The Good Life

Chapter 95

"We'll be back in time to pick up Rosie, Mom...." Marla handed over a sleeping Esperanza to her mother as they started to head out the door to the doctor's appointment.

"It's okay if you're later. Lisa can get her when she gets Zachy and Kara." her mother answered hugging Bruno tightly and then her own daughter. "It will be okay." she said choking up a little the same way Marla did as they left the house.

"Look...you even have my mom crying, Bruno." Marla said taking his hand squeezing it as they walked out the door.

The drive to the doctor's office, located just feet from a specialized cancer treatment center was quiet. They didn't listen to music nor did they talk. As he turned down the long winding road Marla let out a gasp and started to cry. Bruno pulled the parking ticket out of the little machine turning to see Marla crying. "Baby....shhhh...." he put the ticket on the car's dashboard taking her hand playing with her fingers.

"I just don't....." she gasped again. "how did you do this? How do you do this every single time I get sick? This one time is enough to kill me."

"Life just happens, Mar. I kind of figured that out a long time ago." he told her as they walked through the intimidating hallway. He stopped her a few feet from the door facing her. He leaned his forehead into hers looking into her teary eyes. "Be strong, Marley. I need you."

The receptionist handed them a huge stack of highlighted papers to fill out before the doctor would see them. Marla took them from his hand."Let me do it." she said flipping through the pages frantically filling them all out. He leaned over to see her filling everything out just like she would have before. How does she do that? God, please let me make it like she does every single time. She glanced over at him smiling at him. She got up handing the papers over to the receptionist who looked everything over saying that the doctor would be with them in a few minutes. Almost 30 minutes later, with even more silence, the older man who came highly recommended, walked out from behind a heavy door to walk them back to the examining room. Marla clutched a bright red notebook in one hand and gripped onto a bright pink pen in her other hand sitting off to the side where the doctor and Bruno could talk. They made some small talk before the doctor, Doctor Collins, starts asking questions. He asked about how he found the lump and asked Marla to describe it. She was slightly embarrassed but reassured by the doctor that they're married and that she's not the first wife to find something like this. Dr. Collins then explained that they needed to do an ultrasound that would detect if there really was a tumor or if it was just abnormal for his age. Marla cringed at the idea watching Bruno's facial expression change from hope to despair. He would also need some blood work done to ensure there weren't any abnormalities there. The nurse would come and take his blood in a few minutes and then they would schedule the ultrasound for later in the week.

"But I'm going to New York for work....can't we do it now?" Bruno asked looking over at Marla to see what her reaction would be.

"Cancel in, Bru. Or move it back. Or do it this weekend. They can't move mountains for you, just because of who you are." she snapped watching him open his mouth. "No."

"Okay then. I guess I'll call Aaron...." he said looking down at the floor defeated.

"It's good to have someone strong like that by your side, Mr. Hernandez." the doctor smiled at Marla easing some of her anxiety. "I will see you two in a few days. Amber will be in shortly."

Amber, the nurse, and Dr. Collins must have crossed paths with each other because within seconds she walked in, in perky pink scrubs and impeccably died blonde hair in a high ponytail. "I promise I'll be nice." she smiled holding out the needle. Marla hurried over to his side sitting down next to him taking his other arm.

"Just look away, Bruno. It doesn't hurt." Marla told him. "Or look at me." she said sweetly.

"It's just blood Mar..I can...." he looked down at the needle quickly turning to face her with an almost white expression.

She tried to hold in a laugh as he looked into her eyes failing bursting out laughing. "I'm sorry, Bruno. I'm sorry!" she laughed putting her other hand on his face feeling it getting hot. "You'll be okay."

"Do I at least get a snazzy Snoopy band aide or something?" he asked turning to Amber.

"All I have is clear." she answered with a sad face.

"We'll switch it when we get home, Bru." Marla said holding him up as they walked out the door.

They walked over to the same receptionist to schedule the ultrasound. Marla grabbed Bruno's phone flipping through his calendar picking a day. "Thursday." she told him handing the phone back to him.

He remained quiet as they walked down the dark hallway again. The ride home was quiet again. "We're both scared, Bruno. But remember what he said...it's treatable...like really treatable."

"I know." he stated simply driving the rest of the way home quiet.

**

Dear Marla,

I'm sorry I was such a mess today. I don't even know how to put together the words. Right now it's just like a big mess that Rosie has made...but it's all in my head. Thinking of not being there for you, not seeing our three beautiful kids grow-up, to see you cry, to think of you crying, to think of putting Rosie through even more hell and for the twins to go through this. To just lose it all. I don't know what to say. Thank you for being there for me. I don't know where I would be without you. I love you. Even if you did laugh after I got my blood drawn. Thanks for the Dora band aide, too. It's dope. Don't ever forget how much I love you.

Bruno