|Missing Love|

Chapter 19

*Shelby's P.O.V*

I kept looking at Ezekiel as he had this uneasy look on his face. It was like he was in a bad moment. He knows that something is wrong with him too.

But what happened?

"What's going on, Ezekiel?" I asked.

I sat down on the chair that was next to him and he let out a sigh. It seems like he didn't want to speak but he knew that I wasn't going to be leaving until I found out what was happening.

"Shelby, I have cancer." He then let out slowly.

Cancer? He has cancer? How did that happen? What? But then it made sense why he was in the infirmary.

"What kind of cancer?" I asked.

"Thyroid." He said and then he took off the scarf that he was wearing and he showed me the bump that was on his neck.

I was silent. I wasn't sure what to think when I heard of this news. Ezekiel has cancer?

"And no one knew except Siddiq?"

He looked at me with a serious look. "Siddiq didn't find out until five minutes ago. No one knew until then."

"Ezekiel..." I started to say but he shook his head.

"Shelby, it's another obstacle in life. I'm not worrying too much about this. It's other people that need to be taken care of."

I looked at him, wide eyed. "You have cancer, Ezekiel. You need to have Siddiq looking at you and I'm glad to know that he is now but it should've happened sooner."

"Do you know what it was like when I was the King? People call me majesty and people look after me to make sure nothing happens to me. I lost my Kingdom, I lost Carol, I lost Shiva, Benjamin, and Henry. I lost a lot. I was trying to let other people be okay first." He explained.

"I know you lost a lot but you're family. You'll always be family." I told him.

He smiled lightly. "And you're family too."

I met Ezekiel after the war with Negan was declared. I didn't go with Rick and the rest of the group to go to Kingdom to try and get Ezekiel to join the fight against the saviors. But I knew that he was against the idea at first.

And since then, he's been family.

I know he's lost so much in the matter of months with the Kingdom falling apart, losing Henry, and losing Carol. I know this is so hard for him.

But he's strong. I know he is.

He still has Hilltop and he has Jerry who has been his right hand man for the longest time that I can imagine. He has a family.

"How come you won't tell Jerry what's wrong with you?" I then asked.

"I didn't want to worry him." He started to say. "When we were at Oceanside putting out the fire, I kept coughing because of the flames. He tried to get me to take a break but I wouldn't let it happen. I'm just trying to assure him that everything else will be fine."

"But what about you?"

He sighed. "Shelby, I'm still here and fighting. Just because I have cancer doesn't mean I'm giving up. I'm a fighter and I'll continue to fight. I'm okay but it's the coughing that's bothering me."

"Did you get medicine from Siddiq?" I then asked.

"He provided me with some antibiotics. I'm taking everything one day at a time."

I slowly nodded. "So can I let Jerry know what's happening with you?"

As soon as I asked him that, he immediately shook his head. I gave him a confused look as he was doing that.