it's you, it's always been you

chapter 39

The doctors waited to do tests on Sam until she was stable and out of critical care.

Sam had been in and out of her room all day, getting all sort of scans done, and tests done and so much of her blood was being taken out for all types of testing.

There was hope again and Sam's dad and Deena were still as happy as they were the moment Sam woke up.

But Sam was still in pain, she tried to hide it but they knew Sam all too well now. Leukemia is known to be extremely painful for the patient. It effects the bone marrow and can cause pain for the patient for years.

The doctors were trying to combat the pain, and give Sam some relief, and it worked for awhile, but Sam was still hurting and it would take time before she felt better.

Deena stayed every moment she could, just as she promised herself. She knew what mattered now. She was hit with the reality and heart break of losing the most important thing in her life. She was so close to losing it. So close to losing Sam. But Sam was here now. And Deena was going to savor every moment she could with Sam now that she had her again.

Sam still got sick and couldn't hold anything down. But she still had the chemotherapy in her system, so just as the doctors said, it would take time for it to get out of her bloodstream.

"She's in remission, for right now. There is still a chance new cancer cells can grow, but right now, she is cancer free. When we removed the spleen, it was consumed with cancer cells and tumors. We will have to monitor it, and test consistently, but you are in remission, Samantha, you are cancer free."

Sam's dad and Deena gasped when the doctor said the word 'cancer' and the word 'free' after it. There were smiles on their faces as they felt the relief they desperately needed for the past two months. But they had tears in their eyes, the good kind.

Sam brought her knees to her chest and her face buried in her hands. And she started crying. She cried harder than she has in the past two months.

She was happy and relived just like her dad and Deena. But she was convinced as soon as she started chemo that she would die. She started it for Deena. She did chemo for her. To make Deena feel better. But she never thought she would actually get better. She waited to die these last two months. She accepted it. And now she was going to live. She had a future.

Deena went straight to hold Sam's in her arms, her arms wrapping around Sam's body. She was concerned as Sam cried and how much harder she was crying. She rubbed Sam's back, and kissed the top of Sam's head. "It's okay, Sam. It's over. It's over. You're okay. I love you. I'm so proud of you." Deena repeated to Sam like mantra.

She held her until she felt Sam's shoulders relax from the tension. Sam lifted her head to nod at Deena before wrapping her arms around Deena's neck and pulling her in for a kiss with all the energy she had.

They wanted to keep Sam another night at the hospital before she could leave. The doctors wanted to make sure her temperatures stayed low and to finish her cycle of antibiotics.

Sam looked at her dad the moment they said she could go home tomorrow. Home meant her mom. She didn't think about it yet. Where she was going after the hospital. Where her dad had been staying. She didn't think she would make it out of the hospital.

She remembered the sight of her mom kissing Caleb's dad. Did he know yet?

"Dad, I want to stay with Deena after I am discharged. I can't go to mom. I can't, I won't." Sam was calm now, she wasn't going to let her mom control and use her anymore.

Her dad sighed, he knew there wasn't a way to keep Sam away from Deena, and he didn't want to. He saw how much they love each other. How devastated Deena was whenever something happened to Sam. He saw how Deena took care of Sam. He trusted her.

He spent so long away from Sam. He spent so long being an awful father. He wasn't going to control her like her mother did. He was going to make sure Sam was okay and that she knew he loved her.

"Deena, I trust you. I've seen the way you both love each other. And I can't stand in the way of it. I love you, Samantha. And you can stay there until I figure things out with your mom and the divorce is finalized. It's going to be different, Sam. I'll be here for you every moment. I know Deena will also." Sam's dad moved closer to her and hugged Sam. Everything changed for him the moment Sam got cancer and he was going to make it better for his daughter.

Sam's dad reached out to shake Deena's hand and she shook it right away. It meant everything to Deena to have the approval of Sam's dad, and to have Sam be able to stay with her while he figures things out. She was going to be with Sam everyday anyways, so it was easier this way and made Deena feel better about the future.

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not the end!