Happier With You | ✓

Chapter 3

I peeked into the room where Cody would be spending the next few hours getting his treatment.

The doctors had decided to start chemotherapy before surgery, hoping it would shrink the tumor and make it easier to remove.

"Guess who?!"

"Ah! There's my favorite girlfriend."

I ran over and kissed his cheek. "And your only girlfriend, silly! But guess what?"

Cody flinched as the nurse pressed the IV needle into his arm.

"Hold still for me." She reminded him gently.

"Sorry." He muttered, his face tightening in discomfort.

I gave him a sympathetic smile, trying to keep the mood light. "I got you some donuts."

He blinked at me. "Are they... walking here themselves?" His voice was slow, hesitant.

I frowned for a second before realizing i forgot them in the car. I didn't even realize.

"Oh shoot, I left them in the car.." I said quickly, brushing past it. I jumped up, kissed his forehead, and headed for the door.

"Wait, hold on."

I turned back. "What is it?"

Cody hesitated. His eyelids were already heavy, and I knew the treatment was wearing him down faster than he let on. "What happened to your therapy session today?"

"Don't worry about that." I said, forcing a smile. "I'll bring your donuts."

The nurse glanced up from taping down the IV. "You've got yourself a good one." she said, nodding toward me.

"I sure did..." Cody mumbled, his words slightly slurred.

"When did you two meet?" the nurse asked as she finished securing the tape.

"Two years ago. Three in a few months."

"How sweet. Don't ever hurt her, you hear me?"

Cody let out a breathy laugh. "I won't, Mrs. Abby... I won't."

A few minutes later, I walked back in, shaking the box of donuts.

"Got 'em."

The nurse gave Cody a final check. "I'll be back in a little while. And remember, don't mess with the IV site, alright?"

He gave a lazy thumbs-up, his energy already fading.

I plopped down next to him, curling into his side as we shared the donuts. We talked for a while-about nothing, really. Stupid jokes. Future plans we both pretended we weren't scared to make.

Then, as he finished his last bite, he asked again, "What happened to your therapy session?"

I sighed, crumpling the napkin in my hands. "I rescheduled... again."

"Why?"

"It's just-" I rolled my eyes. "It's too hard to talk about everything. And my stepdad is always pressuring me. He's part of the reason I'm even going."

"Well, Miss Wesley, that's not very charming of you to say." Cody teased, his voice drowsy.

I looked up at the IV bag. Almost empty. The chemo always drained him like this, pulling him into exhaustion before we were even ready to say goodbye. But tonight, he had lasted longer than usual.

"I know, I know." I murmured, taking the last bite of my donut.

"Tired?"

"Mhm." He hummed, already halfway asleep. Even so, he still reached up, brushing a thumb over the corner of my mouth to wipe away a stray crumb.