Light Me Up Again

chapter 16

Luci

The next morning, i am woken by Arlo's pager. He groans as he reaches the side table to see who it is. His eyes shoot open, he grabs his phone and walks to the balcony. "What the fuck Jasmine, no" his voice stern and deep, "I am not allowing it, she isn't staying at my place, go find somewhere else to stay. I don't care if I am never there, I said NO!" he hangs up and slams the door closed on his way in.

Fucking bitch, I hear him mumble under his breath; I sit up on the bed unsure whether to ask if everything was alright or just wait for him to tell me. He sits besides me as he furiously sends a message to jasmine. "Are you ok?" I ask softly, he ignores me until the message is sent. "Fucking Jasmine, she wants a girl friend of hers to move into my house". I lean my chin onto his shoulder, "well, if she doesn't do it know, she will do it when we go into the city for lily and colins weekend bender".

He looks back to me and nods "I guess you're right, it hasn't stop her before from acting up. And she is sneaky". He gets his phone and calls jasmine back. " Fine, she can stay for a few months until I get back from the city for a function, after that you both have to leave". He walks over to kiss me, his still looking unhappy with his decision "I'll meet you down stairs for breakfast".

I lay back in bed, I don't feel like breakfast, I'd rather stay in bed. Im not in the mood for anyone today. Moment later lily open my door and lays besides me. She tells me that everything is going to be ok, I want to believe her but deep down I knew it wasn't. I knew that I made the mistake by letting Elliot go. I knew in my heart of hearts that I was meant to be with him.

Lily hands me the bracelet I gave back to Elliot when I caught him having intercourse with jasmine, I lift my arm and she clips the two ends together. After she kicks my arse and tells me that she is moving out, I decide to get up and meet them for breakfast. "the house is going to be quiet without you guys, but I am happy that you will be moving in together" I announce out loud and Arlo lifts his head to congratulate them. "finally" he says and we all laugh.

After breakfast arlo helps them move their stuff next door and I lock myself in the office to complete some work, It feels nice to be able to get back to my normal life. After my days work I get a phone call from mum, I haven't seen her since new year's. "Hey mum," I say with excitement in my voice. "Hey sweety," her tone is soft and unpleasant. The feeling of worry hits me, and I begin to question her "Mum, whats wrong? Is everything ok." I pause waiting for her to answer me. I heard sobbing in the background until my father answered the phone.

I walk out of the office and down to deck, pacing up and down. "Dad, what the hell is going on? What's happened to Mum?" I yell, and Arlo comes running back to see what I am yelling at.

"Dr Hall, it's Arlo, is everything ok?"Ahh, Arlo, how is Luci? Is she calm?" he looks at me and can see the panic overcoming my body."No, but I will look after her. What is wrong?" we hear a sigh through the phone."Arlo, you will need to get yourselves a ticket to Australia, Luci needs to be here. I'm sorry, but I won't say anything over the phone." He shakes his head."Ok, we will be on the first flight out. "

Arlo rushes next door, and I run upstairs to start packing. I don't know for how long I will be there, so I pack as much as I can. Lily and Arlo come rushing through the door, and she hugs me, "it's going to be fine, Luci, don't think the worst. Wait until you get there to start panicking. "Look after the house while I'm gone. I know colin still does his thing around here, but I don't know how long I will be there for. And we will go dress shopping as soon as I get back, I promise. "

A few hours later, we were on a plane to Sydney, Australia. Dad picks us up from the airport and heads back home. the men unload the vehicle, and we take our stuff up to my bedroom. I thought I'd never have to show anyone my bedroom, but here I am showing Arlo what my life was like. "So this is the real Luci," he says and throws his arms around my shoulders. I smile. "The old luci," and I scoff.

After we settled in, we met dad downstairs in the lounge room, "Sit," he instructed. He walks away and comes back with mum he is helping her to walk and aids her to the sofa. She looks horrible her skin pale, her face thin she has no hair. I feel Arlo's grip on me tighten.

My dad sits beside mum and holds her hand. "Luci, Honey. I have cancer, I've had it for a while now and it's only been in the last few months that we decided to take the treatment option- My hands are shaking, I'm crying and I feel helpless- I know that you are shocked but I will answer any questions you may have".

I look up to Arlo, his grip still tight around me. He gives me a reassuring nod. "Are you going to be, ok? how far along is it? is the treatment working? what am I going to do without you, you can't leave me I need you" and I burst out crying harder than I was before, I fall out of his grip and curl up on the floor surrounded by my tears.

My dad picks me up and carries me to my bed, Arlo helps Mum upstairs, and they surround me. "Kiddo, there is something else." I turn my head looking towards them. My mum is crying and unable to talk. "I'm not your biological father. We don't know where he is. The dream you had of me leaving your mother when you were young was because your mother lead me to believe that you were mine, but I gave her a chance to explain and made the relationship work, I love you so much and I raised you as my own and I couldn't give that up. Sticking around has been the best decision I've made because I got to watch you blossom into a beautiful young lady."

My dad's words hit me hard, and I go into a state of shock. The room feels like it's shrinking, and it's becoming hard to breathe. I lift my arm to reach for Arlo, but I pass out.

A few hours later, I wake to an empty room, I see a tray of food on my desk and a box of chocolates. Arlo enters the room from a shower just wrapped in a towel. "Hey Baby, how do you feel?" he asks as he slides a white cotton t-shirt over his silky skin and pulls up his shorts.

He places the tray of food on the bed and eats with me. "I can't believe it, Arlo, he isn't my real father, and my mum is sick." He kisses my head and strokes my hair back out of my food. "I know it's hard and it's a lot to take in, but you need to be there for her, right now it's time to look after her and not make her life hard, she needs you just as much as you need her. And there is plenty of time to discuss things with your dad about his situation. "

He was right, I needed to worry about her and then worry about my own problems. "To answer your questions. She is doing fine, her treatments seem to be working but we are keeping an eye on it, she is currently at the early stages of stage 3 and like I said treatment has been slowing down the spread".

I look to him and shake my head, "I'm not in a hospital Arlo, all your doctor talk is rubbish, it's just to give the family members hope when really its worse than it seems. So, what you're saying is that she has stage 3 cancer, the treatment is slowing the spread but hasn't stopped it, and the chances of her living 10 more years is not a definite. "

He looks across to me and nods. "Hey, kiddo." My dad walks in and sits at my desk. "Dad, right now I don't know where the best treatment for her will be, but if it's in America then we are going to pack the house, sell it and all move into the beach house to look after mum". Dads face lights up. "That's a great idea. She can continue under my care, and I can manage the hospital.