Light Me Up Again

chapter 20

Luci

It's been a few weeks now since arriving back to America with my parents, mum has been in and out of hospital for treatment and Arlo has been working tirelessly to support her and be beside her through it.

I've managed to get some work done that Lily sends me, but I'm always distracted, whether it be from my mother's needs or someone walking into my house uninvited. Today, I have the house to myself, and Colin has gone to another job to oversee some building work.

I take my laptop outside and sit at the table. I look around the backyard, and it looks new, Colin has planted new flowers, and I have an herb garden now, not to mention the beautiful sunflowers between them all.

But in between the beauty, all I could see was the night Elliot broke down. I look up and stare at his window in hopes that he will pop his head out to look at me. But I knew that wasn't the case. He was in the city with his fiancé.

I spend the next few hours finishing my left-over work. "Hey girl," Lily says, and she sits across from me with her laptop. Great idea coming outside to work. The sun is beautiful today, not that windy either. "

I smile and nod. As I finish up the last sentence of my review, I close my computer. "So, when are we going dress shopping lily?" she looks over excited, jumping from her chair."We are booked in next week. " she is squirming like a little girl. "Also, any ideas of what you would like to do for your hens' night?" she shakes her head and shrugs her shoulders.

I have no idea what I am going to plan for her, but I hope that whatever it is, she likes it. later that day, Mum and Arlo arrive home from the hospital and settle her on the lounge with a warm cup of tea.

"Hey babe, how was your day?" he asks as he wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me into him, I look up, and he leans down to kiss me ever so gently on my ready and prepared lips.

"Mmmm, I missed those lips." He says as he pecks my lips with his. "productive," I say in between kisses. "But we need to sit down and organise this hen's night for lily, I have no idea what to do."

While Arlo made dinner, I sat next to Mum and lay my head into her lap. She strokes my hair back softly. "It's ok. You didn't tell me about Robert. I don't want you to worry. "

She smiles and continues to stroke my hair. "I'm glad that it's all out Luci, it's been eating me up inside for a while now but I couldn't find the right time to tell you but now that you know, I will focus on getting better".

"Tell me everything, mum and the truth about your cancer." she pulls me up and looks over to Arlo. He sits beside me and nods to Mum. " I was first diagnosed 5 years ago. It wasn't bad, and we kept an eye on it. A year before the accident my scans noticed it had come back, after the accident, I believe the stress had made it worse, they offered me treatment but I refused it, I was more worried about you. After Christmas I felt off and went to the hospital to do some check-ups and found that the cancer had gotten worse, Robert persuaded me to start treatment as soon as possible, that's why we left for Australia. But being away from you and keeping this from you was eating me inside. Anyway, fast forward to the present, the past few weeks have been tough, getting use to the treatments, I've lost my hair and I feel my body becoming weak, my immune is low and I need to take injections to help it. the Chemo is making me sick but they suggest a cup of coke will help, Arlo has been wonderful keeping me company through my treatments sometimes I don't even feel I'm there for that reason, But honestly, I can feel my body unable to fight any longer, I don't want you to be scared child, I want you to be strong and thankful, don't fear, accept"

Mum layed her head on a pillow, and we let her rest, arlo and I had dinner, and after, we headed upstairs to tuck her into her bed. "She has been strong. When we are at the hospital, she always has a smile, and she makes everyone around her smile." He reassures me and walks me into the bedroom.

"Now, what are we going to do about Lily's hens night, and who is organising colins?" Arlo looks to me confused, "maybe Elliot, he hasn't asked me, " he replies. I open my laptop and look at possible outings we could do together with them. "What about go karts, or Mini Golf? Us girls can get our nails and hair done and then meet you guys at a club near lilys apartment." I suggest.

At that moment, both Lily and colin walk in, "THAT SOUNDS GREAT," they say. "I love the idea of doing the party together, but we will do the go karts in the morning, nails and hair in the afternoon and meet the men at the club. What do you think?" I smile and nod."Yes, that sounds like a great idea. In the meantime, the men can have lunch and go do what men do and meet us there. "

The men look towards us and shrug. They will just go along on the day. "Don't forget dress shopping next week," Lily yells as she walks out of my room. "Well, I'm glad that's sorted," Arlo says as he walks towards me, lifting my face and planting a kiss on my lips. Now you have 1 less thing to worry about. " he smirks, and we settle in bed.