
Me: do you?😒
Cathryn: actually,yes. Not many people know this but, I was born and raised in Russia. My dad supported the family because my mom was really sick with cancer. He would work all day and all night. So I had to be the one to care for my brothers and sisters. All 4 of them.
Me: wow!
Cathryn: mhmm, and I pushed through with a lot of hard work and determination. Got my family to the U.S for a fresh start. And became successful... just a few words of inspiration.
Me: thank you.
Cathryn: no problem
Ty: okay, it's done. Come play.
Cathryn: okay, I wanna be yellow.
Ty: im green.
Me: guess I'm red?
Ty: or blue?
Cathryn: YN why do you go first.
Me: okay.

As the game got started, Cathryn began to get to know Ty.

Cathryn: Not again.
Ty: sorry. 😂
Cathryn: do you have that game here too?
Ty: 😂no
Cathryn: 😂.. So Chasity, are you scared about this whole cancer thing?
Ty: no, not really, YN told me that lots of people beat cancer. And I think I can too.
Cathryn; that's good. That's really good. Ty-gco
Ty: Only YN can call me Ty.
Cathryn: sorry.
Ty: it's alright.
Cathryn: well, Chasity, you are going to undergo a lot of treatment and some pain so that the cancer can go away.
Ty: 😐Cathryn....

Ty walked over to Cathryn, and put her hand on her shoulder (the way teachers do.) looked her right in the eyes and said...

Ty: I got this. 😏☺️