Never Let Go ✔️

Chapter 20

Date: Friday, March 18th

Luke was planning on calling Ben today during his lunch break to tell him about Sophia. He felt guilty for not telling him sooner but he has been busy and it completely slipped his mind.

Luke just finished treating a little girl who has the flu. He was walking towards his office for lunch when he felt his phone buzzing. He pulled it out and saw that Ben was calling him.

"Hey Ben, you wouldn't believe it but I was just about to call you," Luke said while opening the door to his office.

"Hey Luke! Guess we both had the same idea," Ben replied, laughing a little.

"What were you calling me about?" Luke asked, now sitting down at his desk.

Ben replied, "What's going on with Sophia? Before she was texting me at least every other day telling me about all of the exciting things going on in her life and that made me feel better knowing she is happy. But lately, she hasn't been texting me as much and something just seems off. Is she mad at me for some reason? Did I make the wrong choice sending her with you?"

Ben had to move half away across town due to getting a job offer as a lead detective at the police department. He had to live close by the station. He didn't want Sophia to have to move to a different school and be away from her friends so he let her move in with Luke. Except he always thought that he made the wrong decision and felt guilty. After all Luke was just starting out as a doctor at the time and he didn't really want to put that responsibility on him. Luke always reassured him that it was fine but Ben always had a voice telling him it wasn't.

Luke sighed. He thought to himself, Well I guess it's time to tell him.

"Ben, she isn't mad at you. It actually has nothing to do with you," Luke started.

"Luke, what is it?" Ben asked. He could hear the concern in his younger brother's voice.

"There is no easy way to say this. Sophia has cancer. To be more specific it's Ewing Sarcoma. So her not answering your texts has nothing to do with you," Luke said. He went on to explain what has been going on for the past couple of weeks.

"Ben, she also was crying for dad on Wednesday. Have you gotten any closer to finding him? She needs him more than me or you right now," Luke said.

"Yeah, actually that's why I was calling you. I was able to locate him. Well, actually one of his friends contacted me and told me where he is because they are concerned about him. Something about him being in trouble. I don't know but I was planning on seeing him on Monday. Do you want to go?"

"Yes, I am going. I am going to do everything I can to make sure he is here for Sophia or so help me god," Luke said.

"Jeeze Luke. Are you going to beat the old man up?" Ben said laughing thinking about his brother who would never even hurt a fly beating up their father.

"Only if he deserves it," Luke said.

Luke's pager buzzed.

"Ok Ben, I have to go now. See you on Monday."

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Sophia invited over Hunter and Lizzy today. Michael, Luke, and Sierra were going to help her tell them that she has cancer. She doesn't want to keep it from them any longer but she was scared of their reactions.

Michael, Luke, and Sierra were sitting on the couch watching something on TV. While the kids were upstairs in Sophia's room. That was until Hunter came running down the stairs.

"Luke your sister is absolutely crazy and so is Lizzy," Hunter said laughing.

Before Luke could say anything Lizzy and Sophia were walking down the stairs singing a song that Sierra, Luke, and Michael have never heard of.